Trees New York ends 50th anniversary with citywide tree stewardship push

Trees New York wrapped its 50th anniversary with a Fall Mixer at The Arsenal near Central Park and is turning to the fifth annual City of Forest Day on Oct. 3, 2026. The organization is using the event to expand public attention on urban forestry and recruit more New Yorkers into hands-on tree care.

Why it matters: - Trees New York is trying to turn a milestone celebration into broader civic action around New York City’s urban forest. - The organization’s work affects how neighborhoods plant, prune and protect street trees, especially in underserved communities. - City of Forest Day is positioned as a citywide moment for residents to see trees as shared infrastructure, not just scenery.

What happened: - Trees New York closed out its 50th anniversary celebrations with a Fall Mixer at The Arsenal overlooking Central Park on Sept. 23. - The event brought together supporters, volunteers, Citizen Pruners, community partners and friends of the organization. - Trees New York then shifted focus to the fifth annual City of Forest Day on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026. - Forest for All NYC presents City of Forest Day with the Parks and Open Space Partners coalition and NYC Parks.

The details: - Trees New York was founded in 1976 as a volunteer response to severe city cutbacks in forestry and tree-related community services. - The organization says it has trained more than 13,500 Citizen Pruners and 9,000 young people in tree care and stewardship over 50 years. - Trees New York says it has planted more than 5,000 trees in underserved communities across New York City in the past decade. - Trees New York remains the only institution designated by NYC Parks to train and license New Yorkers to legally prune city street trees through its Citizen Pruner program. - In Carnegie Hill, Trees New York and Carnegie Hill Neighbors will host Plant, Learn & Care for Carnegie Hill from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Carnegie Hill Neighbors Pocket Park at East 97th Street and Park Avenue. - The Carnegie Hill event will include bulb planting, tree care information, children’s activities and time with the neighborhood’s Tree Pruning Team. - Carnegie Hill Neighbors will also distribute 275 daffodil bulbs through the Daffodil Project to small buildings and local businesses for neighborhood tree pit gardens. - In Brooklyn, Trees New York will lead a guided tree walk at The Evergreens Cemetery, an ArbNet Level II Arboretum, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. - Trees New York Board Certified Master Arborist Sam Bishop will guide the roughly 1-mile walk and identify trees to watch as fall colors emerge. - The Brooklyn walk requires advance registration. - On Roosevelt Island, iDig2Learn and Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance will host a 2:30 p.m. performance at Lighthouse Park with choreographer Jody Sperling and the Time Lapse Dance ensemble. - The 45-minute program includes “Arbor,” “Plastic Harvest” and “Rise,” a work in progress. - Trees New York is also taking part in additional City of Forest Day activities, including neighborhood tree stewardship in Boerum Hill and other community-based programs. - The organization’s mission is to plant, preserve and protect New York City’s urban forest through education, active citizen participation and advocacy. - More information about City of Forest Day is available here. - More information about Trees New York is available at treesny.org.

Between the lines: - Trees New York is framing urban forestry as a community responsibility, not just a government service. - The shift from anniversary events to hands-on programming suggests the organization wants long-term volunteer engagement, not just one-time attention. - The mix of planting, pruning education, walks and performance work shows an effort to make tree stewardship accessible to families, neighbors and culture audiences.

What's next: - Trees New York will continue using City of Forest Day to connect residents with tree care activities across the five boroughs. - The organization enters its second half-century with a focus on expanding the number of New Yorkers who can care for the city’s trees. - Trees New York plans to keep linking public education, advocacy and volunteer action around the urban forest.