Assemblage Joins Forest for All NYC for first ever City of Forest Day
Walking in Downtown Brooklyn
With seven million trees across the city’s five boroughs, New York City is home to a unique urban forest ecosystem that agencies, urban foresters, and tree-loving citizens have been stewarding for centuries. With growing attention to the role of the urban forest in mitigating climate change by reducing CO2 and the urban heat island, the city’s tree forest is making news. As a result, there is a growing call to action to help preserve our urban forest and plan for its future.
Assemblage has responded to this call by becoming an active participant of Forest for All NYC. Forest for All NYC is a coalition of members formed with a mission to support the urban forest’s future while creating a more just social fabric. With their Urban Forest Agenda as a roadmap for initiating action, Forest for All NYC is forging partnerships with policymakers, agencies, designers, and stewards. Their goal is to better plan, invest, manage and raise awareness of our tree population and to respond to the urban forest as a catalyst for a more equitable city.
Assemblage is thrilled to be a member of Forest for All NYC and has committed our active support to their mission. As urban streetscape designers, we understand that the life of an urban tree is challenging and advocate for raising public awareness of the urban forest and its benefits. Recently, we joined Forest for All NYC in their first ever City of Forest Day, a borough wide urban forest event. Wendy Andringa, ASLA of Assemblage joined landscape architect Elena Brescia, FASLA for a street tree walking tour in Downtown Brooklyn.
During the tour, we shared our experience designing streetscapes and tree beds with other street tree enthusiasts. Over the 15 block tour, a diversity of trees and conditions were observed, demonstrating that there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to street tree design. The day’s most salient takeaway: design must consider and plan for the level of care that each tree will receive over its lifetime. Even the most robust tree species need proper maintenance, access to light and water, and root space to grow.
Assemblage is excited to continue this conversation and continue to design smarter when it comes to streetscapes. Increasing species diversity, matching trees to their micro-climate, and better understanding the stewardship resources available are strategies for continued improvement. We welcome others to join us and Forest for All NYC in learning more about a precious city resource - urban trees!
written for Assemblage by Lori Ball Horton