The pin oak trees along Memorial Drive in Forest Park can tell some stories. They were planted more than a century ago to honor World War I veterans from Richmond Hill.
“Seventy trees originally lined these streets, and not all of them remain, but the one that remain are truly incredible the way they capture this canopy that covers overhead,” Jessica Einhorn, chief of forestry programs for NYC Parks, said.
What You Need To Know
- NYC Parks has released its first new “Great Trees” list since 1985
- It honors trees that tell the story of communities across the five boroughs
- Sixty-one trees have been added to the list, making for a total of 120
The trees are among those named on the Parks Department’s “Great Trees of New York City” list.
Sixty-one were chosen from a pool of more than 270 submitted by the public through an open nomination period. The final selections were made by a committee of panelists including arborists, authors, historians and representatives from civic groups.
“Not just great trees in terms of their botanical significance. We are also looking at trees that have great historical significance or cultural significance, and we are really looking in every corner of the city to try and capture these incredible specimens,” Einhorn said.
There’s a willow oak tree on Steinway Street in Astoria, a weeping beech at the Historic Kingsland Homestead in Flushing, and an American elm at Tompkins Square Park, among others. Einhorn says there are around 7 million trees in town.
The Parks Department manages more than 5.7 million of those on city streets and in parks, so there are plenty more that can be named as “Great Trees.”
“We do have our nomination form that continues to be open online, and we really encourage New Yorkers across the city to submit nominations for trees that they find really incredible,” Einhorn said.
So take a look around your neighborhood or park to find the next “Great Tree.” Head to the Parks Department’s website for more information and to see the entire list of “Great Trees.”
