NYC Street Trees Are Thirsty

By Y.M. Lowy

The more than 660,000 street trees in NYC are in danger of being severely dehydrated due to the ongoing drought. While most trees in city parks receive special attention from park caretakers, the trees that line the streets are mostly ignored. 

NYC has received historically low levels of rainfall over the last three months, and the lack of water is leading to the death of many trees. Most trees need about 15 to 20 gallons of water — equivalent to an inch of rain — per week, which they have not been getting for a while. Although the recent rain has lowered the risk of brush fires and the like, NYC has not yet received enough rain to make up for the past few months. 

“Every single street tree bed is a little miniature park," Nina Browne, community field manager at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden said. "Life at the curb is life on the edge, and a lot of street trees are really, really vulnerable to use and abuse. The care of street trees, when it does happen, really does fall on the shoulders of a lot of residents of New York City who take it upon themselves."

Local arborists, or tree specialists, are encouraging residents to water the trees in front of their homes as every drop of water gives the trees a better chance of surviving through the drought.