About Us
History
Trees New York was founded in the mid 1970s as a volunteer response to the city’s devastating cutbacks in tree-related community services. Since then, TreesNY has worked to plant, preserve and protect New York City’s urban forest through education, active citizen participation and advocacy.
One of our key commitments is to increase New York City’s tree canopy cover. Tree plantings not only help reduce energy overload and stormwater runoff, but also clean the air and beautify the streetscape. Since 2005, TreesNY has been directly responsible for planting over 2,000 trees on public schoolyards, NYCHA properties, community gardens and curbsides throughout the five boroughs.
TreesNY's adult and youth education and training programs encourage volunteer stewardship of neighborhood environmental resources. Through our training programs, volunteer courses, educational workshops and publications, Trees New York promotes active community volunteerism, fundamental to the survival and health of New York City’s street trees.
TreesNY partners with local community-based organizations and city, state and federal agencies to facilitate citizen engagement in the urban forest throughout the five boroughs of New York City.
Awards & Achievements
2008 City Council Member Tony Avella was joined by his colleague David Yassky to present TNY with a City of New York Proclamation for its outstanding and exemplary service to New York City's communities through its participatory tree-related programs and crucial community oriented technical support services
2008 The Department of Parks & Recreation Parks Opportunity Program (POP) acknowledged TNY with its Best New Partnership Award at a ceremony at the Arsenal in Central Park. POP participants trained in TNY's spring 2008 Arborist Training program.
2007 Certificate of Appreciation from the Initiative for Civic Ecology & the Department of Natural Resources for TNY's support and participation in "Urban Environments: Civic Ecology through Service-Learning in NYC, 2007"
2007 The City Gardens Club of New York City presented Susan Gooberman, TNY Executive Director, with The Melville Award in honor of her environmental education excellence.
2006 Bronx Borough President, Adolfo Carrión Jr. presented Samuel Bishop, Trees New York Education Director with a Merit Award for his participation as a facilitator/ mentor in the Walton High School Green Teen Program.
Press
The New Yorker, January 11th, 2010
P.S. 75X Loves "Trees New York", November 9th, 2009
Trees New York’s Citizen Pruner Program featured on ABC, November 3rd, 2009
Trees Galore In The East Harlem Gateway, January 2009
Board & Staff
| Susan Norton Allen | Mary Holloway |
| Elizabeth Atwood | William Hubbard |
| Adrian Benepe * | Derek L. Limbocker |
| Samuel A. Bishop | Gerard Schriffen |
| Steven Boyce | Henry J. Stern |
| Nina Bassuk | Margaret Ternes |
| Julia Ransom Bradford | Henry M. White III |
| Walter L. Deane | Mikel G. Witte |
| Randi Glickberg | *Ex Officio |
| Susan Gooberman | Executive Director |
| Nelson Villarubia | Director of Programs & Development |
| Joseph Bernardo | Director of Forestry |
| Samual A. Bishop II | Director of Education |
| Cheryl Blaylock | Director of Youth Education |
| Maeve Bace | Program Manager |
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