A new “urban forest” plan for New York City was just unveiled by the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ).
The new plan, created by architectural and design firm WXY, is designed to keep temperatures in the city from rising as global warming spreads but also to counteract historic inequities in lower-income neighborhoods.
According to a published report on the new study in The Architect’s Newspaper, the plan has three components: A roadmap for preserving existing tree canopy, urging the planting of more trees and “cultivating stewards of New York City’s urban forest through resident engagement and educational programs.”
The plan lists 43 individual actions for public agencies, private partners and community stakeholders to consider, including three to five strategies in each of the three disciplines.
“Actions include establishing clear leadership for tree management citywide, designating a leadership position that will be responsible for managing the plan’s rollout and streamlining contracts for tree planting and maintenance,” the newsletter reported.
“The urban forest canopy is one of the few public systems no single agency can build alone,” WXY founding principal Claire Weisz told the newsletter. “This plan is the first to treat it that way, creating a shared goal and unified framework that reaches across the city, from public agencies to private landowners.
“Growing the canopy over the coming years will ask something of every neighborhood, property owner and agency, bringing everyone together in collective action.”
WXY said that as of 2021, New York had approximately 7 million trees; roughly 23 percent of the city that year was covered by canopy. The forest plan’s goal is to increase New York’s canopy coverage to 30 percent by 2040. At current growth rates, WXY said the city won’t achieve 30 percent coverage until 2055 or later.
Other cities, including Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco, have also commissioned urban forest plans.
“New York has always been defined by the dreams we dare to build together. Today, we’re planting those dreams in the soil itself,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. “The Urban Forest Plan is a commitment that no matter your neighborhood, you deserve clean air, shade in the heat of summer and streets that reflect the possibility of our great city.”
