Two hundred fifty trees were planted in Marine Park in celebration of City of Forest Day. The annual citywide event is meant to highlight the importance of urban forests in New York City.
Volunteers from all walks of life gathered on Burnett Street, between Avenue U and Whitney Avenue, on Saturday morning, October 3rd, all geared up and ready to go. There, they joined forces with the Marine Park Alliance and Natural Areas Conservancy, to take on the herculean effort of clearing space for such a large number of new trees.
Teams removed various weeds and invasive plant species, as well as unwanted native species like the American Pokeweed. The large, bushy perennial grows aggressively, and its magenta stems and clusters of dark purple berries are toxic to humans and pets. Groups then proceeded to plant a variety of young, new trees along the perimeter of the fenced-off area of the park that surrounds much of Jamaica Bay, working well into the afternoon to complete their mission.
Not only will the new trees beautify the area and help to clean the air, but they will also support local coastal woodland, forest habitats and wildlife communities for many years to come.
