In 2015, Rob decided it was time to improve our beautiful block’s sad look. He recruited Amy, who lives across the street, who in turn recruited her neighbor John, who had independently been eyeing improvements to the long-neglected tree bed in front of their building. In the course of exploring how to effectively and responsibly beautify our block, we learned from the Parks Dept. that the most important thing we could do was expand the size of our tree beds and put tree guards around them, thus helping ensure the long-term health of our trees.

In 2016, we raised close to $30,000 from residents of the block for tree bed expansion, custom-made tree guards, and tools and materials for planting in our newly enlarged and protected tree beds. We raised funds again in 2018 and, now, we are asking you once again to support our annual tree bed planting and maintenance efforts. (We have also received generous in-kind support from our friends at Curb Allure and a matching grant from Con Ed's Power Up program.)

Now entering our seventh season, we continue to attract new volunteers and see the cumulative benefits of our work. Not only has the curb appeal of our block improved dramatically, we have:

• Promoted environmental stewardship
• Facilitated important social ties among neighbors who otherwise would never have met
• Welcomed volunteers from 4 years of age to 90+
• Served as a model block for the Parks Dept. by promoting best practices for tree bed planting and maintenance
• Inspired neighboring buildings to enlarge, protect and beautify their tree beds
• Brought beauty and joy to passersby
• Reduced the dog waste and trash in our tree beds
• Created thriving ecosystems that include earthworms, lady bugs, caterpillars, and slugs -- in formerly inhospitable soil -- which have in turn attracted  blue jays, robins and sparrows in search of food