Protect Street Trees on Lower Madison Avenue: Tree Guard Project

Our neighborhood is a commercial district with heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic on lower Madison Avenue and side streets between East 30th and 33rd Streets. Our volunteer tree care team needs funding to purchase sturdy metal tree guards to protect street trees from dog waste, pedestrians compacting soil and delivery truck drivers unloading freight.  This would also give trees enough space to grow for many years to come.  Tree guards improve our street trees' health and beautify our neighborhood. 

  These trees absorb carbon dioxide, reducing air pollution, and provide shady canopies on hot summer days. Targeted street trees are NOT in a business improvement district.

1. In April, team leader Victoria Watkins and tree care team members will alert local residents and business people to this fundraising opportunity to sustain our urban forest. 

  2. Team members will communicate to business people and residents the value of treepit guards protecting neighborhood trees. Include photo of new tree guard installed last year around the perimeter of the tree pit on the northeast corner of 32nd Street and Madison Avenue.     3. Ask for donations to buy tree guards.   4. Obtain permits to install tree pits guards from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.   5. Request cost estimates to for tree pit guards.  We prefer purchasing matching tree guards from Curb Allure, the same manufacturer that installed an attractive, durable,  rust-resistant tree guard on the 32nd Street side of 153 Madison Avenue last November. This design complies with the Parks Department's requirements: 18 inches high and an open bottom to allow storm water to flow into the tree pit.  Curb Allure tree guards are also appealing because damaged modular components are easily replaced using proprietary screws, a huge advantage over tree guards welded together.   6. Install tree pit guards using tree care team volunteers or professionals from the manufacturer.   7. Send thank you note to donors. Include photos of new tree  guards around tree pits.  

After we removed graffiti eyesores and persuaded the Department of Sanitation to add more litter baskets on busy street corners, we asked Million Trees NYC to plant street trees.  When 14 trees went in, several people made the same spontaneous comment to our team: “It’s beginning to look like a neighborhood!”  Since November 2009, tree care team members have been adopting and caring for new trees, as well as older, neglected trees. We have been scrapping together funds for soil and compost, Treegators watering bags and tree pit guards from our personal funds.

  Preserving and protecting our street trees is a civic activity that brings residents and business people in the community together.