River Garden Tree Pit Project

Many Bronx residents suffer from respiratory problems due to air pollution and other toxic factors. Many Bronx streets have trees that are weak, damaged and ugly. Most people don’t know how important street trees are in keeping our air clean and beautifying an area. This project focuses on getting guards and supplies to protect street trees from damage such as soil compaction, waste and pollution from dogs and human vandalism and improve air/water quality.

We will hold several workdays to clean out pits and cultivate the soil, helping to get the pits ready for planting. We will use compost, compost tea, and mulch to provide nutrients and cover for the “fresh” beds. After that we will plant flowers in the pits and install guards and signs to prevent misuse and to inform the community of its purpose. In addition to beautifying the area, the guards and plants will deter dogs and people from throwing garbage in the pits. This project would be ongoing as there are several steps to take. There are some beds that are ready to have guards installed, and some that need prep work. We have regular garden meetings, which will be open to all volunteers and will be posted in advance.

We have the ability to positively impact our communities. By taking care of our street trees, we will raise awareness to the difficult conditions we (trees & people) live in. We see them everyday, but don’t really notice how our man made environment impacts their health and ultimately our own. With simple techniques, we will remedy the effects of soil compaction, which dries out trees and contributes to poor health and death of many street trees. Having healthy trees in our environment allows for better air quality, water filtration and the aesthetic benefit of a beautiful space.