Resources

Street Tree Pit Guards

Automobiles, toxic chemicals, dogs, bikes and even pedestrians threaten the health of our city's trees. Installing tree pit guards around street trees is an effective way to protect the health of city trees. When designed properly, tree pit guards help protect street trees from the many hazards in the city. A tree pit guard is a low fence, usually made of wood or iron, that is installed at the edge of a tree pit. Trees New York strongly encourages the installation of well-designed tree guards to protect street trees.

A good tree pit guard:

A tree pit guard must not:

Click here for more information about tree guards

Click here for a list of tree guard manufacturers

Curb Your Dog Signs

Dog urine is a major source of damage for New York City street trees. Dog urine is high in nitrogen and very acidic, which can change the pH of the soil, burn the roots that are close to the surface and cause a buildup of salt in the tree pit. Salt buildup can deprive trees of water, exacerbating the drought-like conditions that urban trees must contend with. Tree bark, especially the bark of newly planted trees, is weakened by the acid in dog urine. This exposes trees to diseases and insect damage that healthy bark could ordinarily combat. Dog visits also compact the soil in the tree pits, squeezing out air spaces that are necessary for the health of the tree.

Many dog owners and walkers are unaware of the harmful impact of dog urine on street trees.

Help remind dog owners and walkers to keep dogs from "visiting" tree pits with TreesNY’s new Curb Your Dog Sign. TreesNY’s new Curb Your Dog Signs are made of rust-resistant metal, with an aluminum post and concrete base (for added stability and security). Signs can be placed in tree pits just like flowers, with no risk of girdling the tree.

Donate $25 and receive one Curb Your Dog sign

Donate $100 and receive five Curb Your Dog signs

* Delivery and Installation fees vary according to location and quantity

Tree Tips

Plant your spring bulbs before the first frost (mid/late November). Smaller bulbs like Muscari and Crocus are a good choice because they are planted in the top 2-3” of soil and do not disturb the tree roots. Bulbs planted in the fall will be a welcome sign of spring in late March/early April.

When you are ready to dispose of your Christmas tree, cut the branches into 6” lengths and place them on your street tree beds. The branches prevent soil compaction, conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature and soak up salt residue and dog excrement. Remove branches in late March and flush the tree bed with water to remove any salt residue.

NYCLeaves: Project LeafDrop helps redirect some of the 20,000 tons of residential leaves that are destined for landfills to sites throughout the City that will compost them. Go to nycleaves.org to get involved.

For icy sidewalks, do not use rock salt (sodium chloride) or deicing mixes that contain rock salt because rock salt reduces the ability of a tree’s fine roots to absorb water, nutrients or oxygen - all necessary for healthy growth. Rock salt also causes cracks in concrete sidewalks. Instead, use calcium, potassium or magnesium chloride.

If you plan to install seasonal lights on a tree or shrub, learn about NYC’s Tree Light Policy. Bring your holiday tree to a designated city park to be recycled into mulch that will nourish plantings across the city, join the Mulchfest!

Click here for more tree tips