> “I was disappointed [that the request for a tree didn't work],” Chandrasekaran said — all the more so because he had admired the Department of Parks & Recreation’s efforts to care for street trees and even map them citywide. “All that was super awesome. I was inspired. It made me think this would work, but it didn’t.”

C'mon, you knew better than to expect good service... this is emblematic of our city government. Countless pet project studies, data collections, boutique development programs targeted towards people from all walks of life - all the while basic infrastructure is covered in trash and crumbling and simple quality of life rules go unenforced.

I submitted requests for tree planting and DPR automated email said "will respond within 720 days". What a great functioning city we have

My tree request, made during Covid lockdown, was declined multiple times and is now -6 days for review. I’ve planted natural saplings from other trees on the street. If the city puts a proper grade tree in timely, then they won’t have a rogue oak tree. If not….then oak tree.

What's their reason for denying? Did you plant them in already existing pits with no trees?

Nope, perfectly fine pit that used to have a tree before a storm broke it.

Ok

I submitted a request for a public garden and it took them over a year for them to basically say " yeah dude. Not gonna happen"

That's basically the amount of time it takes for DPR to respond to any hazardous tree condition like a dead branch or one that's dangling. It's just stupefying how slow they are to dangerous conditions, let alone routine requests like this.

I submitted a request a couple months back because a few years ago our landlord illegally filled in the tree pits in front of our building after the saplings there got damaged. Just received an update recently that said the Parks Department "determined that the requested location cannot receive a new tree because of conflicts with the surrounding infrastructure".

We fought to have them not put a tree down in front of our house. Roots gross Abs mess up your donation but I suppose if your renting you don’t care

Also you have to clean the leaves as a property owner.

>The average wait time for a request to be completed went from 342 days in 2017 to 909 days in 2019 — the last year that the department even tracked the progress of 311 requests.

Sounds like it's a recent problem, not just "the city always sucks lol."

I myself had a tree request fulfilled within a couple months, but that was like ten years ago.

That's the whole point. These services are never funded sustainably, their service levels come and go.

Not surprising since the agency is funded like shit, foresters barely crack 60k once they attain their civil service title so turnover and vacancies can be high, these are the people that manage tree planting and other contracts and inspect street and park trees

Ah ok. Didn't know that.

There's a whole set of requirements for planting a street tree. Some of the requirements like offsets from utilities change and mean replacing an old tree is no longer possible. DEP keeps increasing the offsets from their stuff.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/pagefiles/53/Tree-Planting-Standards.pdf

I suppose the requirements on our street might have changed. It's unfortunate because the stretch of the block directly in front of our building is left as the only one without trees now.

This is madness. It’s already needlessly expensive to plant these trees.

Owner here (private home)

Love our city tree We sweep up (no blowing into the street) throughout spring summer and fall. It’s good exercise and a way to meet your neighbors.

Norway spruce is messier than some but not as bad as a female Ginkgo tree I suppose. But we would be happy to have any heathy tree.

We also fought for a dozen new trees for our block and after a few years of patient requests got almost all of them.

Roots can be a pain sometimes but again, worth it to have a shade tree in front of our home and it certainly beautifies the city. Birds and squirrels call it home now and it’s lovely to watch it bloom in the spring.

here's another shortcut: date someone at Parks. i had my tree planted within a couple months of my "request"

Lol you still have the contact? I need at least a hundred trees planted

And y’all still think you’ll see a dime of the congestion tax?

Unfortunately the only remnant of that relationship is this lovely green ash I walk by every day ;)

Its even worse in construction

It took 2 years to get trees planted after requesting them in Queens.

What does this have to do with CBD tolling lol, Parks Department?

Wow .How many?

I put a suggestion in a few months ago and got a reply after 3 months saying: "NYC Parks will inspect the site to determine if it is suitable for a new street tree, including a review of potential conflicts with other infrastructure. If the site is found to be suitable, a tree will be planted during the next available planting season."

and

"The next update is due within 365 days"

(I'm also amused at 720 days, someone failed at multiplying 365 times 2? :D )

I only did one...Maybe you could only so one then? But the city did plant 3 or so.

I'll add some more backstory based on what I know. After Hurricane Sandy, the city "cracked down" on trees. Meaning, the quality / grade of trees and the requirements for how they are planted increased in standards to provide for a safer situation. To buy a cost of a proper grade tree costs $1200-1800 based on variety, and then planting location, proximity to utilities or other landmarks, etc. all became much more important in context of extreme weather.

This is why I have a "nature" based approach to simply letting trees grow if the city won't plant. Problem sort of solves itself.

Ah thanks for the background. I read a report that it's much more expensive here than in JC

I would say the NY Restoration Project is much more reliable than the city. They give out trees for free you just have to pick them up yourself. Various native species, they have multiple dates throughout all the boroughs as well. They took a hiatus during Covid but came back this year. I have received multiple trees for myself and my neighborhood from them just check their giveaway dates and register before hand. That’s it.

Girl what?

was it green originally, or you just keep putting off sponging it up?

Good choice.

And even small amounts of shade can radically reduce your cooling bill in the summer.

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Was that parks dept person the “Jenn” in your username?