“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” New York City took that maxim to heart, and then scaled it by a millionfold. Soaring towers and sweltering summers saw the city embark on an unprecedented urban greening initiative from 2007 to 2015. According to the MillionTreesNYC initiative, one million trees were planted years ahead of schedule throughout all five boroughs, transforming sidewalks, parks, schoolyards, public housing, campuses, and forgotten concrete corners into living infrastructure in the city.
A slogan for the environment became a citywide mission. The project wasn't just about aesthetics; trees were designed as climate infrastructures that would cool overheated neighborhoods, act as air purifiers, reduce stormwater runoff, and even turn the world's densest city into a more resilient one.
Cities are known for their heat-trapping traits. By day, asphalt, rooftops, glass towers, and concrete soak up the sun's energy and give it back long after dusk, enhancing the urban heat island effect. Without trees for shade, the temperatures in neighborhoods may be much higher during the summer compared to more tree-lined areas of the same city.
In the face of climate change, MillionTreesNYC saw that it wasn't enough to reduce emissions; it had to change the way our cities are designed to live in. In 2007, as part of PlaNYC, the campaign was initiated by the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and the New York Restoration Project to increase the number of trees planted in areas where they were most needed: along streets, school grounds, public housing, natural areas, and private property. Trees were not considered ornamental but vital public facilities.
