Public Reactions to New Street Tree Planting

The arrival of new trees on a city street can transform a space that is both public and private, turning gray sidewalks into green streetscapes. Particularly in densely populated New York City, street trees do not emerge from sidewalks on their own, but their planting requires coordinated efforts and public policies. Through planting a tree at every suitable sidewalk location in this urban environment-on blocks where people live or work-the City of New York is transforming communities, and providing a variety of environmental, social and aesthetic benefits (Figure 1).