Bulleit NYC Planting, September 12th 9am-12pm Long Island City/Maspeth Corner of Laurel Hill Blvd & 54th Ave American Forests’ Tree Equity Event Hosted by NYC Parks Tree Time Sponsored by Bulleit We will plant 50 trees on Review Avenue from 56th Road to 37th Street and Laurel Hill Blvd between 54th Av and 56th Road. Both locations have a Tree Equity Score of 65. On Review Avenue, just a block away from Newtown Creek and sandwiched between Greenpoint Brooklyn and Long Island City Queens this stretch of Review Avenue is currently treeless. Without any trees, folks walking this sidewalk are not only hit directly by sun but also reflected heat from the tall stone wall next to them. The proposed trees will shade pedestrians as well as this wall combating one hyper local factor that contributes to the heat island effect. The neighborhoods along Newtown Creek have been disproportionately impacted by the past 150 years of industrial activity along the waterfront and increasing canopy cover for this community is an issue of equity. Both the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and the Long Island Expressway present ongoing air quality challenges that trees will help mitigate. This stretch of Laurel Hill Blvd runs between the Kosciuszko Bridge and Calvary Cemetery and features a sidewalk, two lanes of traffic, and the bike lane that leads onto the bridge and over Newtown Creek. There are zero trees along this section of road. There is ample space between the sidewalk and fence line to plant large canopied trees that can provide much needed shade for cyclists and pedestrians alike. CREATOR NYC Parks Tree Time, American Forests/Tree Time/Leonid Clim

American Forests partnered with NYC Parks and Bulleit Frontier Whiskey to plant 50 trees along two stretches of road in Long Island City, N.Y. neighborhoods that have been disproportionately impacted by 150 years of industrial activity. The trees will provide shade for pedestrians and cyclists and help combat extreme urban heat.
Photo Credit: Leonid Clim / NYC Parks

Focusing on extreme heat

With record-setting temperatures and “heat domes” impacting all parts of the country this summer, Congress and the White House are hungry for ways to take action — and the cooling power of trees has been getting more attention.

In May, American Forests worked with Tree Equity champions Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ) and Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) to convene a panel of leading nonprofits to raise awareness of the significant threat of extreme heat and its disparate impact on communities of color and disadvantaged neighborhoods. American Forests supports a whole-of-government approach — bringing every agency to the table — to address this multi-faceted issue and accelerate Tree Equity.

Groups are calling for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to put extreme heat on par with other disasters, making funds available to combat deadly heat waves. American Forests is connecting with allies to explore opportunities with various agencies.

Commenting on old-growth forest proposal

American Forests offered comments in support of the USDA Forest Service’s proposal to amend 122 land management plans to address old-growth forests across the National Forest System. The proposal incorporated feedback from diverse perspectives and struck the proper balance in promoting place-based, proactive stewardship in the face of mounting threats from climate change.

Highlights include:

  • Offers a consistent yet adaptable management framework to conserve and steward old-growth forests.
  • Elevates Indigenous knowledge as a source of scientific information and increases opportunities for Tribal collaboration.
  • Focuses on practical and intentional decision making to create and implement ecologically appropriate management plans.
  • Emphasizes the importance of monitoring and adaptive management.

Funding climate-smart forestry on private and Tribal lands

The Forest Service recently announced $190 million in grants to help private and Tribal forest landowners advance climate-smart forestry practices and retain working forests. By offering cost-share and direct payments, these grants will help landowners create and restore healthy, climate-resilient forests while supercharging their forests’ ability to remove and store carbon.

This opportunity builds upon the momentum from earlier Inflation Reduction Act investments in private and Tribal forests as a natural climate solution — including the $12 million American Forests received to expand underserved landowner access to emerging markets for carbon.

Looking ahead to the next administration

Regardless of the outcome of this year’s presidential election, a new administration will take over, providing opportunities to engage the transition team — a select group of advisers and subject-matter experts — tasked with setting priorities for the first 100 days and establishing a foundation for the administration’s policies. American Forests’ team is taking advantage of this opportunity to shape the next administration’s thinking around forests and trees. American Forests’ engagement will focus on investing in healthy and resilient forests in neighborhoods and large landscapes as an essential component for public health and safety as well as economic opportunity and growth.