Litter Pickup + Tree Care Event on Nov. 10, 2024
The budding idea of this event started in July 2024, when Litter Legion reached out to us (HKCC) about tree care on 10th Ave/53rd Street outside of PS 111, which were overgrown with weeds at the time. We immediately saw the need for a little TLC so we decided to take the opportunity to complete tree care and introduce native plants in the tree beds.
Litter Legion generously offered to sponsor native plantings. We focused on plant selection for the site, and decided this was a great time to loopback with TreesNY, who we were in contact with back in Spring 2024 on a potential collaboration in Hell’s Kitchen. We asked TreesNY if they would be open to doing a tree care demonstration for the 10th Ave/53rd Street tree beds. A few meetings and site visits later, we confirmed the exact tree beds and date for the event!
We were very excited to partner with TreesNY and Litter Legion for this event. We were ready to expand on our efforts with planting native species to create a biodiverse habitat, improve soil health so that trees could thrive, and beautify the neighborhood!
We couldn’t do this without the support of the parents at PS 111. Upon learning about this event, the PS111 school community came together quickly and helped us with material storage and event logistics. It was truly an amazing West Side story where neighbors came together for the community.
The rest of our recap dives into the “behind the scene” stories that made this event possible.
Two tree beds in need of care, surrounded by overgrown weeds, competing for nutrients with the young trees.
📝 Planning to execution
Fast forward to October 2024, the idea quickly shaped up and took root. We (HKCC) confirmed tree care and plantings on November 10th with Litter Legion; our event collaboration grew to include TreesNY and the PTA of PS 111. 🥳
(Spring 2024) As part of our ongoing outreach, we contacted TreesNY to inquire about collaboration and/or funding opportunities. We had a great meeting, brainstormed some ideas but nothing was confirmed. We said we would stay in touch and talk again at the end of Summer.
(Summer 2024) We reconnected with TreesNY and they confirmed their commitment to sponsor one (1) tree care event. We then started to identify potential sites for the project. Many factors were taken into consideration. Here are some examples that we at HKCC think about:
Is this a young tree or an old tree? Young trees tend to need more help with watering. Their rootballs are not yet fully established in the tree beds, and there would be more physical space and opportunities for stewardship. On the other hand, mature trees may have more pruning needs.
Is this tree stressed, damaged, or in any condition that would be unsafe or unsuitable for stewardship? Could we use this as an opportunity for a tree care demonstration? Or do we need to elevate this to NYC Parks for professional help?
How does the soil look? Are they extremely compacted to a point where it’s not workable by hand? Do we need to remove trash prior to the event? Can we amend the soil with compost? Does it require mulch? How weedy is the bed?
Where are the beds located and how much sun is available? Most plants need at least 3-4 hours of sunlight, even for shade-loving plants. If the site receives little to no sun, or if the site would not be cared for, it might be better to take a less-is-more approach.
Will the tree beds get walked on a lot? Is it worth adding understory planting? It may not be a smart investment to add plantings in a tree bed that will constantly get walked on and plants will be trampled.
Will there be water for the site? Need to make sure new plants get sufficient watering during the initial establishment period.
(Early Fall 2024) Litter Legion reached out and recommended the tree beds near PS111 for a little TLC. They agreed to sponsor for native plantings. 🌱 We did an initial site assessment of the tree conditions, identified potential stewardship tasks, and proposed the project to TreesNY. It was important to confirm that the project would align with the goals of our groups and offer educational opportunities through hands-on activities. It was also important to check the scale of the project and make it worth-while for a large non-profit organization such as TreesNY.
(2 weeks before the event) We completed a detailed site walk and developed the planting palette and project budget. We began event planning and coordination with members of TreesNY, Litter Legion, and PS 111. 🎉
Email coordination of stewardship tasks, event run-down, and implementation logistics and details.
Conference calls to walk through scope, coverage area, and general roles/responsibilities.
Discuss material procurement, delivery methods and schedules, storage logistics, point of contacts etc. 💐
(Day of Action) Group leaders arrived on site early for an event “rehearsal”, walked all tree beds to confirm that they were ready for care, and all leaders were clear of their assignments. 💐
In total, we prepared ~70 plants, ~270 daffodil bulbs, ~200 tulip bulbs, ~12 bags of mulch, ~2 bags of compost for our event!
☀️ November 10 - Day of Event!
We started the event off with a demo from TreesNY . They explained soil management, and method for planting bulbs. Volunteers learned it was important to create a ring around the tree’s base (volcano) when applying compost and mulch so that the tree can breathe and stay healthy.
Starting volunteers - more joined in later!
Our event totaled ~25 volunteers, and volunteers split into small groups to complete the following across 10 street trees:
Litter pick-up in tree beds and surrounding area
Prune trees, weed beds
Soil management (aerate, add compost)
Mulching
Plantings (bulbs, native plants) aerate soil, add compost, mulch for ~8 trees
Snapshot of tree care with a group of volunteers
Plantings
To ensure new plantings survive and thrive, the PTA of PS 111 committed to completing ongoing maintenance. A major task is scheduled watering - enough watering where soil gets deeply saturated. This was an especially challenging and critical task during NYC’s drought conditions!
We greatly appreciate our sponsors and volunteers - thank you so much for your time and contributions!