Street Tree Care Training and Activity
Monday, Oct 30 at 1:00PM
withTalia Willner from TreePEP
Our street trees make our city more liveable, providing enormous environmental, physical and mental health benefits. But, they are subject to tremendous stress, neglect and even abuse. They need our help to survive and thrive, especially in the increasingly challenging conditions brought about by climate change.
The Climate Change Committee is running a Tree Care training for volunteers who are interested in learning how to take care of street trees. The first part of the training will take place outdoors, in a seated location in Park Slope. Following training, participants will provide tree care to several nearby street trees.
We are looking to train volunteers who want to continue caring for trees as a group or on their own, in the future. In the Spring, we hope to plant native wildflowers in several tree pits to support vulnerable insects and birds.
Requirements: Participants must be able to bend over comfortably or sit/kneel on the sidewalk (on a towel) dig in compacted soil, pull weeds, remove and carry trash (in bags).
Please bring garden or latex GLOVES, a TRASH bag and a TOWEL to sit on.
In addition, if you have an old FORK, please bring it.
GNPS member, Talia Willner runs TreePEP, which removes concrete from sidewalks to create better living conditions for street trees and redirect storm water out of sewers . TreePEP also installs greenways to renature sidewalks to create favorable conditions for native flora and fauna and reduce the urban heat island effect. TreePEP has partnered with the Gowanus Canal Conservancy 5th Ave BID to enlarge tree pits and create greenways in Gowanus and on 5th Ave. She has co-led tree care workshops at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and was the creator and Squad leader of the Tree Care Squad at the Park Slope Food Coop which planted and cared for trees in proximity to the PSFC. Talia is a certified Tree Steward and Super Steward through the Parks Dept which qualifies her to train others to care for street trees.