East River Park Tree Apocalypse

This is a small section of a map showing the proposed fate of every tree in East Side Coastal Resiliency area (Montgomery to 25th Street), adapted from the NYC’s Preferred Alternative — Tree Removals and Protection Plan (EIS Appendix C1m). The red Xs represent trees that will be killed when the entire park is demolished, starting next Spring, as part of the ESCR flood control plan.

This area of the map is adjacent to Avenue D from 5th Street to 8th Street in the East Village. It shows red Xs on every tree around the running track. The track will also be demolished, even though it was recently refurbished for $3.5 million.

To see the rest of the map, open the pdf link: Tree Map. You should be able to magnify and scroll through the map that represents over two miles of coastal park.

There are 960 trees fated to be destroyed (the red Xs), and 53 small trees to be transplanted (green triangles).

The enormity of destruction, demonstrated by the red Xs in this map, should give pause to those eager to close and kill East River Park for years. There are better ideas for flood protection. Two of the alternative plans that the city considered do not require destruction and closure of the entire waterfront.

Amy Berkov is an ecologist in the Biology Department at the City College of New York. She has been compiling citizen science data on the non-human species in the East River Park, and writes about the importance of biodiversity and our trees in the article, “People and Nature: Friends for Life.”