Something new and green is happening on a block in Queens Village. 

On a warm May morning, a Department of Parks and Recreation crew planted a variety of 17 trees. It's a block that literally had no street trees at all, which was an issue. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Parks Department is planting trees in areas considered to be more vulnerable to the impact of heat

  • Trees can cool neighborhoods and help clean the air of pollutants 

  • The Parks Department has its own in-house tree planting crew as part of a pilot project 

"This is an area that has been deemed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as being disproportionately vulnerable to the health effects of heat. So that includes heat-related morbidity and other health conditions," said Navé Strauss, the director of tree planting for the Parks Department.

Trees can cool a neighborhood's climate. That's one of the motivations behind the planting of around 1,000 trees in the neighborhood since last July, with more on the way.

Strauss says this is being done by the department's new in-house tree planting crew as part of a pilot program. Traditionally, contractors were used to plant street trees. 

"This is a good thing, right? At the end of the day, there's going to be a tree here or numerous trees in the case of this block that are going to freshen the air, that are going to cool the climate as they grow, and of then course they are going to be beautiful," said Strauss.  

It's a big change for the block, and residents seem to be on board to welcome some new green to the area. 

David Cooper, who runs a daycare in the neighborhood, said, "The block right after us, they have a whole line of trees and we don't have any, so it's nice to have some trees on the block. Some nice greenery. It was looking a lot of concrete."

Heureuse Sylvestri was out for a stroll, and was also admiring the new trees.  

"Of course, yes, we need it for the soil, for the air. You know, it's good," Sylvestri said.

The Parks Department says residents can help take care of the trees by watering them and planting bulbs and perennials around them. 

"We tell them don't plant right next to the trunk, just do it right around. And as they begin to grow, people will see the signs of life all over the tree pit," Strauss said.

Strauss says once the trees are planted, crews will be back weekly in the coming months to water the trees and help them on their way to providing shade and more for the block.