10/29 Tree Planting at LaTourette: A Ghost Forest Supporting Event
Staten Island Greenbelt Tree Planting: A Ghost Forest Supporting Event
In conjunction with Maya Lin’s Ghost Forest in Madison Square Park, join the Greenbelt Conservancy, Natural Areas Conservancy and Madison Square Park Conservancy for a Breakfast Reception and Volunteer Tree Planting event on Friday, October 29th in the Greenbelt’s LaTourette Park, Staten Island.
The Breakfast Reception will begin at 9am at the Greenbelt Nature Center at 700 Rockland Avenue, Staten Island NY, 10314.
For those interested in continuing on to the Volunteer Tree Planting, the group will walk a short distance from the Nature Center to the planting site at 10am. Please consider joining us for the Breakfast, the Tree Planting, or both!
If you plan on volunteering:
Please wear sturdy, closed toe shoes, long pants, and clothes you don’t mind getting dirty. Bring water and a snack. Gloves and equipment will be provided. Event staff will show you what you need to know to properly dig a hole and plant the trees. Since this activity requires tools and some lifting, please do not bring unsupervised children or any pets.
Volunteers will work together to plant native, climate-adapted trees and shrubs to close gaps in a wet area adjacent to a coastal oak-hickory forest along the old, closed section of the Red Trail in LaTourette Park, which was selected for this restoration project. These native plants are specially selected because they can tolerate wet conditions and are adaptable to changing climate conditions projected for La Tourette Park. The types of trees planted will include elderberry, red maple, and silky dogwood — and they will help make the forest more resilient to climate change over time.
MORE ABOUT THIS EVENT:
This planting event is one of a series of five events taking place throughout New York City. These events are held in partnership amongst the Natural Areas Conservancy, Madison Square Park Conservancy, and additional park conservancies, supporting artist Maya Lin’s Ghost Forest public art exhibit in Manhattan’s Madison Square Park. The 1,000 trees planted during these events will offset the carbon emissions from the Ghost Forest installation.
These plantings are also a part of a citywide effort to restore and care for over 7,000 acres of forests managed by NYC Parks for the enjoyment of all. The particular sites chosen for the plantings were determined by analyzing data showing where healthy forests were under threat and needed additional young trees to prepare for the future. By improving the health of New York City’s forests we are ensuring park users can continue to find solace and benefit from them in the years to come.
A Little About Maya Lin:
Born in 1959 in Athens, Ohio, Maya Lin catapulted into the public eye when, as a senior at Yale University, she submitted the winning design in a national competition for a Vietnam Veterans Memorial to be built in Washington, DC. She was trained as an artist and architect, and her sculptures, parks, monuments, and architectural projects are linked by her ideal of making a place for individuals within the landscape.