Senator Squadron Launches Chinatown Trees Initiative

Squadron Joins Community to Bring More Green Space to Chinatown

New York, NY – State Senator Daniel Squadron joined together with Chinatown community leaders, local elected officials, and representatives from the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation today to launch a month-long campaign to bring more green space to Chinatown. In an effort to bring more green space to the Chinatown area, Senator Squadron is calling on community organizations, schools, PTAs, business groups, and individual Chinatown residents to nominate locations where a tree should be planted. At the end of the nominating period, Senator Squadron will work with the New York City Parks Department’s Million Trees Program to turn the viable location proposals into planted trees as quickly as possible.

Senator Squadron said, “We are launching the Chinatown Trees Initiative today to bring more green space to Chinatown and to make sure the community itself drives the process. I'm asking everyone to nominate locations where they'd like to see a tree - or ten! - planted. It's your neighborhood, shouldn't you be a part of making it more beautiful and improving air quality? With the help of MillionTreesNYC, the Parks and Recreation Department, and the New York Restoration Project, we can make that goal a reality.”

“The success of MillionTreesNYC – our ten-year initiative to plant and care for one million new trees in New York City – has been buoyed by an extraordinarily high level of enthusiasm, support, and engagement from New Yorkers,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “I would like to thank Senator Squadron for his continued advocacy of MillionTreesNYC. Adding new trees to every corner of the five boroughs would not be possible without the support of our elected and community officials and the work of dedicated volunteers.”
 
“Everyone talks about going green like it’s a new idea.  But planting a tree is the old school way to green your neighborhood,” said Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer.  “I am proud to stand with Senator Squadron as we work to make Chinatown a greener place to live.”

“As the Assemblyman who represents Chinatown I recognize the shortage of available green space in the community. Working toward a greener Chinatown is a goal that we can all embrace and support. I encourage all residents to find a place to plant a  tree that they will be able to call their own for years to come,” said Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver.

Councilmember Margaret S. Chin said, “I am excited to join Senator Squadron here today to launch the Chinatown Trees Initiative. We all know that Chinatown and the Lower East Side are under-served communities in terms of green space and parks, and I welcome this effort to develop plants and nature in and throughout this community. Children should be able to grow up around trees and flowers, and all of us here in New York should live around greenery. We may be the greatest City in the world, but we need plants and living, green things too. I want to thank the Senator for his initiative and I will work with him to make as many of these plantings happen as we can.”