September is Tree Appreciation Month!

September has arrived and Prospect Park Alliance is ringing in Tree Appreciation Month and Climate Week NYC as we remind you to Be a Park Champion and help us extend our Summer of Stewardship into the fall! Prospect Park is home to over 30,000 trees of over 175 varieties—and each plays an essential role in keeping our human and wildlife communities healthy and happy.

While the park’s trees may appear big and strong, like any living thing they are susceptible to injury and disease. With over 10 million visitors in the park each year, the trees in Prospect Park need all of our support:

• Please do not hang hammocks or decorations from our trees, and avoid climbing or breaking branches: this damages the tree bark and can make trees susceptible to disease.
• Please stay on designated paths in the woodlands to protect fragile wildlife habitats, and make sure to dispose of your trash properly. This will help our trees grow for generations to come.

Check out the ways in which you can celebrate the park’s trees this month:

7 Surprising Tree Facts: Prospect Park Alliance Forester Mike Marino is an expert on Prospect Park’s trees, and gives an in-depth peek behind the scenes at the amazing facts you never knew about the trees in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

TreeKeeper Database: Did you know? Prospect Park Alliance has an interactive map tool that allows you to look up the species and diameter of every tree in the park, as well as the amazing ecosystem benefits our community receives from the park trees.

Fall Volunteering in the Park: Want to take a hands-on approach to caring for the park and its trees? Prospect Park Alliance has a full slate of fall volunteer opportunities! From our weekend Park Pitch In events to Junior Volunteer Corps, there are many ways to lend a hand in your park—sign up today!

Contribute a Tree to Prospect Park: Prospect Park Alliance runs a Commemorative Tree Program in the park. Community members can donate to plant a new tree in Prospect Park in honor of a loved one or for a special occasion. The gift helps replace lost trees and ensures the ongoing ecological health of the park.

Pledge to be a Park Champion: Right now, more than 1,200 members of our community have taken the Park Champion pledge. Help us reach 1,500 during September! Prospect Park is essential to the health and wellbeing of millions of community members, and the hundreds of species of plants and wildlife that call Brooklyn’s Backyard home. Take this important step to pledge to Be A Park Champion, and enter to win great prizes.

Learn much more about how you can be a Park Champion in Prospect Park.