Volunteer With Us
Upcoming Stewardship Events
After 46 successful events in 2025, we’ve wrapped up our Stewardship Events for the year. Our next event is January 10th, we hope to see you there! Happy Holidays!
Mulchfest: Travers Park Street Tree Care
Date: Saturday, January 10th
Time: 11am - 1pm
Location: Travers Park - 77th Street and 34th Avenue, Jackson Heights
Description: Wrap up your holiday season and say goodbye to your tree at Mulchfest. Join NYC Parks in the NYC holiday tradition of recycling your Christmas tree!
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Care Captain Webinar Training
Date: Wednesday, January 14th
Time: 6pm - 7:30 pm
Location: Microsoft Teams Meeting Online. This is a REMOTE webinar. You will need access to a computer, tablet, or electronic device as well as stable internet. Please disregard language in this registration regarding location.
Description: This remote presentation will teach you to become a ‘Care Captain’ with the Super Stewards network and empower you to help protect and care for street trees. Learn arboricultural principles and how they can be applied to caring for NYC’s urban forest, while activating your community for environmental health and resilience. Funding for this is provided by the Inflation Reduction Act and the USDA Forest Service, Urban and Community Forestry Program.
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MLK Day Jackson Heights Street Tree Care
Date: Monday, January 19th (MLK Holiday)
Time: 10am - 12pm
Location: 86th Street and Northern Boulevard, Jackson Heights
Description: Join NYC Parks Stewardship as we celebrate the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.! Come work with NYC Parks Stewardship to care for local street trees! Volunteers will learn how to aerate, cultivate, mulch, and identify street trees. They will also learn about the important roles street trees play in New York City. Volunteers should dress in clothes that can get dirty and closed toe shoes.
Sign up here to join!
Past Stewardship Events
TreeLC Street Tree Care lead by Marta from the Jackson Heights Beautification Group
Date: Saturday, December 6th
Location: 72-10 37th Avenue, Jackson Heights
Description: We supported a street tree care stewardship event led by Marta and the Jackson Heights Beautification Group (JHBG). The JHBG and 14 community volunteers stewarded 32 trees along 37th Avenue between 69th Street and 75th Street and utilized a full truck bed of mulch! (A rarity, that’s a lot of mulch!)
Elmhurst Street Tree Planting with Elm Community Charter School Green Team
Date: Monday, October 27th and November 3rd
Location: 79-17 51st Avenue, Elmhurst
Description: We planted 4 trees in front of and behind the Elm Community Charter School with 13 fifth grade students from the school’s Green Team. The kids were overjoyed to call out all the benefits of street trees that were discussed during the first street tree planting event. During the first planting, the students planted two Paperbark maple trees in front of the school building’s main entrance on 51st Ave. For the second planting, we planted two Princeton elm trees on Queens Boulevard behind the school, between Hillyer Street and 51st Ave. In addition, the students planted dandelion bulbs in each of these tree beds – a beautiful surprise for the community come spring!
TreeLC Truck with Guardians of Flushing Bay in Corona
Date: Friday, October 10
Location: Park of the Americas, 103-08 42nd Avenue, Corona
Description: The Guardians of Flushing Bay partnered with NYC Parks Stewardship and students from the local Corona Arts and Sciences Academy to care for street trees in Corona. In just three hours, 26 student volunteers and 10 community volunteers cared for 20 street trees along the streets surrounding Park of the Americas!
City of Forest Day: Elmhurst Street Tree Planting
Date: Saturday, October 4 - City of Forest Day
Location: Hampton Street and Britton Avenue, Elmhurst
Description: We were able to plant 4 street trees along Hampton Street between Baxter Ave and Britton Ave with our 10 dedicated volunteers! We also planted dandelion bulbs in each of the tree beds and in some extra street tree beds on the block! We were fortunate to have NYC Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa and Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Greenfield join us.
Corona Street Tree Care with St. John’s Service Day
Date: Saturday, September 27
Location: 98th Street and Roosevelt Avenue, Corona
Description: St. John’s University partnered with the NYC Parks Stewardship Team during their Service Day to care for the street trees in Corona. 12 student volunteers and 7 community volunteers cared for 20 street trees along 98th Street between Roosevelt Ave and 37th Ave during the three-hour event.
Elmhurst Street Tree Care with Bellevue Hospital
Date: Saturday, September 20
Location: 45th Avenue and Broadway, Elmhurst
Description: Our team was joined by 34 volunteers including members from NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. Together, we were able to care for 29 street trees along Elmhurst Ave between Broadway and Ketcham St and along Ketcham St to Whitney Ave.
Trees Count (2025 Census) Training
Date: Saturday, September 6
Location: Travers Park, Jackson Heights
Description: 25 volunteers met at Travers Park to support the Trees Count 2025 Tree Census event, identifying and evaluating trees in Travers Park
Elmhurst Street Tree Care with Elmhurst Community Partnership
Date: Thursday, August 28
Location: Whitney Avenue and Elbertson Street, Elmhurst
Description: We were joined by 13 adult and youth volunteers and cared for 9 street trees during 2 two hour event. During the introductions and demonstration, there was a gentleman who opened his apartment window to observe. Later that day, he stopped us and thanked us for caring for his tree at the corner. We found out that he was watching from the same window 45 years ago when the tree was planted. Our volunteers consisted of families, mothers with their young children from age 2 to high schoolers, who were all enthusiastic to work in tree beds. After the event, we were welcomed into the ECP office, right across the street, for empanadas, snacks, and drinks.
Corona Street Tree Care with Corona Mutual Aid
Date: Saturday, August 9
Location: 39th Avenue and 111th Street, Corona
Description: 25 volunteers came out to care for 34 street trees on 39th Ave between 108th Street and 111th Street. These street trees were in severe need for attention and care, and everyone who joined us were thrilled to take part in caring for them. In addition to the anchor group, Shanel Thomas-Henry (Democratic Nominee for City Council District 21) also joined us to care for street trees. We spoke to her about the SCCCQ project and she is excited to discuss potential collaborations, specifically with their youth groups.
Elmhurst Street Tree Care with City Mission: City Positive Youth
Date: Saturday, July 28
Location: 82nd Street and Broadway, Elmhurst
Description: 21 student volunteers and 5 staff volunteers from City Mission: City Positive Youth cared for 13 street trees along 80th Street between 45th Ave and Broadway.
East Elmhurst Street Tree Care
Date: Friday, July 18
Location: 96th Street and Astoria Boulevard, East Elmhurst
Description: 1 CUNY Career Launch intern working with the Stewardship Team, 3 Summer Youth Employment Program students, and 2 members of the community joined us to care for street trees in East Elmhurst. The group was able to care for 7 street trees. During the event, volunteers discussed the benefits of street trees in our city. All volunteers then engaged in cleaning, weeding, and decompacting the soil in 7 of the street tree beds along 96th Street between 25th Ave and Astoria Blvd. Each tree bed cared for received mulch. Throughout the summer, these students will be utilizing their experience from this event to assist with other Street Tree Care events.
Corona Street Tree Care with Queens College High School Students
Date: Monday, July 14
Location: 52nd Avenue and 111th Street, Corona
Description: 2 Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) students, 2 CUNY Career Launch students, and our team cared for 7 street trees. During the event, the team had an in-depth conversation about our Super Steward opportunities and the NYC Parks Stewardship Team’s work at large.
Corona Street Tree Care with Ian Chan International Fan Club
Date: Saturday, June 14
Description: 8 dedicated volunteers came out to care for 14 street trees! There were three street trees along the block that had flowers blossoming in their beds. A few home owners came out to chat with us during the first hour, before the rain. Once the rain grew heavy enough, our volunteers assisted with packing up before heading out for the day.
Location: 47th Avenue and 104th Street, Corona
Stewarding Canopy and Community in Central Queens Kick-Off: Street Tree Planting with Senator Chuck Schumer and Councilmember Shekar Kirshnan
Date: Friday, June 6
Location: 78th Street between 34th Avenue and 35th Avenue, Jackson Heights
Description: The project celebrated our growing urban forest with a new Brandywine Red Maple! Since the project is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, it is only appropriate that we were joined by that legislation's author Senator Chuck Schumer. Senator Schumer reaffirmed his support for urban and community forestry in New York City as well as across the country. Councilmember Shekar Krishnan shared remarks regarding the importance of tree planting and care for all New Yorkers but particularly for those who live in Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Corona. Our Agency Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa stepped into her hosting duty with ease no doubt because she is so familiar with the important work that all our Forestry colleagues do every day. It was great to celebrate trees alongside the Tree Time team and E&P leadership including Deputy Commissioner Jennifer Greenfeld, Assistant Commissioner Osborne, and Chief Einhorn.
Jackson Heights Street Tree Care
Date: Friday, May 16
Location: 80th Street and 35th Avenue, Jackson Heights
Description: With 4 volunteers, we were able to care for 23 street trees! The majority of these tree beds were on the smaller side, so we only used a little over half the truck bed of mulch. The most rewarding part was all of the “thank you for coming to care of our street trees” we heard from neighbors passing by.
Corona Street Tree Care
Date: Saturday, May 10
Location: 58th Avenue and Calloway Street, Corona
Description: We cared for five street tree beds with two volunteers. It was inspiring to see a middle school student and her dad so excited about volunteering and starting to gain service hours for high school. They enjoyed their morning learning fun facts about the street trees in NYC, practicing the three basic steps of street tree care (trash removal, weeding, and aerating/cultivating), and covering the tree bed with an even layer of mulch.
Arbor Day Elmhurst Street Tree Planting
Date: Saturday, April 25
Location: 54th Avenue between Haspel Street and Van Horn Street, Elmhurst
Description: Super Steward Luke assisted our Team in planting a new street tree in celebration of Arbor Day at 8530 55th Avenue.
TreeLC Street Tree Care lead by Marta Schlitzer from the Jackson Heights Beautification Group
Date: Saturday, April 5
Location: 91-14 37th Avenue, Jackson Heights
Description: We supported a street tree care stewardship event led by Marta and the Jackson Heights Beautification Group (JHBG). 20 volunteers stewarded 42 trees along 37th Avenue between 93rd Street and 89th Street - removing trash, weeding, cultivating and aerating, then adding a layer of mulch.
Corona Street Tree Care
Date: Saturday, March 29
Location: 99th Street and 39th Avenue, Corona
Description: The NYC Parks Stewardship Team and 12 local volunteers cared for 27 trees. Our volunteers included two St. John’s University students, a handful of Jackson Heights Beautification Group members, and 2 new Care Captains who were enthusiastic to take part in our event. Sarah Balistreri, former Trees New York Environmental Educator who is now working with Partnership for Parks on their Urban Forest Planning, attended the event and shared what she is work on. Two residents came out to talk to us, one of which shared that the tree outside their home was planted in the 1920s and that her family has been stewarding it for the last few generations.
Mulchfest Weekend Street Tree Care
Date: Saturday, January 11
Location: Travers Park, Jackson Heights
Description: During this January’s annual Milchfest at Travers Park, we had 20 volunteers, including volunteers from the Jackson Heights Beautification Group (JHBG) and Ryver-Jordan, take care of 26 trees surrounding the park. Neighbors brought their Christmas trees and holiday wreathes to be mulched by the NYC Parks chipper and then had the opportunity to take some mulch to spread in their gardens, on their plants, and around the street tree beds in their neighborhood. Adding mulch to a tree bed provides a protective barrier from the harsh winter elements and insulates the soil. Mulch also protects trees from road salt that compromises the nutrient value of the soil and damages our street trees.
