Our Future Environment

New York City, as proposed in PlaNYC2030, is beginning citywide improvements to create a more sustainable and ‘green’ city. Part of this plan includes planting more trees in low tree count public spaces, particularly sidewalks, throughout all five boroughs. In addition to planting trees in low count areas the city can benefit residents by focusing initial plantings in high use areas. This background section will describe a specific Brooklyn neighborhood, Crown Heights, and examine how residents interact in their neighborhood and why trees are beneficial to them. We will then review the behavioral mapping method as a way to map high use areas and focus planting in those areas. This method and this paper does not seek to propose a way to change behavior in public space areas by changing walking paths but instead argues that the city should first take into account how residents are already using their neighborhoods and then plant trees according to neighborhood needs.

Filed under: natural landscape, social justice, environmental planning on April 2nd, 2008