Bloomberg's Tree Planting Policy

It's a good idea to plant trees, and Mayor Bloomberg is looking to plant 1 million new trees in New York City over the next decade. That's going to have a huge effect on the microclimate that is created by the City's streets, buildings, and residents who inhabit such a densely built area.

Trees not only reduce air pollution, but they help moderate air temperatures.

The city estimates it has about 5.2 million trees, covering about 24 percent of the five boroughs’ land mass. The national average for cities is about 27 percent. A little more than 592,000 of New York’s trees are planted along the street, and the city would like to increase that number by 210,000 during the next decade.

Joshua Laird, assistant commissioner of planning for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, said it will cost about $37 million annually to plant and maintain 1 million more trees.

In addition to cleaner air and reduced energy demands that new trees would bring, Mr. Laird said they also would capture more storm water runoff, reducing pollution in the rivers.

The plan also would require trees to be planted at new developments.

Officials said they hope the program will stop the city’s long history of losing trees to development. Between 1984 and 2002, New York lost some 9,000 acres of vegetative cover, according to city estimates.

So what is the problem?

Follow through.

Will the Mayor's tree planting proposals actually get implemented and fully funded over the life of the initiative or will it fall by the wayside the moment the first budget crisis hits?