NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Plants Over 18,000 Trees - Most In A Decade

This will reduce city heat, bring cleaner air, and prevent flooding

It’s Sunday so I wanted to bring a lighter conversation to everyone. We spend so much time talking about all of the negative news coming from the Trump regime. So today, let’s take a deep breath and focus on something positive.

Our newsletter continues to grow every week & it’s been amazing watching so many new people come in. I also wanted to give a special shout out to the paid subscribers, who help sustain this account. All of this wouldn’t be possible without your help.

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Now let’s get into today’s story

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NYC parks commission announced they’ve planted 18,261 trees in fiscal year 2026. That’s the most in a single fiscal year since 2016. NYC parks is accelerating tree planting across the city with the goal to reach 30% canopy coverage by 2040.

The majority of the City’s new trees were planted in neighborhoods vulnerable to extreme heat. Mayor Zohran Mamdani said this about the move to plant more trees across the city:

“Our administration is building a city where every neighborhood can find cool shade on a hot day, breathe clean air and enjoy the beauty of a healthy tree canopy. Access to green space and relief from extreme heat should not depend on your ZIP code. Planting more trees, especially in the neighborhoods that need them most, will help make our city cooler, healthier and more beautiful for all New Yorkers.”

NYC Parks Commissioner Tricia Shimamura said “New Yorkers rely on our trees to provide vital shade, and with climate change leading to more frequent, intense heat, the need is more prevalent than ever. Our team of expert foresters and arborists is putting NYC Parks at the cutting edge of urban forestry, helping us plant smarter and target the neighborhoods that need shade and relief from extreme heat the most. This record-breaking year shows NYC Parks is facing the challenge of climate resiliency head on, keeping New York livable and prepared across every borough.”

Chief Climate Officer Louise Yeung said “Every New Yorker, no matter their ZIP code, deserves access to the critical benefits trees provide. With the Urban Forest Plan as our roadmap, NYC is planting more trees, especially in the neighborhoods that need more shade and tree canopy the most, for a healthier and more resilient New York.”

I know it seems like a small thing, comparatively to everything else going on in the news cycle right now, but these are the little things that really add up over time.

Addressing climate change has to take on many forms. While it’s not a giant fix, these are some of the ways local governments can make an impact. Not every action taken to address the climate crisis has to be a massive undertaking.

This is something we can all take to our local governments. In a way, we’re all looking for some answer for how we can help out. I believe small actions like this compounded across the country can have a substantial impact.

And in a time where our federal government has left us feeling powerless, this is a small area where we can take some power back. Asking our local governments to increase tree planting in our communities & taking some action ourselves where we can.

Not just in this story, but in many others too, Zohran Mamdani & his administration have shown us what local government can do, when they actually want to be effective.

While I don’t live in NYC, I’m constantly looking to the example of Mamdani, knowing what local government CAN look like, & now knowing what to ask of my own local government.

That’s it for today. We’re going to keep this one nice & short.

There will be plenty of gross headlines to cover in the future, but today we take a step back & let positivity have its day.

See you all next time,

Desmond