In collaboration with Natural Areas Conservancy and accompanying Ghost Forest, Madison Square Park Conservancy and Maya Lin will coordinate the planting of 1,000 trees and shrubs in public parks in the five boroughs of New York City. Natural Areas Conservancy staff will lead volunteers in the tree and shrub planting.

View the schedule for each planting below and register here: 

• Saturday, October 16, 9 AM – 12 PM at Riverside Park, Manhattan
• Tuesday, October 19, 9 AM – 12 PM at Prospect Park, Brooklyn
• Saturday, October 23, 9 AM – 12 PM at Van Cortlandt Park, The Bronx
• Tuesday, October 26, 10 AM – 1 PM at Forest Park, Queens
• Friday, October 29, 9 AM – 12 PM at La Tourette Park, Staten Island

Greenbelt Native Plant Center, a nursery and seed bank complex on Staten Island, will provide most of the seedlings for the planting initiative. The species of trees planted will be native and climate-adapted to each specific park. Some of the species that will be planted include Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum), and Northern Bayberry. 

Over the course of ten years, the 1,000 trees and shrubs will absorb 60.5 metric tons of carbon emissions in their roots and trunks. This will offset tenfold the 5.6 metric tons of carbon emissions used in the transportation of people and trees to realize Ghost Forest. 

Leadership support for Ghost Forest and accompanying public programs is generously provided by The Ruth Stanton Foundation.