Welcome to the Lives of Trees project, based in Fort Greene Park, Brooklyn, New York

I’ve always loved being around trees. And living near Fort Greene Park, I’ve been really lucky to be near some of the most beautiful trees in New York City. Over the years, I’ve been trying to get to know them better. Recently, I started taking pictures and some videos, and doing some research to capture the “lives of the trees” in the park. Here are some of the things I’ve gathered over the past few months.

Another goal of this project is to learn what other people who spend time in the park think about the trees. Please post comments, or send me an email at livesoftrees@gmail.com.

Thanks!
Mira
Please note. I've only recently set up this blog, and am still retroactively adding posts from the last few months. Feel free to view posts in any order to see the trees across the seasons.

Self-seeders

Most park trees are planted, planned by landscapers and bought at great expense from nurseries when they are large enough to survive the tough life of a city tree. But then there are the self-seeders - renegades who care nothing for the blue prints, the planting plans, the grand vision of the famous landscaper. A bird poops or a forgetful squirrel misplaces a nut, and a seed is planted. Then miraculously, in a park where thousands of feet tread everyday, it grows to a size where it can no longer be stepped on. A stand of cherry trees, an errant oak. Nature staging a coup upon our best laid plans!

Many of the black cherry trees along the western hill-slopes of the park are self-seeded, as well as many of the trees on the slopes behind the visitor's center.

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