Trees New York
Trees New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1976, that promotes NYC's urban forest through tree planting, stewardship, and education — operating the only NYC Parks-licensed Citizen Pruner training program, K-12 environmental literacy lessons, and community tree plantings across the five boroughs.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1976
- HeadquartersWest New York, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
Trees New York firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trees New York
- Legal name
- Trees New York Inc.
- Website
- https://treesny.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1976
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Trees New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, founded in 1976, that promotes NYC's urban forest through tree planting, stewardship, and education — operating the only NYC Parks-licensed Citizen Pruner training program, K-12 environmental literacy lessons, and community tree plantings across the five boroughs.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Trees New York industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Urban Forestry Services & Environmental Education
- NAICS
- Forestry and Logging (113), Support Activities for Forestry (115310), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)
- SIC
- Forestry (800), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Urban & Community Reforestation / Street Tree Planting (AFAMACAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Tree Pruning & Crown Management (HSAIADAA), Tree Planting & Transplanting (HSAIADAE), Tree Planting & Establishment Services (Manual/Mechanized) (AFAMACAE)
Keywords
Where Trees New York is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- West New York
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Trees New York business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Individual Donations & Recurring Donations: Trees New York relies on donations from individuals to fund operations. Recurring donations are especially encouraged. The organization is a 501(c)(3) charitable non-profit, making donations tax-deductible.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate partners sponsor specific programs, supplies, equipment, trees, transportation, and instruction costs. Past sponsors include WB Discovery, TDBank, Salesforce, Humana, Sony Music, ConEdison, and others.
- Corporate Volunteerism Events: Fee-based corporate volunteer events (minimum $1,000 per event; average contribution $2,500-$5,000) covering costs associated with organizing tree stewardship activities for corporate teams.
- Citizen Pruner Course Fee: The only fee-for-service program. The 9-hour Citizen Pruner Course costs $100 per participant, which covers training materials and licensing. Trees New York trains and certifies an average of 200 Citizen Pruners per year.
- Government Grants: Funding from government sources including OAG Environmental Settlements ($750,000 for Trees for NYCHA), NYSERDA (Greening the Bronx), USDA Forest Service Urban and Community Forestry Program, and Inflation Reduction Act funds.
- Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns: Donors can launch custom peer-to-peer fundraising campaigns with Trees New York branding, custom donation amounts, and auto-response thank-you notes to raise money for the organization.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Citizen Pruner Course – $100 per participant |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate Volunteer Event – minimum $1,000 per event |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
Trees New York product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trees New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes urban forestry in New York City through three integrated program lines: (1) the Citizen Pruner Course — the only NYC Parks-designated program that licenses residents to legally prune street trees; (2) K-12 youth environmental education through the Youth Environmental Literacy Program (YELP) and Young Urban Forester Internship; and (3) community tree planting and stewardship initiatives including Trees for NYCHA, Greening the Bronx, Schools & Trees, and Evergreening the City. The organization is funded primarily through donations, corporate sponsorships, and government grants, with one fee-for-service training course ($100 per participant).
Product overview
Trees New York is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected tree planting, stewardship, and education programs centered on expanding and preserving New York City's urban forest. The core offerings include the Citizen Pruner Course (the only NYC Parks-designated licensing program for legal street tree pruning), the Youth Environmental Literacy Program (YELP) for K-12 students, and the Young Urban Forester Internship for youth career development. Tree planting initiatives include Schools & Trees, Greening the Bronx (over 2,000 trees planted), Evergreening the City, and FruiTrees New York. Additional programs cover tree care training, corporate volunteerism and sponsorship, and annual events like City of Forest Day. Specialized projects include Trees for NYCHA and Trees West Village. Programs are delivered through community partnerships with schools, NYCHA properties, and neighborhood organizations, supported by volunteer Citizen Pruners and partnerships with external platforms like Setmore for booking and GiveSmart for donations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Citizen Pruner Course A 9-hour training course (6 hours classroom, 1.5 hours field outing, 1.5 hours final exam) that certifies and licenses New Yorkers to legally prune NYC street trees. Trees New York is the only institution designated by NYC Parks to issue these licenses. Available to adult NYC residents for $100 per participant.
- Youth Environmental Literacy Program (YELP) K-12 educational program that raises students' environmental awareness through hands-on activities and classroom studies aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. Six lesson offerings include Benefits & Challenges, Tree Identification Walk, Tree Stewardship, Urban Heat Island Effect, Invasive Species Seminar, and Tree Planting Simulation. Free for NYC public schools and afterschool programs.
- Young Urban Forester Internship Summer internship program that exposes urban youth to environmental career opportunities through education, hands-on stewardship, field trips, seminars with professionals, and college application support. Interns care for an average of 600 street trees annually.
- Tree Care Training Volunteer training program that teaches stewardship activities including tree bed cleanup, soil cultivation, watering, mulching, and tree bed gardening to support street tree health.
- Schools & Trees Tree planting program for schools and community gardens that plants trees on school property and playgrounds, supported by the Carol Kelley Schools Trees Fund. Thousands of trees have been planted at NYC schools since 2005.
- Greening the Bronx Large-scale tree planting initiative in the South Bronx targeting underserved communities to reduce building energy loads and mitigate urban heat island effect by shading buildings and impervious surfaces. Over 2,000 trees planted to date, funded by NYSERDA.
- Evergreening the City Program that plants evergreen trees in public right-of-way areas including schools, playgrounds, community gardens, and senior centers to clean air year-round. Species include Sweetbay Magnolia, Southern Magnolia, Hinoki Cypress, and Blue Spruce.
- FruiTrees New York Program designed to increase NYC's fruit tree canopy cover, provide communities with access to fresh food, promote food literacy, and teach proper cultivation techniques through partnerships with community gardens and schools.
- Trees for NYCHA Two-year, $750,000 tree planting and workforce development project bringing nearly 400 new trees to NYCHA campuses and surrounding streets, with environmental education opportunities for public housing residents. Funded by OAG Environmental Settlements.
- Trees West Village Multi-component tree stewardship project in the West Village including tree planting, tree bed repair, and stewardship and education with volunteers and Citizen Pruners.
- Corporate Volunteerism Corporate team-building volunteer events where companies engage in tree bed stewardship, cleanup, mulching, watering, and planting activities. Minimum $1,000 per event for 15–20 participants, with average contributions of $2,500–$5,000.
- Street Tree Demonstration Planting Community engagement program that invites volunteers to watch and participate in street tree planting projects to educate them on the size and scope of NYC street tree planting, building advocacy for the urban forest. Launched in 2020.
- Bronx is Blooming Partnership Program Joint program with Bronx is Blooming nonprofit to expand tree stewardship in the Bronx, including school lessons, student education, tree stewardship, and summer PLACE program participants. To date: 2,500+ students taught, 100+ trees stewarded, 60+ lessons administered.
- City of Forest Day Annual city-wide celebration of NYC's urban forest hosted by Trees New York and the Forest for All NYC coalition. The 5th annual event takes place on October 3, 2026, featuring tree walks, birding, stewardship, planting, and family-friendly activities across all five boroughs.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 13,500 Citizen Pruners trained since 1976
- +10 more outcomes
Companies that use Trees New York
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Trees New York technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature4 records
Trees New York partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- NYCHA (New York City Housing Authority)coreTrees for NYCHA is a $750,000 two-year project (launched late 2023) funded by OAG Environmental Settlements. Trees New York and NYCHA plant nearly 400 new trees on and around NYCHA campuses, with direct input from NYCHA tenants. The project also includes workforce development programs and environmental education opportunities for public housing residents.
- Bronx is BloomingcoreTrees New York partners with Bronx is Blooming (a Bronx-based nonprofit dedicated to environmental stewardship, community building, and youth leadership) to expand tree stewardship in the Bronx. To date, the partnership has taught over 2,500 NYC public school students, stewarded over 100 trees, administered over 60 lessons, and engaged 100+ PLACE summer participants across 10 parks. Youth Environmental Literacy Program is open to Bronx schools and afterschool programs.
- Forest for All NYC CoalitioncoreTrees New York is a coalition partner in Forest for All NYC, a coalition working toward a healthy urban forest that benefits all New Yorkers. Together they host the annual City of Forest Day (fifth annual October 3, 2026) and collect community input for the NYC Urban Forest Plan.
- NYC Parks DepartmentcoreNYC Parks Department is the exclusive licensor of Citizen Pruners through Trees New York, which is the only institution designated to train and license New Yorkers to legally prune NYC street trees. Trees New York also works with NYC Parks on tree planting permits, street tree mapping (tree-map.nycgovparks.org), and the NYC Urban Forest Plan.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Trees New York competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- GrowNYC: NYC environmental nonprofit operating community gardens, greenmarkets, and youth education programs; shares geography, youth-education audience, and overlap with former Trees New York staff (e.g., Taige Rambarran's prior tenure).
- Million Trees NYC: Initiative of NYC Parks (originally a public-private partnership) that planted one million trees in NYC — historically a key driver of Trees New York's planting pipeline and a direct conceptual peer in citywide canopy expansion.
- New York Restoration Project (NYRP): NYC-based nonprofit focused on urban greening, tree planting, and community gardens across the five boroughs; overlapping NYC geography and community tree-planting mission, though with a broader parks/gardens portfolio rather than street-tree specialization.
Direct peers
- Friends of the Urban Forest: San Francisco nonprofit that plants and cares for street trees and runs citizen-volunteer planting programs in underserved neighborhoods; directly comparable in street-tree focus, volunteer-stewardship model, and community planting structure.
- Baltimore Tree Trust: Baltimore-based nonprofit specializing in urban tree planting, tree maintenance, and community forestry workforce development; comparable in mission, scale, and emphasis on training local stewards.
- TreePeople: Los Angeles-based urban forestry nonprofit operating tree planting, citizen stewardship training, and youth environmental education programs; comparable in scale, mission, and reliance on volunteer-led urban canopy expansion.
- Casey Trees: Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit focused on urban tree planting, stewardship, and education, with a comparable mix of citizen-volunteer programs, school/youth curricula, and large-scale planting initiatives — the closest functional analog to Trees New York outside NYC.
- Forest for All NYC: NYC coalition that Trees New York co-leads, working toward a citywide urban forest management plan; comparable in mission, NYC geography, and coalition-based advocacy for canopy expansion.
- Urban Tree Foundation: California-based nonprofit advocating for increased urban tree canopy through planting, education, and policy; directly comparable in mission orientation and tree-canival advocacy, though operating in a different geographic market.
Broad incumbents
- The Nature Conservancy (NYC): Global environmental nonprofit that has directly funded Trees New York's NYC Urban Forest Plan workshops and operates a NYC chapter; comparable in conservation/urban-forestry advocacy though vastly larger in scale and scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Trees New York social profiles
Digital presenceTrees New York compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Trees New York financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trees New York leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
Trees New York funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trees New York M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Trees New York
What does Trees New York do?
Trees New York is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes urban forestry in New York City through three integrated program lines: (1) the Citizen Pruner Course — the only NYC Parks-designated program that licenses residents to legally prune street trees; (2) K-12 youth environmental education through the Youth Environmental Literacy Program (YELP) and Young Urban Forester Internship; and (3) community tree planting and stewardship initiatives including Trees for NYCHA, Greening the Bronx, Schools & Trees, and Evergreening the City. The organization is funded primarily through donations, corporate sponsorships, and government grants, with one fee-for-service training course ($100 per participant).
Is Trees New York a public or private company?
Trees New York is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Trees New York founded?
Trees New York was founded in 1976. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Trees New York based?
Trees New York is headquartered in West New York, United States, in the North America region.
How does Trees New York make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations & Recurring Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships, corporate Volunteerism Events, citizen Pruner Course Fee, government Grants and peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaigns.
Who are Trees New York's main competitors?
Regional players on record are GrowNYC, Million Trees NYC and New York Restoration Project (NYRP). Direct peers are Friends of the Urban Forest, Baltimore Tree Trust, TreePeople, Casey Trees, Forest for All NYC and Urban Tree Foundation. The Nature Conservancy (NYC) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Trees New York have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trees New York.
What industry is Trees New York in?
Trees New York's product category is Urban Forestry Services & Environmental Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAMACAL, Urban & Community Reforestation / Street Tree Planting, with a secondary code of HSAIADAA, Tree Pruning & Crown Management. Its NAICS code is 113 and its SIC code is 800.