Millions of daffodils bloom suddenly in NYC: Tribute to 9/11 victims is world's 'largest living memorial'
March 28, 2023 - New York City parks, schoolyards and sidewalks erupted suddenly in brilliant ribbons of yellow in recent days as millions of daffodils sprang to life across the Big Apple. Read more...
Amsterdam Eco-Arts Festival on Saturday: ‘A Joyful Gathering on Land Usually Occupied by Cars’
October 20, 2022 - “It will be an awesome day celebrating urban nature, community, dance and the movement arts,” Melissa Elstein of West 80s Neighborhood Association & Love Your Street Tree Day told the West Side Rag.” Read more...
Annual Daffodil Bulb Giveaway This Sunday; Plant Them Throughout the Neighborhood!
September 22, 2022 - “The Daffodil Bulb Giveaway is one of three events included in Love Your Street Tree Day, a larger initiative spearheaded by the West 80’s Neighborhood Association. “Love Your Street Tree Day was established as an idea and model for increasing street tree stewardship, not only on the Upper West Side, but throughout New York City,” Melissa Elstein, Secretary and Co-Founder of the association told West Side Rag.“ Read more...
You Can ‘Treecycle’ Your Tree and Help Spread the Chips; 2022 Mulchfest Is Saturday 1/8 and 1/15 in Riverside Park
January 7, 2021 - Mulchfest 2022 will be held rain, snow, or shine. The event is cohosted by neighborhood organizations and leaders including; Goddard Greenkeepers, Curb Allure, CB7, Love Your Street Tree Day, NY State Assemblymembers Linda Rosenthal and Danny O’Donnell, and NYC Councilmember Gale Brewer. Read more...
Two Local Yard Sales and a Daffodil Giveaway
September 24, 2021 - You don’t have to go to the burbs to check out a yard sale. There are two on the UWS this weekend! Read more...
Weekend Arts Fest Focused on Environmental Advocacy
September 3, 2021 - The afternoon kicks off at noon with Melissa Elstein of “Love Your Street Tree Day” and Peter Arndtsen and Michael Gonzelez of The Columbus-Amsterdam BID leading a tree bed educational walking tour from 106th to 110th Street, followed by a planting demonstration. Volunteers can sign up to help beautify and plant along the neglected stretch with native flowers. Read more...
May 16, 2019 - Three Unique Events This Weekend via West Side Rag. This weekend is packed with events, and we wanted to highlight three unique ones.
Saturday, 12 to 2 p.m.: Love Your Street Tree Day is put on by the West 80’s Neighborhood Association. Meet at the at the Urban Assembly School for Green Careers (Amsterdam Avenue at 84th Street) and “receive a free tree care goodie bag with gardening supplies, curb your dog sign, and other gifts. Mulch, compost, flowers and pails will be provided too!” Read more.
May 12, 2019 - The fifth Annual NYC “Love Your Street Tree Day” will be held on the Upper West Side on Saturday, May 18th from 12-2pm. Read more.
September 9, 2017 - Get Free Daffodil Bulbs On Sunday For Fall Planting via The West Side Rag. The West 80’s Neighborhood Association is giving away free daffodil bulbs on Sunday, hoping that people plant them throughout the neighborhood. Read more.
May 19, 2017 - 'Love Your Street Tree Day' To Hit Upper West Side This Weekend via The Upper West Side Patch. Volunteers can help restore tree beds with mulch and compost and sweep the neighborhood during a "trash audit." Read more.
May 18, 2017 - Love Your Street Tree Day via The West Side Rag. This Sunday from 12 to 2 p.m the West 80’s Neighborhood Association will hold an annual event to fix up the street trees in the neighborhood. Read more.
October 15, 2016 - Manhattan Week: The Mayor of the Upper West Side Uses Her Green Thumb to Keep the Neighborhood Serene via NY1. Watch video.
June 15, 2016 - Greening New York via West Side Spirit. New York City recently planted its millionth new tree after a roughly decade-long environmental initiative started under Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration and continued by Mayor Bill de Blasio’s. Of these, more than 625,000 are street trees. Read more.
May 24, 2016 - UWS Trees Get TLC via The Spirit. Upper West Siders participated in the second annual “Love Your Street Tree Day” on Sunday, sprucing up and restoring tree beds throughout the neighborhood. The event, hosted by the West 80s Neighborhood Association together with local elected officials, city agencies, nonprofits, and local businesses, attracted dozens of residents, who put down mulch and compost, and also took part in a tree audit and sidewalk cleanup. Read more.
April 26, 2016 - Dogs and Trees in New York via Sniffing The Past Blog. Wandering around New York, and more used to spotting anti-dog shit signs, I was struck by signs posted to trees telling dog owners not to let their dog urinate against trees. I saw the sign below on 11th Street, Brooklyn near Prospect Park. It says “Be kind to city trees – they have a hard life.” Read more.
May 13, 2015 - Scrapbook: Loving Trees on the UWS via The Spirit. A cross-section of the Upper West Side community gathered together earlier this month for the First Annual West 80s “Love Your Tree Day.” The group celebrated our urban street trees by removing litter, cultivating the soil, spreading mulch, planting, and adding “Pick Up the Dog Poop” signs in tree beds. Read more.
Press Releases
West Side’s Third Annual "Love Your Street Tree Day" Is Sunday, May 21. 2017
May 18, 2017 - Hosted by the West 80's Neighborhood Association, in partnership with local elected officials, City agencies, non-profits and local businesses, “Love Your Street Tree Day” will empower local residents to become stewards of the trees and sidewalks of the Upper West Side. Read more.
"Love Your Street Tree Day" Empowers Neighbors to Become Stewards of Tree Beds and Streets on the Upper West Side
May 17, 2016 - The Upper West Side will hold the Second Annual "Love Your Street Tree Day" on Sunday, May 22nd, a day that empowers local residents to become stewards of the trees and sidewalks in their neighborhood, hosted by the West 80's Neighborhood Association in partnership with local elected officials, City agencies, non-profits, and local businesses. Read more.
In The News
September 10, 2019 - Plant Known for Hallucination Causes Consternation; City Chooses Remediation via The West Side Rag. The deadly hallucinogenic plant that flowered inside a concrete pedestrian island on 93rd Street and Columbus Avenue was ripped from its roots on Monday — but not before it briefly went viral on the Internet. Read more.
West 80s Neighborhood Association’s “Love Your Street Tree Day” initiative in America Adapts Podcast: This summer’s NYC Parks Department’s Super Tree Stewards Social Networking event at the Arsenal included Doug Parsons from the America Adapts Climate Change podcast. His interviews include several Super Stewards, including Melissa Elstein of West 80s Neighborhood Association’s “Love Your Street Tree Day” Coalition at 1:40:45 - 46:27. Listen here.