Two mature trees at Pembroke Avenue Community Garden are proposed for removal as part of the upcoming land transfer to NYRP and garden renovation. We are asking NYC Parks GreenThumb to pause their removal and explore every reasonable alternative that could allow one or both trees to remain.

These trees represent decades of growth.

Their mature canopy provides substantial shade to an otherwise exposed part of the garden, helping keep the space cooler and more comfortable during New York City’s increasingly hot summer days. They also provide habitat, intercept rainfall, and contribute to the ecological health and resilience of our neighborhood.

Most importantly, we have seen what these trees mean to our community.

During a large community event at Pembroke Avenue Community Garden this past June, neighborhood residents, community organizations, and local leaders gathered beneath the mature tree canopy. The shade allowed people to stand, sit, talk, and participate in the event without continuous exposure to direct summer sun.

A wall can be rebuilt. A mature tree cannot simply be replaced.

Even if young trees are planted afterward, it could take decades to recreate the canopy, cooling, habitat, and shade these mature trees provide today.

We understand that the garden renovation may involve legitimate structural, safety, and design considerations. We are not asking GreenThumb to disregard them. We are simply asking that removing mature trees be the last option rather than the first.

We respectfully ask GreenThumb to pause the proposed removal, share the considerations that led to it, explore reasonable construction or design alternatives that could preserve one or both trees, and give the garden community an opportunity to be heard before an irreversible decision is made.

Please sign this petition if you believe every reasonable alternative should be explored before these mature trees are removed.

Repair the garden. Protect the canopy. Preserve these mature trees if there is a reasonable way to do both.