“New York is not often thought of as a city of great trees,” says Brooklyn-based writer Allison C. Meier notes, “but… amidst the density and concrete, there are incredible examples throughout the five boroughs.” From the 350-year-old “Alley Pond Giant” in Queens to the beautiful Weeping Beech in Green-Wood Cemetery, Meier has rounded up fifty of the city’s most incredible urban trees in a new map from Blue Crow Media. The Great Trees of New York Map highlights “the oldest, rarest, strangest, and most historic trees across New York’s five boroughs” and in our upcoming virtual talk with Meier, you can learn all about them!

A Weeping-Beech Tree in Green-Wood Cemetery

Great Trees of NYC Talk

In this talk:

  • Discover the bonsai-like Camperdown Elm of Prospect Park that was rescued by a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
  • See the living fossils that thrive as street trees
  • Learn about the rare American elms that survived a devastating disease
  • See stunning images of the most unusual and beautiful trees to be found in NYC

Tickets to this talk are just $10. You can gain access to unlimited free virtual events per month and unlock a video archive of 100+ past events as an Untapped New York Insider starting at $10/month. Already an Insider? Register here! Can’t make it live? Register for this virtual talk and we’ll email you a recording of it after it ends!

A Camperdown Elm in Prospect Park

“Some of the oldest trees are hiding in plain sight in city parks, others are in quiet forests that have escaped the rapid pace of development,” notes Meier. In addition to the natural beauty they bring, these trees also embody the grit and resiliency of New York City. “All of them have survived the constant change in the city and its disasters, from storms to terrorism,” says Meier. In this talk, Meier will introduce you to some of the most magnificent New York City trees and explore why its so important that we take care of them for generations to come.

Allison C. Meier is an Oklahoma-born, Brooklyn-based writer focused on visual culture, architecture, and overlooked history: “I believe in writing about the arts and heritage of our world in an accessible, engaging way. Previously, I was a staff writer at Hyperallergic and the senior editor at Atlas Obscura. I moonlight as a cemetery tour guide at New York burial grounds and I am a licensed New York City sightseeing guide. I’m on a mission to see all the city’s Greatest Trees.” Meier’s bylines include the New York Times, Hyperallergic, Atlas Obscura, CityLab, Curbed, National Geographic, the Public Domain Review, Wellcome Collection, the New Inquiry, Lapham’s Quarterly, Smithsonian, Mental Floss, and many more! The Great Trees of New York Map follows Meier’s Concrete New York Map and Art Deco New York Map and encourages more exploration of the city and its overlooked wonders. 

A Black Tupelo Tree in Central Park

Great Trees of NYC Talk

Next, check out Discover the Strangest and Rarest Trees in NYC