By Ellen Edwards on behalf of the Bronxville Green Committee and the Bronxville Historical Conservancy

Jan. 19, 2026: Seeking to preserve and restore Bronxville’s prized tree canopy, the Village of Bronxville is launching a major effort to plant trees called The Year of the Tree.  The goal is to register 100 newly planted trees by this time next year.

The Problem: Loss of Trees

This photo from the Bronxville Historical Archives, circa early 1900s, of Meadow Avenue, then called Maple Avenue, shows densely planted maple trees lining the street.  In fact, both street trees and large canopy trees in natural settings have defined Bronxville from its beginning.  We don’t have mountains or beaches; we do have a varied terrain, the Bronx River, and a glorious tree canopy.

In recent years, Bronxville has been losing trees--to storms, disease, and homeowner preference--faster than we are replacing them.  Some storms have been devastating, bringing down large numbers of mature trees.  Homeowners and co-op boards are quick to remove trees that might pose a danger to property but often haven’t budgeted money to replace them.

Look carefully and you begin to notice holes in our tree canopy: fewer trees along the streets, where they are needed to reduce “heat island effect” in summer; fewer trees in people’s yards, where small ornamental trees have begun to replace large canopy trees and we lose the benefits of mature, native trees.

The Solution: The Right-of-Way Tree-Planting Program

Seeking to make the Village more resilient to extreme and unpredictable weather, the Village is partnering with the Bronxville Historical Conservancy to provide financial and logistical support to residents who plant a tree in the right-of-way in front of their home.  The Village will help residents choose the right tree, will arrange for professionals to plant it, and will pay up to 50% of the cost (with a cap of $3000 per tree). The Historical Conservancy has generously offered to match every dollar the Village spends up to $75,000.  Residents are encouraged to sign up by early February to allow time to choose the right tree for the right place and to order trees in time for spring planting.  You can learn more HERE. 

A Fine Legacy

When developing the forested Hilltop around the turn of the 20^th century, William Van Duzer Lawrence deliberately left many of the majestic native trees and constructed homes around them.  Archived newspaper articles from the 1930s reveal that when trees along Pondfield Road were taken down to widen the street, residents objected to their loss. Today, residents continue to show that they value trees by spending considerable time, money, and effort to preserve the trees on their property.

Trees Provide Huge Benefits, Including:

*Control flooding by directing rainwater into the ground, rather than adding to the overburdened storm sewer system (and Bronx River!). Large, mature trees capture many times more rainwater than young, smaller trees.

*Reduce erosion by holding soil in the roots.

*Cool air temperatures in urban areas by 10 degrees in summer (even more in forests!), significantly improving comfort and reducing energy bills.

*Sustain life by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releasing oxygen.

*Improve air quality by reducing pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels.

*Clean drinking water in major watersheds such as New York City’s (and Bronxville’s).

*Increase property values.

*Provide habitat for hundreds of bugs, birds, and mammals and improve soil health by fostering fungal root systems.

*Add beauty to our landscape while improving our mental and physical well-being.

Apply Today!

Please consider joining the Right-of-Way Tree-Planting program. If your right-of-way isn’t suitable for a tree, consider planting one in your yard.  If your yard isn’t suitable, let us know if you’ve noticed a perfect spot for a tree somewhere else in the Village.  Whenever you plant a tree, please add it to Bronxville’s Year of the Tree registry HERE so we can track our progress toward our goal of planting 100 trees by December 2026.

Let’s honor the Bronxville residents who came before us by preserving and restoring the tree canopy that is a defining characteristic of the village we love.  You can take the first step by considering the Right-of-Way Tree Planting program and applying today.  

Inspired by the highly successful Bronxville Centennial Celebration in 1998, the Bronxville Historical Conservancy was founded to record and preserve Bronxville’s history and life in the village today. 

The Bronxville Green Committee is a volunteer organization that is part of the Village of Bronxville. We work to propose and implement environmentally sustainable programs in our community. Visit our website and follow us on Instagram @bxvgreencommittee to learn more.