London plane tree
Let’s do the numbers this time. The London plane is the most common street tree in NYC, representing 9% of all street trees mapped by the Parks Department.
Using formulas from the U.S. Forest Service, this one plane tree before you provides the following annual ecological benefits: 3,749 gallons of stormwater intercepted, 1,994 kWh of energy conserved, and 3 pounds of air pollutants removed. These benefits translate to a total value of $320.42.
If you find that a strange way of thinking about a tree, bear with me for one more minute. Compare that value to the several thousand dollars it would cost to plant a new three year-old nursery-bred plane tree in this spot — a tree that would take decades to provide similar ecological benefits, if it even survives its first years as a city tree.
If you have not already, I urge you to take a look at the 2026 NYC Urban Forest Plan, which is filled with useful information about our street trees and the city’s plans for them.
Can Man Survive?
“The big old plane tree at 299 State Street was planted by my parents, George and Mildred Furiya, when they purchased their run-down historic brownstone in 1966. At that time all the brownstones were empty and available at fire-sale prices, and the street was barren and treeless. My father said, ‘Someday this will be a nice neighborhood. Wait and see.’
My parents planted five slender saplings on the north side of State between their house and the corner of Hoyt. They planted the trees with their own hands. Those five trees grew huge. Four of them, all magnificent, were cut down when the new townhouses on the north side of State went up. My mother, then in her early 90s, wept when those trees came down. Only one tree was left standing—the huge but lopsided tree in front of our house.
My father didn’t live to see the neighborhood change, but my mother did. She is now 104 years old and living in her own State Street home. She still loves trees.”
— George and Mildred’s daughter, Sumi
