On Saturday, a tree fell in Herbert Von King Park, and four of our neighbors were injured. When Parks was informed of the tree’s condition, they moved quickly — it was inspected immediately and removed safely the same day it fell, leaving behind a stump.

For months, Bed-Stuy residents have raised concerns about aging, overgrown trees leaning over their stoops and their sidewalks. We’ve taken those concerns seriously — organizing with neighbors to help prune and care for the trees on our streets. I’m proud of that work, but volunteering alone cannot resolve this issue.

My office is grateful for our partnership with the Parks Department, and for the robust monitoring system they use to assess the health of our trees monthly. We look forward to continuing our work with them to prevent collapses like this from happening again in our beloved parks.

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