Tree Pit Guards

xlizellx · April 2010

I am looking at the permit for installing Tree Pit Guards for the city, but I don't know where to purchase them from.

I am looking for the cheapest iron/metal tree pit guard. My students wanted to build them in front of our elementary school, but we researched it and saw that wood was not a good material.

Does anyone have a recommendation for where I can buy either materials or pre-made tree pit guards?

Thank you!

pitu · April 2010

I can tell you from personal experience that the kind of barriers you can buy at Lowe's get stolen pretty quickly. My block associations got iron ones installed ages ago - I think it was $125/pit bulk rate for two blocks worth of tree pits. I don't have the info anymore on who we used, sorry. Maybe on Brownstoner?

Esp. since it's a student project, you might get somewhere calling your city council person...

whynot_31 · April 2010

I'm with pitu.

If they are going to survive in front of a school, they are going to have to be durable. I'd approach an iron worker (some who installs iron rails and the like) and see if he can make some from his existing scrap.

Someone like this: http://www.braccifence.com/resgallery.nxg ...only without a fancy website.

I'd have him weld it around the tree, so to steal it they'd have to either cut down the tree or break it with a crowbar. ....don't get anything that is just bolted together or stuck in the dirt. (such things can be unbolted, and unstuck)

I think the name of the guy I had remove a fence in the back of my building was named Igor. He was cheap, I found him in the yellow pages.

arches · April 2010

^I'd be surprised (impressed) if you got iron tree pit guards for $125/pit...I think the going rate is more like $500++ for decent ones.

Here's a list of vendors, but I'm guessing these will all be prohibitively expensive for a school project(http://treesny.com/treeguard_manufacturers.html)...

You could try to apply for grant money from somewhere like Citizen's Comittee for NYC (http://www.citizensnyc.org/). You can also try contacting the borough president's office...they have apparently have some discretionary funds for streetscapes (although either of these options will delay your project considerably).

Wood isn't as good as iron, but if you pick the right kind, it should last many years. There's pressure treated (yuck, esp if kids are involved in building the guard) or cedar, which will hold up a lot better than something like pine. A simple guard is just four posts driven into the corners with a length of chain hung between each post.

The block association over on Dean St. was planning on working on a project to build some more elaborate wooden guards this past weekend...I haven't been over to check them out yet, but you might want to take a look.

Where is your school located?

xlizellx · April 2010

Thank you, everyone! I was concerned that the price would be too high for good iron ones that wouldn't be taken. I'll look through your links and see what I come up with.

Arches, we're in East Flatbush in CB 17

xlizellx · April 2010

Thank you, everyone! I was concerned that the price would be too high for good iron ones that wouldn't be taken. I'll look through your links and see what I come up with.

Arches, we're in East Flatbush in CB 17

smokin joe · April 2010

get some blow torches and wrought iron and have the kids make them. should be a blast!

arches · April 2010

Might be of interest to you, xlizellx...these are wooden tree guards.

Just a quick reminder that the "Build Your Own Tree Guard Workshop" will be held this Saturday, April 24th at 11 am at 305 7th Ave, 15th Floor. At the workshop, you will learn everything you need to know in order to build a tree guard for under $75 - which is a pretty good deal considering that most tree guards cost nearly $1,000. Unfortunately, space is a bit limited so if you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Alicia Rouault at [email protected] or 212-822-9558.

sterlingguy · April 2010

I once applied for tree guards, free from the city. I was told I had to put in an application for the whole block. I remember getting a letter from Marty Markowitz that thanked me for filling out the application and that I was now on a list for free tree guards for my block, but that there was no money in the tree guard budget. But that might have changed. Maybe do a google search for city tree guards?

xlizellx · April 2010

Thanks! My kids wrote letter this week to everyone we could think of -- assemblymen, councilmen, Marty himself -- anyone we thought might help out. II will look into a city program and see if there is still such a thing.

My principal vetoed us building wooden ones - but thanks, arches, for your help too! (I was taking my Girl Scouts to the zoo then anyway...)

Thanks for everyone's suggestions!

arches · April 2010

SterlingGuy wrote: I once applied for tree guards, free from the city. I was told I had to put in an application for the whole block. I remember getting a letter from Marty Markowitz that thanked me for filling out the application and that I was now on a list for free tree guards for my block, but that there was no money in the tree guard budget. But that might have changed. Maybe do a google search for city tree guards?

Ha, I did the same thing this past winter, and got the same story...whole block must apply, we'll mail you the application, etc. Except they never even mailed it...so I suspect things are getting worse, not better, in the tree guard budget world!

For the kids project I'd start with a call to Citizen's Committee for NYC and also to Greenbridge, which is the outreach arm of Brooklyn Botanic Garden...they should be able to help you focus your efforts.

whynot_31 · April 2010

xlizellz, check your PM box.

xlizellx · April 2010

Whynot, I just got it! Thank you!! I will speak to my principal on Thursday (tomorrow is day 3 of the state ELA tests...she's a bit fried) Thanks!

arches · April 2010

Did you PM her a welder and a pile of scrap steel? I'm curious now!

whynot_31 · April 2010

whynot_31 wrote: xlizellz, check your PM box.

even better stuff in there.

P.S. You have to post pictures when it is done.

xlizellx · April 2010

thanks! PMed you back!

P.S. will do!

sterlingguy · June 2010

the city has started installing our tree guards! yay, marty markowitz!

arches · June 2010

SterlingGuy wrote: the city has started installing our tree guards! yay, marty markowitz!

Yeah? Whereabouts?

sterlingguy · June 2010

In front of our building on Sterling Place, near Washington. First we saw white lines spray painted around our trees, then they started knocking out some concrete to expand the tree wells, then I got an email from Marty's office (Elizabeth Ernish) explaining that they were installing our tree guards and thanking us for waiting the two years for it to happen. Pretty happy about it.

xlizellx · December 2010

So I know you all were waiting with baited breath about the status of this whole thing.

I just got an email this afternoon from Marty saying that my application for tree pit guards has been approved and that the city will be contacting me shortly about putting together a time to do the work!!!

I am on a grant-writing kick right now.....excellent!

Thanks for all of your ideas last spring, everyone, as well!

Tree Pit Guards

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