Brooklyn 'Tree Nut' Grew a Greener Neighborhood

In the 1960s, many streets in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, lost their trees, a loss that went unnoticed by city officials. Hattie Carthan, a resident in her mid-sixties, took initiative by forming the Bedford-Stuyvesant Beautification Committee in 1966. This committee unified neighborhood groups and city officials, fostering a community-wide tree-planting movement.

Carthan's efforts began with the T&T Vernon Avenue Block Association in 1964, after noticing the dwindling number of street trees. Despite initial skepticism from some neighbors, her persistent advocacy, including community fundraisers, gained traction. A pivotal moment came in 1966 when she invited Mayor John Lindsay to a block barbecue, securing a city matching program for tree planting.

The movement grew significantly, with the Beautification Committee bringing together over 100 block associations and planting more than 1,500 trees. Beyond planting, Carthan championed the preservation of a historic magnolia on Lafayette Avenue, successfully campaigning for its landmark status in 1970 and later establishing the Magnolia Tree Earth Centre in 1972.

In 1971, Carthan and colleagues launched the Neighborhood Tree Corps, funded by a grant, to educate young people in tree care. Her environmental activism also included efforts to save neighboring brownstones and establishing the Green Guerillas community garden group. Carthan passed away in 1984, but her legacy endures through the continued work of the Earth Centre and the trees she helped plant, some of which still stand today.