New York City of Trees

We know that trees improve living conditions in cities by filtering and cooling the air, absorbing excess rainwater, and making neighborhoods more attractive. But little has been said about their role as keepers of a city's past. In this collection of personal narratives, historical observations, and color photographs, Benjamin Swett focuses on trees with stories to tell, adding a warm and welcome narrative that is unique to New York City and its cosmopolitan character. The stories of these trees from all five boroughs--some dating back to the Revolutionary era and before--link the living with the past in an unusual, engaging way.

A show of the photographs from the book will take place at the Arsenal Gallery in Central Park, March 6 through April 26, 2013.