Calling all data nerds and stat geeks: The trees of Brooklyn need you

Want to help bring a little data science to the trees of Brooklyn?
Last year the NYC Parks Department launched TreesCount!, which is, aside from a nifty play on words, a program designed to help the city better understand and manage the “urban forest” that is the foliage of the city.

Over 526K street trees counted to date. Look how far we've come since spring 2015! https://t.co/8t2k6Tsiz7 pic.twitter.com/etWFhF0idW

— TreesCount! 2015 (@nyctreescount) March 8, 2016

According to TreesCount!, the city’s tree data has revealed some interesting facts:

• The 2005 Street Tree Census discovered 93,660 more trees on city streets compared to the 1995 census — a total of 592,130 trees.
• The 2005 census data also yielded, for the first time, the economic value that trees provide NYC — approximately $122 million annually in stormwater retention, energy savings, air quality improvement and increased property values.
• To date, 530,000 trees, representing approximately 80 percent of the city’s streets, have been mapped as part of the 2015 census. The Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island have all been completed.

The maps are also pretty great. Developer Jill Hubley created the NYC Street Trees by Species Map last year using data from the 2005 census, and it’s a thing of beauty.

TreesCount! wants more maps, a better understanding of the trees of Brooklyn and would like some analysis between economic and environmental factors.
“As part of TreesCount! 2015, NYC Parks has engaged with our voluntreers [Editor’s note: guysss], tree-oriented community groups, and non-profit partners to identify how street tree census data can help improve equitable care of our urban forest,” according to the group. “NYC Parks, with the assistance of BetaNYC, has turned this feedback and NYC Park’s own questions into these Data Jam challenges.”
The hackathon is Saturday, June 4 and tickets cost $10. You can get free childcare, though, so that’s cool.
Register