New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and philanthropist David Rockefeller have announced a joint pledge of $10 million to MillionTreesNYC to plant trees in the city's public spaces, including New York Housing Authority developments and city schools.

The gift will make possible the planting of more than eighteen thousand trees throughout the city's five boroughs, and will enable the organization to launch an apprentice program that provides jobs to youth and supports the long-term maintenance and stewardship of the newly planted trees. MillionTreesNYC is a public-private campaign to plan and care for a million trees within a decade to help make the city more environmentally sustainable.

"[David Rockefeller's] generosity has inspired my matching donation, and I hope it inspires more residents, corporations, and foundations to get involved, whether by purchasing a tree in someone's honor, participating in one of the many volunteer planting days or by adding a tree in your own front yard," said Bloomberg. "We can all dig and help make New York a greener, greater city."