Woodlawn Cemetery
Davey’s dedicated crew maintains the sprawling grounds at the legendary Bronx, New York-based Woodlawn Cemetery.
An urban oasis established in 1863, Woodlawn Cemetery is a 400-acre property in the heart of the Bronx in New York. Woodlawn was named a National Historic Landmark in 2011 and receives more than 100,000 visitors annually. Two-thousand ornately decorated private mausoleums, burial sites, and monuments dot the landscape, housing well-known individuals including Joseph Pulitzer, JC Penney, Herman Melville, and jazz greats Miles Davis and Duke Ellington.
In addition to architecture, the historic cemetery includes 6,300 trees, including five of New York’s “great trees,” as designated by the New York City Parks Department, as well as an arboretum with more than 425 tree varieties that serves as an outdoor environmental classroom.
“Woodlawn’s green space is very much part of the urban ecosystem, providing natural habitat to native plant species and animals, as well as providing a recreational space for the community at large,” Christopher Jeannopoulis, Woodlawn president and CEO, says.
With regular tours of Woodlawn Cemetery taking place throughout the year, keeping trees healthy, attractive, and safe has become a priority. Preserving historic architecture was also important, and healthy trees posed less of a threat to the mausoleums and monuments on the property. To proactively manage tree and grounds care, Davey’s multi-disciplined services lines helped Woodlawn determine the best practices to prioritize the work needed to address any safety risks while maintaining curb appeal.
Proactive Preservation
In 2014, Davey Resource Group’s urban forestry team conducted a tree inventory and assessment on all the trees on the property, compiling a report and maintenance workbook for the client.
To return the landscape to its glory days of the past, the crew accessed Columbia University archives and worked with Woodlawn Cemetery’s director of historical services to study the history of the site and get a sense of the original landscape. This information was used to incorporate heirloom plants along with newer varieties that flower at different times of the year or to offer texture variety to blend the types of plants together.
Currently, a dedicated crew of approximately 20 commercial landscape professionals is on the property five to six days per week to perform grounds maintenance services such as mowing, snow removal, tree and shrub pruning, turf application, and flower planting.
To connect with their community, Woodlawn began a partnership with The Door, a local non-profit that allows inner city young adults to receive a free education and apprenticeship in a field of their choice. In 2020, Davey and Woodlawn started a horticultural work development program with The Door that takes place over a 10-week period. In the program, younger residents are taught the basics of pruning, mowing, and other landscaping jobs, equipping them for a career in the green industry.
Setting The Standard For Partnerships
Davey’s team communicates with Woodlawn daily and has seamlessly integrated with cemetery operations. By providing customizable services, Davey has helped Woodlawn with its long-term strategic goal to become an integral part of their community.
“What makes this partnership unique is the relationship,” Blane Pshigoda, Davey’s vice president of government projects says. “It is one built out of trust and friendship. It’s those kinds of things you don’t see at every site that makes the relationship once we don’t take for granted.”
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