NY S05709

Amends General Municipal Law Section 96-b to require municipalities, parks departments, highway departments, and other local entities to select and plant biologically diverse types of trees in public locations.

Establishes the "10-20-30 principle" requiring tree populations to include no more than 10 percent of any one species, 20 percent of any one genus, or 30 percent of any one family.

Specifies that biodiversity percentages shall be measured by the tree population as a whole, not by individual planting projects alone.

Adds finding that when tree removal is necessary to stop the spread of invasive species, municipalities must replant lost trees and vegetation while maintaining biodiversity to prevent future losses.

Takes effect January 1, 2026 or 270 days after the law takes effect, whichever is later.