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ROOSEVELT ISLAND — Across New York City, cherry blossoms are in full bloom, creating a vibrant spectacle from Central Park to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Nestled in the East River between Manhattan and Queens, Roosevelt Island emerges as one of the city’s top destinations for admiring these stunning pink blooms.
This island boasts the city’s most abundant display of cherry blossom trees.
Over 100 trees are currently awash with colorful blossoms, attracting visitors from all corners of the world during this time of year.
As the island welcomes a surge of admirers, a dedicated group known as the “Petal Protectors” is working diligently to safeguard the cherished cherry trees.
“We are trying to protect cherry blossom plants,” Petal Protector Kavita Rani said.
The volunteers live on the island and can be seen wearing authoritative pink vests.
They’re trying to protect the trees from visitors who pull on branches or petals, climb on them or sometimes worse.
“They grab hold of them and pull them down. Sometimes get on somebody’s shoulders and pull them down and break them,” Bonnie Cordova said.
“We saw somebody who brought a step ladder just to cut down some branches,” Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation’s Bryant Daniels said.
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation started the initiative last year not only as a way to protect the cherry trees, but to also to promote all the island has to offer.
Social media did most of the marketing.
Sometimes it’s also the reason why the trees need protectors.
“Most people are pretty respectful. Every now and then you get some folks who don’t want their Instagram photo ruined but by and large, people are pretty respectful,” Daniels said.