Weather 
ROOSEVELT ISLAND — Cherry Blossoms are blooming all around New York City, from Central Park to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Roosevelt Island, which sits between Manhattan proper and Queens in the East River, is one of the most popular places in the city to see the pink trees.
It’s the city’s lushest collection of cherry blossom trees.
More than 100 are bursting with color for several weeks around this time of year, drawing visitors from across the globe.
An enforcement team who call themselves ‘Petal Protectors” are trying to protect the cherry trees during the busiest time on the island.
“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.
