We don’t know how many Brooklyn trees have been the collateral damage in the ongoing development boom. All we can say is that we see a significant amount of anecdotal evidence suggesting that a modest amount of deforestation is taking place. The latest tale of development doing in a tree comes from the South Slope:

I was horrified to come home today only to discover that the developers with the building on 16th Street between 6th and 7th Ave chopped down a huge tree in their back area (I am on 15th Street). The tree was very old, perhaps a hundred year old tree. Now the monstrosity of a building is in full view. Are there any laws in NYC against killing trees even if it is on your own property?

The answer is that trees on private property belong to the owner. They live and die at his or her pleasure. No photos of the South Slope victim or before & after shots. On the other hand, one can take some comfort in not being near this tree massacre in Queens.