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Volunteers will be assigned a zone with about 300 trees, and will be trained to identify species, take measurements and assess health. They will also learn to identify the Asian long-horned beetle, which destroys hardwood trees. Beetle larvae have been spotted in two American elms in Central Park this spring. For years the parks department has been diversifying its tree population to deter insect infestations and the spread of diseases. "If the Asian long-horned beetle is infiltrating a certain area, we should diversify further," Mr. Benepe said. Volunteers "can enlist friends or bring their families," said Jennifer Greenfeld, the director of New York Tree Trust, a program of the parks department and the City Parks Foundation that is running the census. "Some of the folks who did it 10 years ago can't wait to do it again." For information on the census: 311, or www.nyc.gov/treescount.