NYC Department of Parks & Recreation’s Post

Robert Moses' tenure as Parks Commissioner undeniably shaped the city's green spaces. However, it's crucial to examine this legacy with a critical lens. The iconic parks department logo, a single leaf, is believed to represent the London plane tree, a species favored by Moses. While these trees have undeniable aesthetic qualities, their widespread planting came at a cost. Critics argue that Moses prioritized these trees due to personal preference, neglecting the needs of underserved communities. Furthermore, the comparison of London plane trees to "expressways tearing through neighborhoods" raises critical questions about the impact of Moses' planning decisions on residents. It's important to consider the social and racial equity implications of past policies when shaping the future of our parks. Let's foster a conversation about ensuring our parks serve all residents equitably and celebrate the diversity of our city's green spaces. https://ow.ly/6Qjv50QXpe5

Judy Laird-Gossman (pictured, right) is one of 140 leading advocates and Parks & Trails New York members who converged in Albany this week to win new state support for our #parks, trails and public lands. In 80+ meetings we connected with legislators as never before, making our case on equity, health and #conservation grounds. Our parks 🌲 are, of course, priceless. Yet as we seek a necessary increase in this year's state parks budget for vital capital improvements, we have to make this value more tangible: Thanks to the steady increases in state parks visitation in recent years (84.1 million visits in 2023), the state park system now rivals New York's agricultural sector (!) in terms of spending ($5.8b) , labor income ($2.5b) and contribution to state GDP ($3.7b). This, according to an upcoming report from Parks & Trails New York and the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) Special thanks to our partners at Open Space Institute for making this year's Park Advocacy Day so impactful! also: New York Outdoor Recreation Coalition Audubon New York Adirondack Council The Nature Conservancy South Bronx Unite WE ACT for Environmental Justice

If you haven't already learned about tree equity in your community and hometown, I highly recommend acquainting yourself with American Forests' Tree Equity Score resource here: https://lnkd.in/gS7bh4xm The importance of a healthy tree canopy cannot be understated. Have a look at your neighborhood and find out how your local leaders are addressing urban forestry and tree equity!

This is a very interesting article about parks in communities. The thing that is missing is how the role of parks change in denser communities and how we still have many lessons to learn from Europe on that.

I am so excited about the work we are doing at Washington State Department of Natural Resources in increasing forest canopy not just in the rural areas but also in our urban areas. We see first hand the impacts of climate change on our communities from increasing wildfires and flood to hotter temperatures. Indeed, heat has become our nation’s leading deadliest weather disaster. We are not wasting any time for this increasing heat to hit us in Washington. In April I announced a goal to be the first state in the nation to achieve Tree Equity in every neighborhood. Through our efforts already, we are investing more than $1.6 million statewide to create healthier, more equitable communities by planting and restoring trees in our cities. Trees in cities provide health, employment, and climate resiliency benefits that everyone should have. They cool our neighborhoods, which reduces heat-related illness and utility costs. A map of tree cover that we did of our cities reveals that low-income communities and communities of color have significantly fewer trees. Indeed, in some of our cities there is a 13-15 degree difference between wealthy white communities and low income and communities of color. This has a significant impact on the health and well-being of these communities. To achieve our goal of Tree Equity in every neighborhood, we will need to plant over 13 million trees in underserved neighborhoods throughout the state. We can’t do this work alone, and so we have partnered with American Forests, The Nature Conservancy, City of Seattle, City of Spokane, City of Vancouver, City of Tacoma, City of Bellevue, Washington, The Lands Council, Seattle Parks Foundation, Metro Parks Tacoma, Spokane Conservation District, City of Yakima, Tacoma Tree Foundation, and so many more. Including you! Victoria Woodards, Rebecca Bear, Olgy Diaz, Jad Daley, Bruce Harrell, Jessyn Farrell, Lisa J Brown, #treeequity #urbanforestry #trees

Likely to see some ink spilled on this provocation by Des Fitzgerald and I look forward to reading his work. I do start with a premise likely shared by my colleagues Nicole Heyman, Dan Reuter, Eric Myers, Emily Mack, Mitchell Silver, FAICP, Hon. ASLA, Brenton Grear, Mark Cridge, Rob Hopkins, Jeff Pfitzer, Brad Collett, Jayne Miller, Daniel Raven-Ellison, Gil Penalosa, Neil McCarthy, German Enriquez, Victor Dover, FAICP, Yvonne Lynch, Mark Camley, Anita O' Driscoll, RPP, MCIP by suggesting that one doesn't choose between development or green space as some kind of zero sum game. 6,000 years of city building has taught us that it's always "and". Now, the trick as usual is pulling off the "and" with finite resources and land. Our most livable, durable, and healthy urban centers find their very essence framed by public park and urban ecology preserve systems that serve human-scaled neighborhoods (possessing a mix of housing options in varying densities and price points) and sustain healthy local ecological communities (and systems) that long pre-date (and ultimately support or overwhelm) human settlement desires. One can critique specific elements of any park system. That's hardly novel as everyone has a take. Should we invest in a skate park? Should we build a sports field? Should we plant more street trees? Should this park privilege meadow or forest? And so on. But it is in these systems (starting with humble neighborhood parks and dispersed public green spaces) where the foundation of livable cities takes hold. #boise 's livability is rooted in places like Camels Back and McDevitt Parks. In #chattanooga, we find our community strength in East Lake and Coolidge Parks, and a clean and fishable Tennessee River. And yes, New York City grounds its livability in Central Park Conservancy just as Green Adelaide's landscapes and park lands shape and sustain the greater City of Adelaide. This is an era of provocation, action/reaction. My hunch is that Des is reacting to a recent emphasis on design-forward and sometimes expensive public green spaces. A critique of mega parks that seems to fit our moment. But I think des should ask #tulsa how they feel about the success of The Gathering Place or #greenvillesc about Union and Falls Park on The Reedy, or #knoxville on the broad health benefits of their Urban Wilderness system. I'm keen to see if the data/research/analysis is there to back up the thinking that we have somehow done "too much" work on the green spaces in our urban center. I doubt it from the jump. Let's see.

Catch Eli Dvorkin and I in amNY today, making the case that the time is *now* for the city to think outside the box with new ways to sustainably fund our parks and open space—their ongoing maintenance, and future creation. (And our Center for an Urban Future report has 20 ideas to do exactly that.) https://lnkd.in/eR8X7zJ5

The Piedmont Park Conservancy is excited to issue a Request for Proposals (RFPs) for planning services related to the development of a new Comprehensive Plan for Piedmont Park. Piedmont Park’s last Comprehensive Plan was developed in 1995 and has largely been realized. The Conservancy celebrates its 35th Anniversary in 2024 while Piedmont Park celebrates 120 years as a city park. Coupled with the unprecedented opportunity to expand the park’s acreage and amenities to the corner of Piedmont Avenue and Monroe Drive in concert with the proximate expansion of the Atlanta BeltLine and Atlanta Botanical Garden, the time is right for a new comprehensive plan and vision for Piedmont Park to guide its development and ensure its role as the Beating Green Heart of Atlanta for decades to come. The Comprehensive Plan is envisioned to cover a time period of 15-20 years and be bold and innovative. It should push the boundaries of what the future of urban parks can be and do, set the standard for city parks in the Southeast U.S. and beyond, and reflect a diverse, growing, resilient, and sustainable Atlanta. More information on the planning process and the RFP can be found at https://lnkd.in/e25SCcJk. Proposals are due Friday, May 24. Questions can be addressed to: [email protected].

🌳 Dive into how Atlanta is preserving its natural beauty and historic landmarks on ATL Wire. This article explores the city's initiatives to protect green spaces, restore historic buildings, and promote sustainable urban development. Learn about the key projects, community involvement, and the impact these efforts have on maintaining Atlanta's unique charm. Discover how local organizations and government agencies are working together to ensure the city's greener, more resilient future. #Conservation #SustainableAtlanta 🌱 https://lnkd.in/dcm5xcu5

Join our next webinar and hear how parks are preserving natural areas in their communities. These are critical nature based solutions to ensure communities are environmentally resilient and healthy! Learn from leaders in the field how they are advancing these efforts and how you can too.