Enjoying parks and open spaces is a huge part of New York City's appeal. What most people don't realize is that our city parks and open spaces play a practical role in sustaining the health and well-being of New York City. Air, water, and noise pollution can all be controlled in part by parks and open spaces. They can also improve the biodiversity of the metropolitan area, which is important to maintaining a healthy, sustainable environment.

The population of New York City is expected to increase by a million new residents in the next twenty-five years. The issue of maintaining and creating new parks and open space, therefore, is critical. In 2007, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced PLANYC 2030, a comprehensive call to all New Yorkers to help make the city more sustainable. The plan addresses population growth and services, aging infrastructure, and environmental conservation, and proposes 10 goals for the city to meet by the year 2030.

NYRP's work in parks and community gardens directly contributes to achieving four of these – Goal 3: Ensure that all New Yorkers live within a ten-minute walk of a park, Goal 7: Reduce global warming emissions by more than 30%, Goal 9: Clean up all contaminated land in New York City, and Goal 10: Open 90% of our waterways for recreation by reducing water pollution and preserving our natural areas.

NYRP's Greening and Sustainability Initiatives touch all areas of our mission and take place in our park, community garden, environmental education, and public programs. Through them we introduce innovative green design, plant trees, and help make the Harlem River Waterfront a destination for all New Yorkers. These initiatives are in addition to our ongoing work and will be expanding in the coming years, so check back often to see what's new.

Click here for more information on the City of New York's PLANYC 2030, and to do your part, click here for the Mayor's 10-step “How-To” guide to becoming more sustainable.