New York Restoration Project

Our #UrbanAgriculture team just wrapped up a stellar season of programming at Riley-Levin Children’s Garden in Inwood, Manhattan! The team uses this space as an outdoor classroom to experiment with different gardening techniques and teach New Yorkers the best practices of growing things in an urban environment. Swipe to see some highlights from the season!   - Ginger harvesting - Mushroom bucket workshop with Green Guerillas - Natural dye workshop with Papais Garden  - Clearing out the garden for winter - Harvesting produce - Mushroom log inoculation workshop  - Strawberry growing workshop  - Composting with our three bin compost system A huge shoutout to Corey, Genevieve, Angel, and Quinn for being fantastic teachers and to everyone who came out to volunteer and learn in the garden!   To stay in the loop for upcoming #UrbanAgriculture workshops and volunteer days, sign up for our newsletter at nyrp.org/newsletter.

As NYC enjoys some much-needed rain today, we want to thank our incredible Operations team: from climbing the slopes of Highbridge Park to water the trees and keep them safe from brush fires, to building new community gardens throughout all five boroughs every year,  to hosting #UrbanAgriculture workshops and skill shares, to taking care of our parks and gardens throughout the city, our team is full of superheroes. Thank you to our team for all the amazing work you have done this year, in all kinds of weather! 

Join NYRP at the Urban Soils Institute’s 9th Annual Urban Soils Symposium TOMORROW to learn about how we’re helping to make the FIRST-EVER map of Manhattan’s coastal soils! Jason Smith, Director of Northern Manhattan Parks, and Ariel Lauren Wilson, Senior Director of Marketing & Communications, will be presenting on NYRP’s collaboration with the USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) to expand the NYC soil survey for the first time in almost 30 years by mapping the coastal soil’s in Manhattan’s largest remaining wetland. 📍 Project Farmhouse (76 E 13th Street, New York, NY 10003) Register for free here: https://lnkd.in/gTejAcuP

Recent brushfires in parks are the result of chronic parks disinvestment in an era of unprecedented climate crisis.   NYC Department of Parks & Recreation budget cuts have made it harder to avert/respond to the dangerous effects of extreme weather.   Take action to #SaveNYCParks at playfair.nyc

BRAND NEW GARDEN! Swipe to see Riverdale Avenue Community School before and after:                Riverdale Avenue Community School is an elementary school located in Brownsville, Brooklyn. A retired teacher from the school who has been taking care of the garden area in front of the school reached out to NYRP through our #GardensForTheCity program in hopes of renovating the school’s garden to make it easier for the students to garden.      In one day, our crew:            1️⃣ Assembled 8 garden beds and 2 arch trellises  2️⃣ Filled raised beds with 8 yards of soil  3️⃣ Assembled 4 benches and 1 storage box  4️⃣ Cleaned up existing ornamental bed and cut out a new one on other side  5️⃣ Spread 1 yard of mulch in ornamental beds  6️⃣ Planted 100 Daffodil and tulip bulbs  7️⃣ Watered ornamental beds/new bulb plantings  8️⃣ Pruned branches on several trees    Our #UrbanAgriculture team looks forward to working with the staff and students this year to plan programming and help the garden thrive!     Know a green space in need of a makeover? Click the link below and apply today!   https://lnkd.in/eFX2GKQU Photo Credit: Director of Garden Horticulture & Citywide Greening Projects Jason Sheets 

Brand new garden in the Bronx! Swipe to see P.S. 48 before and after:           P.S. 48 is an elementary school located in the Hunts Point neighborhood in The Bronx. Mr. Czarka, a science teacher at PS 48, reached out to NYRP through our #GardensForTheCity program in hopes of transforming and expanding the school’s existing garden. In one day, our crew:          1️⃣ Assembled 5 garden beds  2️⃣ Built 5 small wooden planters  3️⃣ Assembled 6 benches and 1 picnic table  4️⃣ Installed 50 feet of stockade fence panels on railings in garden spaces  5️⃣ Filled the raised beds and planters with 5 yards of soil and compost  6️⃣ Spread 4 yards of woodchips in the 3 sections of the school garden  7️⃣ Planted 30 perennials and 2 ornamental grasses  8️⃣ Pruned low and dead tree branches in 3 sections   9️⃣ Fixed a wide existing hole in wrought iron fence   🔟 Assembled a hose reel and provided 100 feet of hose to help with watering It was a pleasure to work with Mr. Czarka and P.S. 48 and to see such a great garden program flourishing at the school!  Our #UrbanAgriculture team looks forward to working with the staff and students this year to help the garden thrive.   Know a green space in need of a makeover? Click this link and apply today! https://lnkd.in/eFX2GKQU       Photo Credit: Director of Garden Horticulture & Citywide Greening Projects Jason Sheets 

Thank you to everyone who attended #NYRPHulaween! Because of you, we raised 2 MILLION+ DOLLARS to support our critical cleaning and greening work throughout New York City! Our Founder Bette Midler presented Robert De Niro with the Wind Beneath My Wings Award, and our Board of Trustees Co-Chair Darcy Stacom and the esteemed Dan Doctoroff also presented Cassandra Clark and NYRP Trustee Josh Sirefman, respectively, with the Joan Kors Green Champion Awards in honor of NYRP Trustee Michael Kors’ mother. The night also featured dynamic performances by the iconic, Grammy-nominated R&B group En Vogue, as well as renowned international burlesque sensation Jake DuPree. The fabulous actor, comedian, and singer Cat Cohen was our fabulous emcee, while RuPaul's Drag Race alum Thorgy Thor returned as the evening’s Green Carpet Correspondent. Jordan Roth, seven-time Tony Award-winning theater producer and fashion icon, was our Constume Contest Judge. Brooklyn entertainment collective House of Yes and DJ Boyyyish kept the celebration going past midnight! Learn more about NYRP and see how you might get involved at nyrp.org Photo Credit: Rebecca Smeyne 

Brand new garden! Swipe to see Lutheran Social Services of New York’s Seneca House before and after:     Lutheran Social Services of New York is a social services organization that offers apartments to formerly homeless individuals with supportive services and daily programming. Last year our team revitalized the back yard and rooftop garden at their Bergen Street Residence, creating a vegetable garden area on their rooftop to use in a their gardening program. This year, we transformed the outdoor space at their Seneca House location into a garden!    In one day, our crew:        1️⃣ Assembled 4 garden beds and filled with them with soil  2️⃣ Built a 10' x 12' shade structure  3️⃣ Assembled 4 benches and 2 picnic tables  4️⃣ Created 6 bamboo fencing privacy panels and mounted them on the fence  5️⃣ Weeded and amended soil in several areas to create ornamental planting beds  6️⃣ Planted 8 shrubs and 28 perennials    7️⃣ Spread 2 yards of mulch around plantings and in between raised beds  8️⃣ Pruned the trees  9️⃣ Removed 4 yards of woody brush from site     Shout out to Tats Cru for painting the awesome mural in the garden! 🎨    Our #UrbanAgriculture team looks forward to working with the folks at the Seneca House throughout the season! The garden group has already planted some cover crops in the raised beds for the winter with the #UrbanAgriculture team.   Know a green space in need of a makeover? Click the here and apply today: https://lnkd.in/eFX2GKQU      Photo credit: Director of Garden Horticulture & Citywide Greening Projects Jason Sheets 

On Friday, I had the privilege of attending Bette Midler’s Hulaween gala, an unforgettable Halloween celebration benefiting New York Restoration Project. This year’s event, themed “In the Garden of Good and Evil,” was especially memorable as it honored a true New York icon—Robert De Niro. Hulaween is more than a glamorous gathering (though Vogue did say this is one of the most exclusive Halloween parties in the country.) It’s a powerful example of the impact that Corporate Social Responsibility and philanthropy can have on our communities. NYRP’s mission to transform public spaces, plant trees, and restore neglected areas is vital in creating a healthier, greener, and more accessible New York for ALL residents. The night was a whirlwind: burlesque performances, entertainers on stilts, En Vogue lighting up the stage, and dancing that kept us all moving into the night. But the real highlight is seeing how our contributions help shape a better New York —one that prioritizes green spaces and community well-being. Investing in initiatives like NYRP reminds me why giving back matters. Supporting these missions isn’t just about enhancing the physical landscape; it’s about building resilient, thriving communities, and it’s incredibly fulfilling to be part of a cause that aligns with my passion for making a difference, and my love for Halloween. Thank you NYRP and Bette Midler for an inspiring night of giving and Halloween spirit!

We are incredibly proud to have honored our Joan Kors Green Champions, Cassandra Clark and Josh Sirefman, at our #NYRPHulaween gala this past Friday!