NYRP is also responsible for transforming an illegal dumping ground along the Harlem River into the beautiful, five-acre Swindler Cove Park, located in northern Manhattan. Begun as a shore cleanup more than 10 years ago, NYRP’s Swindler Cove campus – which opened to the public in 2003 – now encompasses the Riley-Levin Children’s Garden, additional development along Sherman Creek, NYRP’s Cherry Tree Project along the Harlem River Drive and the Peter Jay Sharp Boathouse – the first community boathouse on the Harlem River in 100 years and where the sport of competitive rowing has been reintroduced to neighborhood youth through a number of NYRP and co-sponsor programs.
Today, Swindler Cove Park is a centerpiece of NYRP’s outdoor educational and community outreach efforts and is home to NYRP’s Nature in My Neighborhood environmental education curricula, NatureMania Spring Break and Summer Camp – programs serving thousands of New York City families and at-risk youth. At Swindler Cove Park and in NYRP’s 55 community gardens, New Yorkers are being introduced every day to the importance of respecting green space and spending quality time in nature in urban settings.
On Earth Day in April of 2007, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg unveiled PlaNYC, an extensive and ambitious 127-point vision to strengthen the city’s urban environment and make New York a model 21st-century metropolis by creating a more sustainable city by the year 2030.
PlaNYC focuses on every facet of the city’s physical environment – its transportation and energy networks; housing; land and park systems; and water supply and air quality. As one of the plan’s major propositions, MillionTreesNYC was formed to revitalize New York City’s urban forest by planting and caring for one million new trees throughout the city’s five boroughs by 2017. To accomplish this ambitious goal, NYRP Founder Bette Midler joined forces with Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation – becoming a co-leader in this sweeping initiative.
In just two short years, MillionTreesNYC has become a citywide movement that continues to engage and energize New York City home and land owners, developers and businesses – encouraging individuals, neighborhood-based organizations, companies, city agencies and others to re-imagine and advocate for a more sustainable New York City through expansion and maintenance of its critical tree canopy. NYRP and its members, in partnership with the city’s Parks Department, are not only changing the city’s landscape, but are also changing the mindset of New Yorkers by leading planting efforts for one million trees and helping all to learn to respect and maintain this most precious New York City resource – our urban forest.
In its relatively short history, NYRP has learned that restoring a public space is only the first – and perhaps easiest – step in the long process involved in promoting greening and stewardship within urban communities. To affect and sustain real change, it will take every New Yorker working together for the city’s greater good. While we celebrate the successes of NYRP’s first 14 years, we know that our work is far from done and that it will take the collective strength of all New Yorkers digging in and contributing to effectively change the fabric or our neighborhoods for the better and for future generations.