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Annual Report 2019 NYRP GARDENS AND PARKS TABLE OF

! BRONX 27. Toyota East Children’s Learning Garden ! CONTENTS 1. 211th Street Block Association 603 E. 11th Street Community Garden H Highbridge Park 735 E. 211th Street 29 ! ! 2. Bathgate Community Garden S Sherman Creek Park 1818 Bathgate Avenue 3703 10th Avenue ! ! 3. Bette’s Rose Garden ! 1017 Teller Avenue ! ! 4. Clay Avenue Community Garden 28. Aberdeen Street Community Garden !! ! ! 1328 Clay Avenue 91 Aberdeen Street ! ! 2 Letter from 5. Clinton Avenue Block Association 29. Bedford-Stuyvesant Community Garden 2044 Prospect Avenue 95 Malcom X Boulevard ! the Co-Chairs 6. Creston Avenue Community 30. Bridge Plaza Community Garden ! Garden and Playground 163 Concord Street ! ! !! 2242 Creston Avenue 31. Cooper Street Community Garden ! 7. Eastchester Road Community Garden 34 Cooper Street Mission 3634 Eastchester Road 32. Decatur Street Community Garden 3 8. Glover Street Community Garden 1052 Decatur Street ! 1642 Castle Hill Avenue 33. Community Garden 9. Members Garden/Dalia Group 3030 Revitalizing Community Garden 34. Garden of Hope 4 724 Courtlandt Avenue 392 Hancock Street Open Space 10. Mildred T. Rhodebeck Garden 35. Gil Hodges Community Garden (Garden of Eden) 534 Carroll Street 927 Faile Street 36. Greene Acres Community Garden ! 11. Paradise on Earth (Fannie’s Garden) 322 Franklin Avenue ! 1106 Fox Street 37. Hendrix Street Community Garden 6 Cultivating 12. Target Bronx Community Garden 532 Hendrix Street ! 1025 Anderson Avenue 38. Hull Street Community Garden Environmental Leaders 13. Willis Avenue Community Garden 145 Hull Street ! ! 378 Willis Avenue 39. lmani Community Garden ! ! ! !! ! 87 Schenectady Avenue ! ! ! ! !! ! 40. Infant Jesus Garden ! ! 8 Building Urban 14. 103rd Street Community Garden 36 Aberdeen Street !! ! 105 E. 103rd Street 41. Jane Bailey Memorial Garden Resilience 15. El Barrio Community Garden 327 Greene Avenue 415 E. 117th Street 42. Madison Street Community Garden 974 Madison Street 16. El Cataño Community Garden ! 171 E. 43. McLeod’s Community Garden 52 Financials 17. Family Garden - Sponsored by 130 Liberty Avenue 10 Tiffany and Co. 44. Miraflores Community Garden 431 E. 114th Street 900 18. Friendship Garden (Wicked) 45. Scholes Street Children’s Garden Supporters 499 W. 150th Street 134 Scholes Street 12 19. Herb Garden 46. Target Brooklyn Community Garden 176 E. 111th Street 931 Bedford Avenue ! 20. La Casita Community Garden 47. Williams Avenue Community Garden 223 E. 119th Street 88 Williams Avenue 15 Leadership 21. Los Amigos Community Garden 326 Pleasant Avenue QUEENS 22. Maggie’s Garden 48. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson Community Garden 564 W. 149th Street 117-15 165th Street 23. Riley-Levin Children’s Garden 49. Community Garden 3703 10th Avenue (Sherman Creek Park) 178-22 Linden Boulevard 24. Rodale Pleasant Park 50. Pembroke Avenue Community Garden Community Garden 253-13 Pembroke Avenue 437 E. 114th Street 51. Seagirt Boulevard Community Garden 30-03 Seagirt Boulevard 25. Dorothy Strelsin Memorial A NOTE ABOUT THE COVER: After reading our Community Garden 174 Suffolk Street STATEN ISLAND annual report, we hope you’ll remove the cover 26. The Home Depot Children’s Garden 52. Westervelt Family and Community Garden and keep the map of our gardens and parks that’s 421 E. 117th Street 143 Westervelt Avenue printed across the inside spread.

Esri, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community NYRP GARDENS AND PARKS TABLE OF

! BRONX 27. Toyota East Children’s Learning Garden ! CONTENTS 1. 211th Street Block Association 603 E. 11th Street Community Garden H Highbridge Park 735 E. 211th Street 29 Dyckman Street ! ! 2. Bathgate Community Garden S Sherman Creek Park 1818 Bathgate Avenue 3703 10th Avenue ! ! 3. Bette’s Rose Garden ! 1017 Teller Avenue BROOKLYN ! ! 4. Clay Avenue Community Garden 28. Aberdeen Street Community Garden !! ! ! 1328 Clay Avenue 91 Aberdeen Street ! ! 2 Letter from 5. Clinton Avenue Block Association 29. Bedford-Stuyvesant Community Garden 2044 Prospect Avenue 95 Malcom X Boulevard ! the Co-Chairs 6. Creston Avenue Community 30. Bridge Plaza Community Garden ! Garden and Playground 163 Concord Street ! ! !! 2242 Creston Avenue 31. Cooper Street Community Garden ! 7. Eastchester Road Community Garden 34 Cooper Street Mission 3634 Eastchester Road 32. Decatur Street Community Garden 3 8. Glover Street Community Garden 1052 Decatur Street ! 1642 Castle Hill Avenue 33. Essex Street Community Garden 9. Members Garden/Dalia Group 3030 Fulton Street Revitalizing Community Garden 34. Garden of Hope 4 724 Courtlandt Avenue 392 Hancock Street Open Space 10. Mildred T. Rhodebeck Garden 35. Gil Hodges Community Garden (Garden of Eden) 534 Carroll Street 927 Faile Street 36. Greene Acres Community Garden ! 11. Paradise on Earth (Fannie’s Garden) 322 Franklin Avenue ! 1106 Fox Street 37. Hendrix Street Community Garden 6 Cultivating 12. Target Bronx Community Garden 532 Hendrix Street ! 1025 Anderson Avenue 38. Hull Street Community Garden Environmental Leaders 13. Willis Avenue Community Garden 145 Hull Street ! ! 378 Willis Avenue 39. lmani Community Garden ! ! ! !! ! 87 Schenectady Avenue ! ! ! ! !! ! MANHATTAN 40. Infant Jesus Garden ! ! 8 Building Urban 14. 103rd Street Community Garden 36 Aberdeen Street !! ! 105 E. 103rd Street 41. Jane Bailey Memorial Garden Resilience 15. El Barrio Community Garden 327 Greene Avenue 415 E. 117th Street 42. Madison Street Community Garden 974 Madison Street 16. El Cataño Community Garden ! 171 E. 110th Street 43. McLeod’s Community Garden 52 Financials 17. Family Garden - Sponsored by 130 Liberty Avenue 10 Tiffany and Co. 44. Miraflores Community Garden 431 E. 114th Street 900 Broadway 18. Friendship Garden (Wicked) 45. Scholes Street Children’s Garden Supporters 499 W. 150th Street 134 Scholes Street 12 19. Herb Garden 46. Target Brooklyn Community Garden 176 E. 111th Street 931 Bedford Avenue ! 20. La Casita Community Garden 47. Williams Avenue Community Garden 223 E. 119th Street 88 Williams Avenue 15 Leadership 21. Los Amigos Community Garden 326 Pleasant Avenue QUEENS 22. Maggie’s Garden 48. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson Community Garden 564 W. 149th Street 117-15 165th Street 23. Riley-Levin Children’s Garden 49. Linden Boulevard Community Garden 3703 10th Avenue (Sherman Creek Park) 178-22 Linden Boulevard 24. Rodale Pleasant Park 50. Pembroke Avenue Community Garden Community Garden 253-13 Pembroke Avenue 437 E. 114th Street 51. Seagirt Boulevard Community Garden 30-03 Seagirt Boulevard 25. Dorothy Strelsin Memorial A NOTE ABOUT THE COVER: After reading our Community Garden 174 Suffolk Street STATEN ISLAND annual report, we hope you’ll remove the cover 26. The Home Depot Children’s Garden 52. Westervelt Family and Community Garden and keep the map of our gardens and parks that’s 421 E. 117th Street 143 Westervelt Avenue printed across the inside spread.

Esri, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community LETTER FROM MISSION THE CO-CHAIRS New York Restoration Project (NYRP) revitalizes green space in under- resourced communities. We partner with neighborhood residents, public agencies, and the private sector to create, maintain, and program shared open areas, making nature accessible to all New Yorkers.

Dear Friends, Since our founding in 1995 by Bette Midler, NYRP has renovated gardens, restored parks, planted trees, educated students, and forged Over the last quarter century, New York Restoration NYRP also welcomed new leadership with our partnerships to transform the City’s landscape. As New York’s only Project (NYRP) has transformed ’s election as Co-Chairs of the Board and the citywide nature conservancy, we bring resources to public open spaces landscape. announcement of our new Executive Director, Lynn that need support in order to create a greener, more resilient City. Kelly. Lynn is an experienced and recognized voice Bette Midler founded NYRP in 1995 to clean up the in the New York City open space movement. We city’s open spaces and give public land back to New are delighted that she will be bringing her deep Yorkers—work we continue wholeheartedly in our knowledge, commitment to partnerships, and 52 community gardens and beyond. In the past year strategic mindset to NYRP starting in February 2020. alone, we: Achieving environmental and social justice in our • Renovated 10 community gardens; city is more critical today than ever before. We are a • Repaired or replaced 100 garden beds; and strong example to the entire United States of how to • Worked with neighbors to green 34 school invest in, value, and activate our green spaces. Thank yards, housing campuses, senior citizen centers, you for sharing our belief that nature is a fundamental local gardens, and other public spaces. right of every New Yorker. With your support as NYRP enters its 25th year, we are equipped to Our Engagement and Programming team: collaborate with communities across the city to green more spaces, cultivate more environmental leaders, • Led workshops with over 1,000 gardeners and and build more resilient urban ecosystems. community members; • Taught more than 7,500 K-8th grade students; We look forward to working with Lynn, and with you, • Produced 65 free cultural events; and to ensure that all New Yorkers enjoy the benefits of • Hosted 22 free tree giveaway events, clean, green open space for years to come. On behalf supplying over 3,000 trees throughout all of our Trustees and staff, thank you for being part of five boroughs. the NYRP community—you make our work possible.

With gratitude, Helena Durst and Darcy A. Stacom Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees

THANK YOU: Benjamin F. Needell

Ben Needell has supported NYRP since 1997 and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2019. We made great strides throughout Ben’s 18-year Board Chair tenure thanks to his expert knowledge of the local real estate landscape, legal acumen, and passion for our cause. He has been a true partner and we are delighted that he will Ben with honoree Amy Goldman Fowler at Spring continue to serve as a member of NYRP’s Board of Picnic 2019 at the New York Botanical Garden. Trustees. Thank you, Ben—we are forever grateful!

2 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 3 LETTER FROM MISSION THE CO-CHAIRS New York Restoration Project (NYRP) revitalizes green space in under- resourced communities. We partner with neighborhood residents, public agencies, and the private sector to create, maintain, and program shared open areas, making nature accessible to all New Yorkers.

Dear Friends, Since our founding in 1995 by Bette Midler, NYRP has renovated gardens, restored parks, planted trees, educated students, and forged Over the last quarter century, New York Restoration NYRP also welcomed new leadership with our partnerships to transform the City’s landscape. As New York’s only Project (NYRP) has transformed New York City’s election as Co-Chairs of the Board and the citywide nature conservancy, we bring resources to public open spaces landscape. announcement of our new Executive Director, Lynn that need support in order to create a greener, more resilient City. Kelly. Lynn is an experienced and recognized voice Bette Midler founded NYRP in 1995 to clean up the in the New York City open space movement. We city’s open spaces and give public land back to New are delighted that she will be bringing her deep Yorkers—work we continue wholeheartedly in our knowledge, commitment to partnerships, and 52 community gardens and beyond. In the past year strategic mindset to NYRP starting in February 2020. alone, we: Achieving environmental and social justice in our • Renovated 10 community gardens; city is more critical today than ever before. We are a • Repaired or replaced 100 garden beds; and strong example to the entire United States of how to • Worked with neighbors to green 34 school invest in, value, and activate our green spaces. Thank yards, housing campuses, senior citizen centers, you for sharing our belief that nature is a fundamental local gardens, and other public spaces. right of every New Yorker. With your support as NYRP enters its 25th year, we are equipped to Our Engagement and Programming team: collaborate with communities across the city to green more spaces, cultivate more environmental leaders, • Led workshops with over 1,000 gardeners and and build more resilient urban ecosystems. community members; • Taught more than 7,500 K-8th grade students; We look forward to working with Lynn, and with you, • Produced 65 free cultural events; and to ensure that all New Yorkers enjoy the benefits of • Hosted 22 free tree giveaway events, clean, green open space for years to come. On behalf supplying over 3,000 trees throughout all of our Trustees and staff, thank you for being part of five boroughs. the NYRP community—you make our work possible.

With gratitude, Helena Durst and Darcy A. Stacom Co-Chairs, Board of Trustees

THANK YOU: Benjamin F. Needell

Ben Needell has supported NYRP since 1997 and served as Chair of the Board of Trustees from 2002 to 2019. We made great strides throughout Ben’s 18-year Board Chair tenure thanks to his expert knowledge of the local real estate landscape, legal acumen, and passion for our cause. He has been a true partner and we are delighted that he will Ben with honoree Amy Goldman Fowler at Spring continue to serve as a member of NYRP’s Board of Picnic 2019 at the New York Botanical Garden. Trustees. Thank you, Ben—we are forever grateful!

2 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 3 REVITALIZING OPEN SPACE

THE FIRST STEP in revitalizing an open space can be as basic as providing a water line. “Irrigation is a lot of work for gardeners otherwise,” says Jason Sheets, NYRP’s Director of Garden Horticulture. “Carrying water by hand, connecting to a hydrant across busy two-way streets, having hoses bust–just being able to have water on site improves so much for our gardeners.”

It’s easy to understand then why securing water lines for 14 of NYRP’s Brooklyn gardens in 2019 was one of several capital improvement priorities under New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Vital Brooklyn Initiative.

The State selected NYRP as a Vital Brooklyn CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: Willis Avenue Community Garden members in the open space grant recipient in 2017, aligning with Bronx’s Mott Haven neighborhood close out the summer season. • Rendering of Hull us to help realize $3.1 million in capital funding Street Community Garden in Ocean Hill, Brooklyn. • Rendering of Williams Avenue improvements for 22 Kings County community Community Garden in East New York, Brooklyn. • Target Brooklyn member Judy gardens (NYRP also completed work at 8 Brooklyn- Jones at our 2019 Gardener’s Gathering in October: “When people come through the Queens Land Trust sites). gates they shed their New York persona and become relaxed.” / Photo credit: Ben Hider • A Madison Street Community Garden member (right) and home health care worker attend the garden’s reopening celebration in July. Keeping our commitment to participatory design process, NYRP’s community engagement team began the work by reaching out to garden members and operations staff, requesting their input on upgrade priorities. Water access topped the list.

These lines were just the beginning in some gardens, though. In 2019, NYRP also completed infrastructure upgrades at Decatur, Bedford-Stuyvesant, McLeod’s, Target Brooklyn, and Green Acres Community Gardens that included replacing composting bins and rebuilding tool storage sheds.

Additionally, two gardens—Williams Street and Hull Street—underwent full redesign and reconstruction. Williams in particular became more of a gardening and gathering space than it had been previously, Botanic Garden for this quality of green space but adding a raised stage, shade structure, garden beds, now it’s in our neighborhood.” and other communal amenities. Post-construction, NYRP has helped garden groups “With the assistance of Vital Brooklyn funds, NYRP fully utilize their new space. Beyond an opening transformed a blighted site into a field of dreams in party, this has included movie nights, fitness classes, an at-risk underserved community,” says Williams live performances, and craft workshops among other Street Garden member Bill Wilkins. “It’s an urban activities. “These gardens are safe open spaces that oasis that’s tastefully designed with top shelf are accessible to all,” says Public Events Manager plants and infrastructure, and that level of care isn’t Matthew Dain. “Members can host programs with or usually expressed in this community,” he continues. without NYRP,” he assures. “At the end of the day, “Normally our residents would have to go to the it’s about what the community wants.”

4 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 5 REVITALIZING OPEN SPACE

THE FIRST STEP in revitalizing an open space can be as basic as providing a water line. “Irrigation is a lot of work for gardeners otherwise,” says Jason Sheets, NYRP’s Director of Garden Horticulture. “Carrying water by hand, connecting to a hydrant across busy two-way streets, having hoses bust–just being able to have water on site improves so much for our gardeners.”

It’s easy to understand then why securing water lines for 14 of NYRP’s Brooklyn gardens in 2019 was one of several capital improvement priorities under New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Vital Brooklyn Initiative.

The State selected NYRP as a Vital Brooklyn CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: Willis Avenue Community Garden members in the open space grant recipient in 2017, aligning with Bronx’s Mott Haven neighborhood close out the summer season. • Rendering of Hull us to help realize $3.1 million in capital funding Street Community Garden in Ocean Hill, Brooklyn. • Rendering of Williams Avenue improvements for 22 Kings County community Community Garden in East New York, Brooklyn. • Target Brooklyn member Judy gardens (NYRP also completed work at 8 Brooklyn- Jones at our 2019 Gardener’s Gathering in October: “When people come through the Queens Land Trust sites). gates they shed their New York persona and become relaxed.” / Photo credit: Ben Hider • A Madison Street Community Garden member (right) and home health care worker attend the garden’s reopening celebration in July. Keeping our commitment to participatory design process, NYRP’s community engagement team began the work by reaching out to garden members and operations staff, requesting their input on upgrade priorities. Water access topped the list.

These lines were just the beginning in some gardens, though. In 2019, NYRP also completed infrastructure upgrades at Decatur, Bedford-Stuyvesant, McLeod’s, Target Brooklyn, and Green Acres Community Gardens that included replacing composting bins and rebuilding tool storage sheds.

Additionally, two gardens—Williams Street and Hull Street—underwent full redesign and reconstruction. Williams in particular became more of a gardening and gathering space than it had been previously, Botanic Garden for this quality of green space but adding a raised stage, shade structure, garden beds, now it’s in our neighborhood.” and other communal amenities. Post-construction, NYRP has helped garden groups “With the assistance of Vital Brooklyn funds, NYRP fully utilize their new space. Beyond an opening transformed a blighted site into a field of dreams in party, this has included movie nights, fitness classes, an at-risk underserved community,” says Williams live performances, and craft workshops among other Street Garden member Bill Wilkins. “It’s an urban activities. “These gardens are safe open spaces that oasis that’s tastefully designed with top shelf are accessible to all,” says Public Events Manager plants and infrastructure, and that level of care isn’t Matthew Dain. “Members can host programs with or usually expressed in this community,” he continues. without NYRP,” he assures. “At the end of the day, “Normally our residents would have to go to the it’s about what the community wants.”

4 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 5 CULTIVATING ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS

ONE OF NYRP’S CLASSROOMS is in CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: A second grade student from Manhattan’s last remaining salt marsh. At high tide, our P.S. 115 transplants tomatoes at team of four environmental educators suits up local Riley-Levin Children’s Garden. • 3rd-8th graders at Inwood’s Swindler Cove. Flanked Students and NYRP environmen- by staff, two students at a time wade into the tal educators retrieve catch from River with a seine net, hoping to snag some sign of life. a seining net. • Students partic- ipate in an Our River the Giver class at Sherman Creek Park. • It’s not surprising that most of these city kids have P.S. 85 second grade students never been face-to-face with a live fish, let alone while harvest produce from Bathgate standing in the New York Harbor. Understandably, Community Garden in the Bronx. trekking into the silty shoreline for the first time can • P.S. 115 students transplant be intimidating. “We sing, we chant, we joke… we make tomatoes at Riley-Levin Chil- dren’s Garden. • Kindergarteners it silly, fun, and physical because sometimes [seining] from P.S. 5 search for birds can be a scary thing for students,” says environmental in northern Manhattan. educator Tess Wenstrup.

It turns out, though, that actually catching a jellyfish, crab, eel, or whatever turns up in the net ignites students’ best instincts.

“First they’re surprised to see a huge fish flopping around and spraying water all over,” says Tess. “But then the students get this determined look when they pick up their fish. They seem to take ownership and are just really proud.”

It’s transformative moments like these that motivate our next generation of environmental leaders. “[Our students] were buzzing about it long after we left and I know it made a huge impression on all of them,” says Rosemary Puckett of BioBus, one of our local nonprofit partners that helps minority, female, and low-income K-12 and college students discover, OUR PROGRAMS explore, and pursue science. “Perhaps [we even GARDEN GROWERS have] some future ecologists and just humans who Planting, Maintenance, Harvesting feel responsible for observing and caring for their ecosystem.” NATURE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD Swindler Cove Habitat Rove, Dig It, Talking Trees, Our River the Giver, Highbridge Hike These kinds of immersive lessons can also be critical since many participating schools don’t have any NATURE IN MY CLASSROOM science teachers and look to organizations like NYRP Botany to fill in the knowledge gap on everything from Life Through the Seasons, Eat Your Leaves!, photosynthesis to climate change. Seed to Plate, Compost: Nature’s Recycler Ecosystems “This work speaks to anyone,” says Director of Interdependence, Habitats for All, Animal Adapt-Ability, Look Up! Educational Programs Nina Salzman. “Seining in Earth Science particular reveals that there’s life in the river that they What on Earth Is Soil?, Wonderful World can see and touch,” she adds. “The experience can of Water, Run Water Run, Our Estuary spark desire to care for the river because it’s not a lost Explained cause–there’s still life there worth fighting for.”

6 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 7 CULTIVATING ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERS

ONE OF NYRP’S CLASSROOMS is in CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: A second grade student from Manhattan’s last remaining salt marsh. At high tide, our P.S. 115 transplants tomatoes at team of four environmental educators suits up local Riley-Levin Children’s Garden. • 3rd-8th graders at Inwood’s Swindler Cove. Flanked Students and NYRP environmen- by staff, two students at a time wade into the Harlem tal educators retrieve catch from River with a seine net, hoping to snag some sign of life. a seining net. • Students partic- ipate in an Our River the Giver class at Sherman Creek Park. • It’s not surprising that most of these city kids have P.S. 85 second grade students never been face-to-face with a live fish, let alone while harvest produce from Bathgate standing in the New York Harbor. Understandably, Community Garden in the Bronx. trekking into the silty shoreline for the first time can • P.S. 115 students transplant be intimidating. “We sing, we chant, we joke… we make tomatoes at Riley-Levin Chil- dren’s Garden. • Kindergarteners it silly, fun, and physical because sometimes [seining] from P.S. 5 search for birds can be a scary thing for students,” says environmental in northern Manhattan. educator Tess Wenstrup.

It turns out, though, that actually catching a jellyfish, crab, eel, or whatever turns up in the net ignites students’ best instincts.

“First they’re surprised to see a huge fish flopping around and spraying water all over,” says Tess. “But then the students get this determined look when they pick up their fish. They seem to take ownership and are just really proud.”

It’s transformative moments like these that motivate our next generation of environmental leaders. “[Our students] were buzzing about it long after we left and I know it made a huge impression on all of them,” says Rosemary Puckett of BioBus, one of our local nonprofit partners that helps minority, female, and low-income K-12 and college students discover, OUR PROGRAMS explore, and pursue science. “Perhaps [we even GARDEN GROWERS have] some future ecologists and just humans who Planting, Maintenance, Harvesting feel responsible for observing and caring for their ecosystem.” NATURE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD Swindler Cove Habitat Rove, Dig It, Talking Trees, Our River the Giver, Highbridge Hike These kinds of immersive lessons can also be critical since many participating schools don’t have any NATURE IN MY CLASSROOM science teachers and look to organizations like NYRP Botany to fill in the knowledge gap on everything from Life Through the Seasons, Eat Your Leaves!, photosynthesis to climate change. Seed to Plate, Compost: Nature’s Recycler Ecosystems “This work speaks to anyone,” says Director of Interdependence, Habitats for All, Animal Adapt-Ability, Look Up! Educational Programs Nina Salzman. “Seining in Earth Science particular reveals that there’s life in the river that they What on Earth Is Soil?, Wonderful World can see and touch,” she adds. “The experience can of Water, Run Water Run, Our Estuary spark desire to care for the river because it’s not a lost Explained cause–there’s still life there worth fighting for.”

6 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 7 BUILDING URBAN RESILIENCE

In our nearly 25 years of work, NYRP has helped plant hundreds of thousands of trees throughout New York City in partnership with NYC Parks and dozens of community based organizations. In 2019 alone, we organized 22 free tree giveaway events throughout the five boroughs, adding more than 3,000 trees to the urban canopy.

Each tree was one of 17 native species–including pawpaw, bald cypress, witch hazel, and red bud–specifically selected for New York City’s evolving natural environment. These hardy trees are known for their valuable ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, air pollutant removal, and storm water interception. CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: NYRP Assistant Gardener Oliver Martinez (left) works with a volunteer to remove Looking ahead to invasive species as part of our forest restoration work. • 2020 and beyond, Community based organizations gather at Inwood’s Sher- trees remain vital man Creek pop-up park for the season’s opening day. • Ba- to NYRP’s mission ruch College professor Chester Zarnoch’s students sample of bolstering New invertebrates prior to our living shoreline installation. York City’s resil- ience. From refor- estation of Inwood’s Highbridge Park to neighborhood tree distributions on Staten Island’s North Shore, NYRP is com- mitted to working with partners city- wide to combat the climate crisis.

WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT New York’s Our living shoreline work began in 2017 as part of become NYRP’s largest scientific research project opportunity to integrate research into an existing vulnerability as climate change churns: sea levels an effort to protect and expand a small patch of to date. Chester and his classes gather physical, project. What we learn at Sherman Creek will be rise, the heat island effect intensifies, Hurricane salt marsh–the last remaining ecosystem of its kind chemical, and biological data at Swindler Cove, helpful to future living shoreline projects in New York Sandy was just a warm up. But is it possible to in Manhattan. In 2020, Swindler Cove will become bringing in additional funding and technical City and beyond.” imagine an environmentally resilient city that a multifaceted example of what an environmentally expertise to support our work. lessens climate change’s consequences instead of resilient New York waterfront could look like, including A city shoreline isn’t really living, though, unless contributing to or being subject to them? installing an oyster reef, adding more wetland “Empirical research on the ecosystem functioning people are present, too. “Our pop-up park and fall plantings, and making structural improvements. We of these projects lags far behind investment in festival at the site, for example, illustrate how this This is one of the questions we’re investigating with will also begin plans for incorporating this work into their construction,” says Chester. “It’s my belief that kind of soft, accessible environment is also part our living shoreline work at Inwood’s Swindler Cove. our education programs at the site. research projects should be integrated in these of a strong community,” Jason says. “We want to “This site is actively mitigating climate change,” says large-scale restoration projects to learn how to have people at Swindler Cove and Sherman Creek Director of Northern Manhattan Parks Jason Smith. Additionally, we have partnered with Baruch College make them more successful while also achieving Park. Even if we’re not talking about wetlands, the “We expect it to substantially improve the carbon professor Chester Zarnoch and his students to greater ecological and social impacts,” he continues. site is doing its job in terms of building a resilient storage at this location, as well as the water quality.” measure the environmental impact of what has “Our collaboration with NYRP provides a unique neighborhood.”

8 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 9 BUILDING URBAN RESILIENCE

In our nearly 25 years of work, NYRP has helped plant hundreds of thousands of trees throughout New York City in partnership with NYC Parks and dozens of community based organizations. In 2019 alone, we organized 22 free tree giveaway events throughout the five boroughs, adding more than 3,000 trees to the urban canopy.

Each tree was one of 17 native species–including pawpaw, bald cypress, witch hazel, and red bud–specifically selected for New York City’s evolving natural environment. These hardy trees are known for their valuable ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, air pollutant removal, and storm water interception. CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: NYRP Assistant Gardener Oliver Martinez (left) works with a volunteer to remove Looking ahead to invasive species as part of our forest restoration work. • 2020 and beyond, Community based organizations gather at Inwood’s Sher- trees remain vital man Creek pop-up park for the season’s opening day. • Ba- to NYRP’s mission ruch College professor Chester Zarnoch’s students sample of bolstering New invertebrates prior to our living shoreline installation. York City’s resil- ience. From refor- estation of Inwood’s Highbridge Park to neighborhood tree distributions on Staten Island’s North Shore, NYRP is com- mitted to working with partners city- wide to combat the climate crisis.

WE OFTEN HEAR ABOUT New York’s Our living shoreline work began in 2017 as part of become NYRP’s largest scientific research project opportunity to integrate research into an existing vulnerability as climate change churns: sea levels an effort to protect and expand a small patch of to date. Chester and his classes gather physical, project. What we learn at Sherman Creek will be rise, the heat island effect intensifies, Hurricane salt marsh–the last remaining ecosystem of its kind chemical, and biological data at Swindler Cove, helpful to future living shoreline projects in New York Sandy was just a warm up. But is it possible to in Manhattan. In 2020, Swindler Cove will become bringing in additional funding and technical City and beyond.” imagine an environmentally resilient city that a multifaceted example of what an environmentally expertise to support our work. lessens climate change’s consequences instead of resilient New York waterfront could look like, including A city shoreline isn’t really living, though, unless contributing to or being subject to them? installing an oyster reef, adding more wetland “Empirical research on the ecosystem functioning people are present, too. “Our pop-up park and fall plantings, and making structural improvements. We of these projects lags far behind investment in festival at the site, for example, illustrate how this This is one of the questions we’re investigating with will also begin plans for incorporating this work into their construction,” says Chester. “It’s my belief that kind of soft, accessible environment is also part our living shoreline work at Inwood’s Swindler Cove. our education programs at the site. research projects should be integrated in these of a strong community,” Jason says. “We want to “This site is actively mitigating climate change,” says large-scale restoration projects to learn how to have people at Swindler Cove and Sherman Creek Director of Northern Manhattan Parks Jason Smith. Additionally, we have partnered with Baruch College make them more successful while also achieving Park. Even if we’re not talking about wetlands, the “We expect it to substantially improve the carbon professor Chester Zarnoch and his students to greater ecological and social impacts,” he continues. site is doing its job in terms of building a resilient storage at this location, as well as the water quality.” measure the environmental impact of what has “Our collaboration with NYRP provides a unique neighborhood.”

8 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 9 FINANCIALS

2019 Revenue $8,936,457 2019 Expenses $6,996,718

Government Individual Donations Garden & Park Operations Management & $2,723,769 $1,591,236 and Maintenance $3,314,542 Administration $826,925

Special Events (net of expenses) Corporations Community Engagement & Fundraising $1,871,873 $631,346 Programming $1,167,230 $1,128,629 Foundations Other (Earned & Investment Capital Construction $1,685,892 Income) $432,341 $559,392

All figures based on audited financials.

10 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 11 FINANCIALS

2019 Revenue $8,936,457 2019 Expenses $6,996,718

Government Individual Donations Garden & Park Operations Management & $2,723,769 $1,591,236 and Maintenance $3,314,542 Administration $826,925

Special Events (net of expenses) Corporations Community Engagement & Fundraising $1,871,873 $631,346 Programming $1,167,230 $1,128,629 Foundations Other (Earned & Investment Capital Construction $1,685,892 Income) $432,341 $559,392

All figures based on audited financials.

10 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 11 SUPPORTERS FISCAL YEAR 2019 October 1, 2018–September 30, 2019

Foundations HOLLANDER design | Landscape Louis and Anne Abrons Foundation Architects Bloomberg Philanthropies Home Box Office Blooming Prairie Foundation The Home Depot The Diller-von Furstenberg HPS Partners Family Foundation IAC The Ferriday Fund Jamestown LP John and Marcia Goldman L&L MAG Philanthropic Fund Lee & Associates The Horace W. Goldsmith Michael Levitt Productions Inc. Foundation NARS Cosmetics The J.M. Kaplan Fund Nederlander of New York, Inc. The Liebowitz and Greenway Oxford Properties C h a r i t a b l e F a m i l y F o u n d a t i o n Paradigm Talent Agency T h e L o n g h i l l C h a r i t a b l e F o u n d a t i o n Penske Business Mediq LLC Our Founder Bette Midler with her namesake rose the “Divine Miss M” From left to right: Lance Le Pere, Founder Bette Midler, Trustee Michael at NYRP’s Spring Picnic at the New York Botanical Garden. New York State Health Foundation Rockwell Group Kors, and Jane Krakowski on the red carpet at Hulaween 2019. Newman’s Own Foundation RXR Realty The Rudin Foundation S&P Global T h e S h u b e r t O r g a n i z a t i o n Sage Realty Corp. T h e D o r o t h y S t r e l s i n F o u n d a t i o n The Sapir Organization, LLC Tiger Baron Foundation Shiseido Americas Corporation Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Corporations SL Green Management LLC American Express Taconic Investment Partners Antares Capital, L.P. TIAA Atlas Capital Group Tishman Speyer Properties, L.P. Bank of New York Mellon The Travelers Companies, Inc. Bon Jovi Productions, Inc. United Airlines Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center The Walt Disney Company, Inc. Brookfield Properties WarnerMedia Capalino+Company WebMD Health Corp. Home Depot replaces garden beds at the Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson From left to right: Carole Bayer Sager, Bob Daly, and Candice Bergen at Community Garden. CB Richard Ellis Spring Picnic at the New York Botanical Garden. CBRE Foundation, Inc. Chubb Government Columbia Sportswear Dormitory Authority of the State Cravath, Swaine, & Moore of New York Creative Artists Agency New York City Department of Discovery Inc. Design and Construction The Durst Organization New York City Department of EarthShare New York Parks and Recreation Ernst & Young LLP New York City Department EvensonBest LLC of Youth and Community Global Holdings Management Development Group New York State Department of Goldman, Sachs & Co. Environmental Conservation GreenOak Real Estate Advisors LP New York State Environmental Hines Interests LP Protection Fund Bloomberg Philanthropies helps remove invasive species from Trustee Shelly Malkin and her husband Tony Malkin with friends at Highbridge Park. Hulaween 2019.

12 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 13 SUPPORTERS FISCAL YEAR 2019 October 1, 2018–September 30, 2019

Foundations HOLLANDER design | Landscape Louis and Anne Abrons Foundation Architects Bloomberg Philanthropies Home Box Office Blooming Prairie Foundation The Home Depot The Diller-von Furstenberg HPS Partners Family Foundation IAC The Ferriday Fund Jamestown LP John and Marcia Goldman L&L MAG Philanthropic Fund Lee & Associates The Horace W. Goldsmith Michael Levitt Productions Inc. Foundation NARS Cosmetics The J.M. Kaplan Fund Nederlander of New York, Inc. The Liebowitz and Greenway Oxford Properties C h a r i t a b l e F a m i l y F o u n d a t i o n Paradigm Talent Agency T h e L o n g h i l l C h a r i t a b l e F o u n d a t i o n Penske Business Mediq LLC Our Founder Bette Midler with her namesake rose the “Divine Miss M” From left to right: Lance Le Pere, Founder Bette Midler, Trustee Michael at NYRP’s Spring Picnic at the New York Botanical Garden. New York State Health Foundation Rockwell Group Kors, and Jane Krakowski on the red carpet at Hulaween 2019. Newman’s Own Foundation RXR Realty The Rudin Foundation S&P Global T h e S h u b e r t O r g a n i z a t i o n Sage Realty Corp. T h e D o r o t h y S t r e l s i n F o u n d a t i o n The Sapir Organization, LLC Tiger Baron Foundation Shiseido Americas Corporation Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP Corporations SL Green Management LLC American Express Taconic Investment Partners Antares Capital, L.P. TIAA Atlas Capital Group Tishman Speyer Properties, L.P. Bank of New York Mellon The Travelers Companies, Inc. Bon Jovi Productions, Inc. United Airlines Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center The Walt Disney Company, Inc. Brookfield Properties WarnerMedia Capalino+Company WebMD Health Corp. Home Depot replaces garden beds at the Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson From left to right: Carole Bayer Sager, Bob Daly, and Candice Bergen at Community Garden. CB Richard Ellis Spring Picnic at the New York Botanical Garden. CBRE Foundation, Inc. Chubb Government Columbia Sportswear Dormitory Authority of the State Cravath, Swaine, & Moore of New York Creative Artists Agency New York City Department of Discovery Inc. Design and Construction The Durst Organization New York City Department of EarthShare New York Parks and Recreation Ernst & Young LLP New York City Department EvensonBest LLC of Youth and Community Global Holdings Management Development Group New York State Department of Goldman, Sachs & Co. Environmental Conservation GreenOak Real Estate Advisors LP New York State Environmental Hines Interests LP Protection Fund Bloomberg Philanthropies helps remove invasive species from Trustee Shelly Malkin and her husband Tony Malkin with friends at Highbridge Park. Hulaween 2019.

12 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 13 SUPPORTERS LEADERSHIP

Charles Bendit INDIVIDUALS Betty Y. Chen and Peter Coombe $150,000 AND ABOVE Anke Dening-Volcker David Geffen Mica Ertegün Robert Goldberg Michael Kors and Lance Le Pere BOARD OF CHAIRMAN’S Joyce & Irving Goldman Family Foundation Shelly and Tony Malkin TRUSTEES COUNCIL Tim Gunn Bette Midler and Martin von Haselberg The Joseph Handleman “I Believe in You” Benjamin F. and Kathleen C. Needell Trust Foundation Bette Midler Janice Parker Estate of Nancy Rosenthal Elton John Charitable Fund Darcy A. Stacom, CBRE FOUNDER CHAIR Sophie Coquillette Koven Ann Ziff Estate of Liam Lacey Helena Durst Samuel Ashner $100,000 - $149,999 The Ralph & Ricky Lauren Family Foundation, Inc. CO-CHAIR Edith W. MacGuire Pamela S. Baptiste Anonymous The Malkin Fund, Inc. Linda Allard Darcy A. Stacom Charles Bendit Sherri Marton Diane and Clyde CO-CHAIR Elizabeth Peabody Diane Brownstone Todd DeGarmo - STUDIOS Architecture David Hyde Pierce Amy Goldman Fowler and Cary Fowler Vered Rabia Alexandra Cohen Katharine J. Rayner Fred and Nancy Poses Ann R. Roberts PRESIDENT Sophie Coquillette Koven $50,000 - $99,999 Rockwell Group Lily J. Safra Darryl Pardi Douglas Durst Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Paul D. Selver TREASURER Barry C. Diller Richard Gess Bill Shanahan Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones Joshua Sirefman Amy Goldman Fowler Susanne and Douglas Durst Adrian Benepe The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust Jane H. Goldman Tim Gunn Jon Recor and Daniel Stewart Betty Y. Chen Sol Goldman Charitable Trust Linda and Brian Tauscher Marc Heiman Kitty Hawks and Lawrence Lederman Todd DeGarmo Barbara E. Wilks Edmund D. Hollander, FASLA Mychal Johnson Andrea Woodner Edmund D. Hollander Margo M. and James L. Nederlander Bruce Yablon Rob Light Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation Michael Kors Shelly Malkin Margo MacNabb Nederlander $25,000 - $49,999 $5,000 - $9,999 Candice Bergen and Marshall Rose Yoko Ono Lennon Samuel Ashner James L. Nederlander Robert M. Browne Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly Frank Raffaele Peter L. Christensen Benjamin F. Needell Elliot Friman Laurie David Paul D. Selver Scott and Laura Malkin Janice Parker, Ex Officio Peggy & Millard Drexler Foundation Ryan Murphy Barbara E. Wilks Thomas and Mindy Fortin David Rockwell Darryl Pardi The Gluck Family Foundation Andrea Woodner Janice Parker, ASLA Mitchell J. Silver, Ex Officio Joshua Goldfarb Margie Perenchio Marc Jacobs Andrew & Ann Tisch Foundation, Inc. Joshua Sirefman Frank Pellegrino Dan and Sheryl Tishman INTERIM EXECUTIVE Scott Rudin Sophie von Haselberg Linda J. Wachner DIRECTOR Larry A. Silverstein Ann Ziff $10,000 - $24,999 Robert A.M. Stern The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation Jann S. Wenner, Emeritus Catherine Hall Anonymous (2) Margaret and Michael Valentine Lovee and Bob Arum Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation Kim and Pamela Baptiste Bunny Williams Laurence and Carolyn Belfer Family Foundation

14 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 15 SUPPORTERS LEADERSHIP

Charles Bendit INDIVIDUALS Betty Y. Chen and Peter Coombe $150,000 AND ABOVE Anke Dening-Volcker David Geffen Mica Ertegün Robert Goldberg Michael Kors and Lance Le Pere BOARD OF CHAIRMAN’S Joyce & Irving Goldman Family Foundation Shelly and Tony Malkin TRUSTEES COUNCIL Tim Gunn Bette Midler and Martin von Haselberg The Joseph Handleman “I Believe in You” Benjamin F. and Kathleen C. Needell Trust Foundation Bette Midler Janice Parker Estate of Nancy Rosenthal Elton John Charitable Fund Darcy A. Stacom, CBRE FOUNDER CHAIR Sophie Coquillette Koven Ann Ziff Estate of Liam Lacey Helena Durst Samuel Ashner $100,000 - $149,999 The Ralph & Ricky Lauren Family Foundation, Inc. CO-CHAIR Edith W. MacGuire Pamela S. Baptiste Anonymous The Malkin Fund, Inc. Linda Allard Darcy A. Stacom Charles Bendit Sherri Marton Diane and Clyde Brownstone CO-CHAIR Elizabeth Peabody Diane Brownstone Todd DeGarmo - STUDIOS Architecture David Hyde Pierce Amy Goldman Fowler and Cary Fowler Vered Rabia Alexandra Cohen Katharine J. Rayner Fred and Nancy Poses Ann R. Roberts PRESIDENT Sophie Coquillette Koven $50,000 - $99,999 Rockwell Group Lily J. Safra Darryl Pardi Douglas Durst Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation Paul D. Selver TREASURER Barry C. Diller Richard Gess Bill Shanahan Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones Joshua Sirefman Amy Goldman Fowler Susanne and Douglas Durst Adrian Benepe The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust Jane H. Goldman Tim Gunn Jon Recor and Daniel Stewart Betty Y. Chen Sol Goldman Charitable Trust Linda and Brian Tauscher Marc Heiman Kitty Hawks and Lawrence Lederman Todd DeGarmo Barbara E. Wilks Edmund D. Hollander, FASLA Mychal Johnson Andrea Woodner Edmund D. Hollander Margo M. and James L. Nederlander Bruce Yablon Rob Light Elaine P. Wynn & Family Foundation Michael Kors Shelly Malkin Margo MacNabb Nederlander $25,000 - $49,999 $5,000 - $9,999 Candice Bergen and Marshall Rose Yoko Ono Lennon Samuel Ashner James L. Nederlander Robert M. Browne Carole Bayer Sager and Bob Daly Frank Raffaele Peter L. Christensen Benjamin F. Needell Elliot Friman Laurie David Paul D. Selver Scott and Laura Malkin Janice Parker, Ex Officio Peggy & Millard Drexler Foundation Ryan Murphy Barbara E. Wilks Thomas and Mindy Fortin David Rockwell Darryl Pardi The Gluck Family Foundation Andrea Woodner Janice Parker, ASLA Mitchell J. Silver, Ex Officio Joshua Goldfarb Margie Perenchio Marc Jacobs Andrew & Ann Tisch Foundation, Inc. Joshua Sirefman Frank Pellegrino Dan and Sheryl Tishman INTERIM EXECUTIVE Scott Rudin Sophie von Haselberg Linda J. Wachner DIRECTOR Larry A. Silverstein Ann Ziff $10,000 - $24,999 Robert A.M. Stern The Henry and Marilyn Taub Foundation Jann S. Wenner, Emeritus Catherine Hall Anonymous (2) Margaret and Michael Valentine Lovee and Bob Arum Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation Kim and Pamela Baptiste Bunny Williams Laurence and Carolyn Belfer Family Foundation

14 New York Restoration Project nyrp.org 15 A NOTE ABOUT THE COVER: After reading our annual report, we hope you’ll remove the cover and keep the map of our gardens and 7 1 ! parks that’s printed across the inside spread. !

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Esri, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community A NOTE ABOUT THE COVER: After reading our annual report, we hope you’ll remove the cover and keep the map of our gardens and 7 1 ! parks that’s printed across the inside spread. !

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Esri, HERE, DeLorme, MapmyIndia, © OpenStreetMap contributors, and the GIS user community 254 West 31st Street, 10th Floor New York, NY 10001 212.333.2552 nyrp.org [email protected]

Report design by Samarra Khaja

18 New York Restoration Project