Touring New York City's ecosystem - 7th Annual Urban Forest Conference

American Forests, March-April, 1995 by Gerard A. Lordahl

Imagine a lush, deciduous forest where New York City now stands. Today, most of that original woodland is gone, but what remains is remarkably diverse and treasured by New Yorkers. Many of the city's panoramic views are found nestled among the 8,000 acres of forests, meadows, and marshes managed by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. Of the 42 larger parks within the five boroughs, 29 are forested.

New York City's forests are a barometer of extreme conditions, which makes it a perfect place to explore the diversity of an urban ecosystem. From September 12-16, 1995, an estimated 1,500 people will come to Times Square, New York, to participate in the Seventh National Urban Forest Conference. "Inside Urban Ecosystems," the theme of the event, will focus on urban communities as a constantly changing system made up of infrastructure, people, plants, and animals, all affecting and interdependent on one another.

Conference participants can tour New York City's forests and wooded communities, focusing on projects that "touch the land" and make an immediate impact on people. The city offers innovative programs that reconnect the fragmented urban ecosystem - bringing people and the environment together.

Tour highlights include:

Central Park: Frederick Law Olmsted's famous design is home to migrating warblers, downy woodpeckers, and catbirds. Stroll through the North Park on a guided tour where little has changed since Olmsted's time.

Wave Hill: This 28-acre historical park, home of the Morris mansion, overlooks the Hudson River and features the Forest Project, where Bronx High School students and other volunteers are restoring disturbed woodlands.

Inwood Hill Park: Located at the northern tip of Manhattan, the forest features the last salt marsh in the borough and stands of red oak and tulip trees on its steep, rocky slopes.

Prospect Park: This 150-acre woodland, created in 1866, is undergoing a 25-year forest-restoration project using a state-of-the-art, computerized tree-inventory system. Located in Brooklyn, the park is celebrated for its Olmsted and Vaux design of sweeping landscapes and picturesque waterways. After the tour, a visit to the nearby Magnolia Tree Earth Center in Bedford-Stuyvesant will be offered.

For those who want to do more exploring, educational self-guided walking and bicycling tours will be offered. Join us in September and explore New York's urban ecosystem in action.

The conference will be held at the Marriott Marquis, Times Square, New York, New York. Registration begins on March 15. Mail-in forms will be in the May/June issue. Call AMERICAN FORESTS at 202/667-3300 for information on registration and exhibit space.

Gerard A. Lordahl is director of the Open Space Greening Program of the Council on the Environment of New York City.