Natural Areas Conservancy

Fall bird migration is in full swing in New York City! NAC staff members (and resident bird experts), Sam Lawson and Emily Louise Walker are on the case. 🐤🦅🦆 For our latest blog post, we’ve consulted them for their city birdwatching tips. They share which natural areas are best for observations and what species you may find this season through your binoculars. Learn all you need to know: https://bit.ly/3YeuvFL

The Ecological Assessment 2.0 would not be complete without data from NYC's freshwater wetlands! We visited Wolfe's Pond Park with the wetlands team from NYC Department of Parks & Recreation; Wetlands Project Coordinator, Galen Oettel, and Wetlands Restoration Specialist, Desiree Yanes. They have been piloting an assessment protocol over the past several months, and will be launching the full assessment next year. Once field collection and desktop analyses are complete, the goal is to evaluate the condition and function of freshwater wetlands, looking at factors like wetland hydrology, vegetation composition, structure, and floristic quality. Ultimately, the assessment will inform future management of these vital natural areas. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3yoo35W

We're thrilled to share that ticket sales from The Macallan event last week brought in over $60,000! These donated proceeds will go directly to supporting the NAC's work preserving and caring for urban natural areas. A big thank you to The Macallan for their continued support! 

Have you ever wished that the streets in your neighborhood had more trees? Or if the playground in your local schoolyard could get updated? Or maybe your park's drinking fountains need an upgrade, or you've been wishing your community garden had an irrigation system. As a NYC resident you can influence where to allocate your Council Member's funds! Through a process called Participatory Budgeting, residents can submit ideas, and ultimately vote on which receive part of their district's capital discretionary funds. #PBNYC idea collection season has begun, and we want to help you leverage this opportunity to benefit the nature and forest projects you’re passionate about for your community. Join #ForestForAllNYC on October 18th at 11 am for a webinar to hear more about this process from Senior Manager of External Affairs, Emily Louise Walker and other community #UrbanForest advocates: https://bit.ly/3Npac3p

Our favorite weekend of the year is approaching—Open House New York begins this Friday! We're getting in on the fun, and will be hosting a tour of the Preserve Trail in Cunningham Park, Queens. If meandering through a beautiful forest full of native Oaks, Hickories, Tulip trees, Cherry trees and vernal ponds sounds like your thing... join us! Get your tickets: https://bit.ly/4eFeYFE

Thank you The New York Community Trust for including us in your centennial celebration last Tuesday! Executive Director Sarah Charlop-Powers joined a group of panelists to discuss the impact of climate change on coastal communities, and how we can advocate for innovative solutions. Join us for future events and discussions like this one! Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop: bit.ly/NAC-news

Find some solace in the forest this morning with another #Ethnobotany episode. Trails Program Manager, Josh Otero, explains some of the traditional uses of the sweet birch. If you have an interest in forest ecology or just want to get outdoors and breathe some fresh air—join us on one of our upcoming nature walks: https://lnkd.in/eXdY8RcM

If you find yourself near Madison Square Park, look out for The Macallan's art installation "Conservation Through Time: Space," which illustrates its deep-rooted connection to nature through its 200 year legacy. This week, The Macallan is hosting an immersive event which allows attendees to travel through the past, present and future in an experiential journey celebrating 2 centuries of mastery, craftsmanship, and innovation. As part of The Macallan’s commitment to protecting nature, ticket proceeds will be generously donated to the Natural Areas Conservancy. Purchase your tickets: https://bit.ly/4dAW55v

It was a privilege to have our Executive Director, Sarah Charlop-Powers at the The New York Times Climate Forward Summit last month during Climate Week! Meeting other environmental changemakers and exploring how we can address the climate crisis in creative ways was inspiring. Here's to future collaborations! 📸 Photo credit: Benjamin Norman

Tomorrow!❗Join our Executive Director Sarah Charlop-Powers at The New York Community Trust panel, "Towards Resilience: Climate Change & Coastal Communities." This event will be held at The Noble Maritime Collection in Staten Island as part of NYCT's Centennial Celebration. Doors open @ 5:30 pm on Tuesday, October 8. Reserve your spot: https://bit.ly/3XW3CpV #TheNewYorkCommunityTrust #TheTrust #ForTheEnvironmentForever #ClimateChange #CoastalCommunities #StatenIsland