I founded the New York Restoration Project (NYRP) in 1995 as a non-profit organization dedicated to reclaiming and restoring New York City parks, community gardens and open space. In partnership with the City of New York, NYRP is also leading MillionTreesNYC – an initiative to plant and care for one million new trees throughout New York City’s five boroughs by 2017.
NYRP has achieved dramatic results by investing in the greening and beautification of underserved communities throughout New York City.
Working in partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, NYRP staff, AmeriCorps members, and community and corporate volunteers have planted hundreds of thousands of trees, shrubs and flowers to support the restoration of public parks and community gardens; restored and help maintain six New York City parks; and removed more than 2,000 tons of garbage from the City’s green spaces. In 1999, NYRP saved 114 community gardens from commercial development and established the New York Garden Trust to ensure NYRP’s precious plots of land remain public gardens in perpetuity.