Natural Areas Conservancy: Climate Week NYC

Tuesday, September 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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COVID-19. Racial injustice. Climate change. Parks and open spaces have often served as a haven for New Yorkers in good and in challenging times. They provide a safe and inclusive space to experience nature and come together as a community in celebration and in protest — all while cleaning our air and improving our environment.

As New York City works to become a more equitable city in the face of these growing challenges, what role do our parks and natural resources play in achieving that goal? Whether they’re mitigating the urban heat island effect or simply providing safe and inclusive spaces to experience nature, our city’s parks need investment by our government, as well as community support, funding, and advocacy to be beneficial for all New Yorkers.

Join the Natural Areas Conservancy, Prospect Park Alliance, and WE ACT for Environmental Justice on Tuesday, September 22, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. for a virtual panel discussion as we share how our organizations are employing a wide range of strategies and solutions to advance equity and accessibility in New York City’s parks.

This event is limited to 100 spots. If you’re unable to access the Zoom webinar on event day, visit our Facebook page to watch it streamed live during the broadcast.

Thursday, September 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

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Celebrate Climate Week NYC with us as we host a virtual event that explores the findings of the NAC’s recent analysis of carbon storage and sequestration in NYC’s forests and highlights how our organization is advancing climate adaptation and forest management in New York City.

New York City is home to over 7,000 acres of ecologically diverse, native forest — a vast natural resource that plays a large role in how the city adapts to challenges presented by climate change. When we think about carbon, the value of rural forests in mitigating climate change and offsetting emissions is well understood. However, in urban settings, the contribution of forests in capturing and storing carbon is not well quantified.

In 2019, the NAC used extensive forest assessment data to calculate the amount of carbon sequestered and stored in New York City’s forested natural areas. We completed this study to better understand the value of this resource in mitigating climate change and to evaluate the role of restoration and management in influencing carbon capture. Spoiler alert: New York City’s urban forests have a lot of potential to be part of the climate solution.

This event is limited to 100 spots. If you’re unable to access the Zoom webinar on event day, visit our Facebook page to watch it streamed live during the broadcast. This event was made possible through support to the Natural Areas Conservancy from Con Edison.

Thursday, September 24 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

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Celebrate Climate Week NYC and learn how climate change has affected Prospect Park and other natural areas in New York City and the projections for the future, including how Prospect Park Alliance and the Natural Areas Conservancy are using the best available science to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and preserve our urban forests.

Hear from Prospect Park Alliance forest ecologist Howard Goldstein and the Natural Areas Conservancy’s Justin Bowers, program manager for Natural Areas Restoration and the creator of Forest Identification and Restoration Selection Tool (FIRST), which helps forest restoration practitioners manage for and adapt to geographic and climate conditions.