NYC Nonprofit Stewards 52 Community Gardens Across All Five Boroughs
New York Restoration Project (NYRP) manages 52 community gardens, cares for 80 acres of parkland, and helped plant over 1 million trees throughout all five boroughs in New York City.
By Sara Bond
Foodtank
Aug 11, 2021
Excerpt:
The Riley-Levin Children’s Garden at Sherman Creek Park in New York City is providing public green space, training, and resources to help foster a deeper relationship between youth and local food systems.
“This garden was built for the sole purpose of education,” says Edwards Santos, the park manager. Riley-Levin’s 16 planting beds full of tomatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, and chard are tended to by community organizations and school groups from the nearby elementary school.
The garden is stewarded by New York Restoration Project (NYRP). NYRP manages 52 community gardens, cares for 80 acres of parkland, and helped plant over 1 million trees throughout all five boroughs in New York City. Founded in 1995 by actress Bette Midler, NYRP is New York City’s largest private land trust.
Currently, just 16 percent of New York City’s land and 0.6 percent of its budget is used for parks and recreation. New Yorkers for Parks found only 0.2 acres of active open space per 1,000 residents in Riley-Levin’s East Harlem neighborhood.
