Sustainable Parks

Proud to be known as “New York City’s Greenest,” Parks and the people that make up this agency are leading New York City in its effort to be more sustainable. The Sustainable Parks section of our website shows what Parks is doing to reduce its carbon footprint across the five boroughs. You can view our agency’s key green accomplishments and see how we continue to plan, manage, and grow the City’s green spaces in an eco-friendly way.

Browse through the agency’s inaugural Sustainable Parks Plan (PDF) to learn more about how Parks plans to build on these accomplishments in the future and reinforce sustainable practices throughout the agency’s culture. The Plan is a starting point for grouping sustainable practices within Parks into a more cohesive framework so we can measure and track progress over time. This document will be updated regularly. For more information on sustainability initiatives at Parks, email sustainableparks@parks.nyc.gov.

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is a commitment to social, economic and environmental factors that promote long-term survival, a capacity to endure and a sustained quality of life. Most important, it means to think about the impact our actions have on the environment, on the economy and on future generations. At Parks, sustainability provides the lens for addressing many of the agency’s most pressing challenges.

Sustainability at Parks means:

• Designing capital projects using long-lasting materials and plants that are easy to maintain.
• Conserving and restoring natural areas to protect biodiversity.
• Reducing carbon emissions by making our fleet and buildings more energy efficient.
• Reducing the impacts of climate change by ensuring our parks can withstand flooding and capture stormwater.
• Engaging New Yorkers in the stewardship and care of their parks.

We hope the features in this section will inspire you to get involved in this important movement.  To make New York City the greenest it can be, we need everyone to pitch in. Together, let's prove we're able to be sustainable.