Owl's Head Park

NYC PARKS CELEBRATES EARTH AND ARBOR DAYS WITH TOURS, VOLUNTEER EVENTS, AND MORE

For this year’s Earth Day (April 22) and Arbor Day (April 29), NYC Parks is celebrating New York City’s greenspaces with a focus on sustainability and ensuring a green future. Throughout the five boroughs, Parks is offering a wide range of activities where New Yorkers can get involved and enjoy time outdoors – including workshops, tree plantings, and fun nature-themed activities for the whole family!

“Our parks and trees are the lungs of the city, and Earth Day and Arbor Day remind us that it’s important to preserve, restore, and care for them. At Parks, we are committed to doing our part in greening the planet for current and future generations,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “This year, we encourage all New Yorkers to connect with nature, volunteer to plant a tree, or simply step into a park and take a deep breath of appreciation for the natural world around us.”

This year marks the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day, and the theme for Earth Day 2022 is “Invest in Our Planet,” which emphasizes taking action on climate. To help fight climate change in New York City, Parks has some simple steps New Yorkers can take to reduce pollution, help pollinators, and more here.

Highlighted events and activities include:

Cunningham Park Tree Planting – Cunningham Park, Queens
Friday, April 22 | 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Volunteer with the NYC Parks Stewardship Team to plant trees in the forest of Cunningham Park! Trees provide so many benefits to New Yorkers, such as improved air and water quality, reduced pollution, and lower energy costs.

Kids Week: Earth Day Celebration Hike – Inwood Hill Park, Manhattan
Friday, April 22 | 1–2 p.m.
Even when school's out, our parks are still the city's natural classroom! Celebrate Earth Day with the Urban Park Rangers on a fun-filled hike dedicated to nature and the earth.

Earth Day Ecology Hike – Owl's Head Park, Brooklyn
Saturday, April 23 | 1–2 p.m.
Celebrate Earth Week with the Urban Park Rangers as we explore living nature in this local neighborhood park.

Arbor Day Tree Planting – Conference House Park, Staten Island
Friday, April 29 | 1–2 p.m.
Celebrate the importance of trees in our world with the planting of a new tree in the park. The benefits of trees are numerous and invaluable to our environment and our collective health and well-being.

City Nature Challenge: Arbor Day Tree ID – Crotona Park, Bronx
Saturday, April 30 | 1–2 p.m.
Join the Rangers as they walk the park to observe and collect tree data for the City Nature Challenge, a friendly competition taking place April 29-May 1 between cities around the world to see which is most biodiverse. Participants are encouraged to download the iNaturalist app to collect data.

In addition to these events, the Alliance for Flushing Meadows Corona Park has a week full of volunteer events planned to beautify the iconic Queens park – including a Meadow Lake Rain Garden Planting event on April 20; Birding at the Boathouse on April 21; and Flushing Bay Shoreline Cleanup on April 23. Register and learn more about their planned volunteer events on the Alliance's website.

For a complete list of upcoming events for Earth and Arbor Days, visit Parks’ Earth Day and Arbor Day page.

Learn more about the history of Earth and Arbor Days in New York City here.