Urban Ecology and Native Plant Restoration in the Big Apple

Today I found myself feet from the Bronx River Parkway, knee deep in Japanese knotweed, working to the soundtrack of whizzing traffic and the Metro-North. The only wildlife sighted was a few walkers and bikers who emerged from the trails and seemed about as surprised to see us as we were them.

Bronx River in Bronx forest with a healthy dose of Japanese Knotweed along the bank.

As an environmental studies major and an ecology and botany enthusiast my studies up until this past year have involved old growth forest in rural Western Pennsylvania or field work in areas of Maine with so few residents that the township is given a number rather than a name (imagine having T4R16-WELS as your mailing address). From the jungles of the Amazon forest in Ecuador to the mountains of Vermont I always assumed that ecological fieldwork was limited to sites untouched by humans or sites that had long ago been abandoned by people.

 Tree canopy walk in Amazon Rainforest in Ecuador.

Old white pine plantation near Augusta, ME.

 Yet here I am in the Bronx River Forest, part of a research site with the Natural Resources Group to test the effectiveness of different methods of Knotweed removal.

 Forested areas along the Bronx River. 

While the Bronx Forest is far from the old-growth areas I am accustomed to, this swath of land is a forest ecosystem just the same. It plays a vital role as a wildlife habitat and fish passage, and as a place for urban dwellers to learn about and fall in love with the plants and peace of the forest.

My first encounter with Urban Ecology was at the Woody Plants Conference at Swarthmore College where I heard a speaker, Patrick Cullina, the Vice President of the Friends of the Highline. The theme of Mr. Cullina’s talk was that nature perseveres and that despite our best efforts, eventually nature will take over where we leave off-- what a humbling and encouraging thought! I love thinking that we are not the almighty powerful destroyers of the planet but rather just passing through, a small part of the universe, the planet’s the environment, and over time all traces of our existence will be replaced by the natural succession of the environment. Having heard Mr. Cullina speak I made sure to visit the Highline next chance I got and was blown away by the sheer beauty that a relatively small number of species of rather ordinary plants can achieve.  I was inspired to see that the park was exceptionally well used; at points it was difficult to get through the narrow passages due to the high volume of visitors. This project exemplifies the interaction between people and the environment. It creates a space for people who might not otherwise seek out nature and informs them about natural ecosystems and their value.

 View of grasses and plantings on the Highline.

The Highline is an impressive urban horticulture project in the Meat Packing District of New York City. Historically the highline was an elevated rail line, was built in the 1930s.  In 1999 Friends of the Highline formed to protect the historic structure from threat of demolition. Friends of the Highline work  with the city of New York to preserve and maintain the structure as an elevated, public park. The Highline is an exciting and educational horticultural project. The plantings emphasize the importance of native plants and in many cases mimic natural ecosystems and successional stages. 

And thus began my journey into the urban horticulture/ecological scene in New York City. Inspired by what I learned of this project I did some research on other projects and the people involved with them in NYC. My first contact was Marielle Anzelone, Founder of Drosera. A botanist and conservation biologist, Marielle is responsible for the Native Plant Garden at Union Square and the expanding annual Wildflower Week in NYC. Marielle kindly encouraged me and put me in touch with other ecologists and horticulturalists at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden, the New York Botanical Garden, the New York Restoration Project and al smaller firms such as Alive Structures. These organizations all focus on native plants and ecology in an urban setting.

Suddenly what had seemed like a small niche project in the city had opened my eyes to an ever-widening circle of inspiring people and projects.

I signed on to become a part of this incredible movement by moving into a closet sized apartment on the Upper East Side and beginning a research assistant position with the Natural Resources Group.