Urban Forests in Our Midst

Did you know that there are 108 acres of open spaces hidden behind rowhouses on the Upper West Side alone? That is 13% the size of Central Park! These backyard open spaces convey a range of environmental benefits to the entire City—and yet these benefits are overlooked by the architects of public policy for NYC, environmentalists, building owners and tenants alike. This project will have significant implications for the entire City given the many neighborhoods in all five boroughs characterized by significant numbers of rowhouses with adjoining backyards.

CISC and Landmarks West! have teamed up to work on a project identifying the benefits of private green space in NYC. Much research and advocacy has gone into assessing the environmental benefits of public green space, but relatively little work has been done to promote best practices amongst private owners. This project seeks to create original research about the potential benefits as well as outreach materials to educate urbanites with green space on their property.

LandmarkWests!’s Evan Mason and Dr. Bill Solecki from CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities sat down with Brian Lehrer to talk about our environmental project “Urban Forests in Our Midst.” You can listen to the program here: