Beyond Central Park: The Green New York of Urban Gardens and Public Parks
Madrid, May 13 (EFE).- Beyond Central Park, New York's iconic green lung, the city of skyscrapers has reinvented itself in recent years to become a more sustainable metropolis, through innovative projects and an urban transformation that puts greenery at its center.
In 2019, the city approved one of its most ambitious environmental plans yet, “OneNYC 2050,” a roadmap to “address the climate crisis, achieve equity, and futureproof the city in the face of current and future challenges,” according to the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice, which oversees this area.
This commitment is also reflected in the 2024 Cities in Motion Index (ICIM) ranking, in which New York ranked highly as a sustainable city, evaluating indicators such as the environment, urban planning, and quality of life.
Converting a railway track into a raised garden
If you're thinking of visiting this vibrant metropolis and discovering its more sustainable side, in the heart of Manhattan, less than 20 miles from John F. Kennedy International Airport, which serves flights to Madrid, New York , and other destinations, the High Line is a 2-kilometer-long elevated green corridor built on an abandoned railway structure that integrates vegetation and art. Inaugurated in 2009, it is a symbol of the sustainable reuse of urban space: more than 500 plant species and 1,340 trees coexist in its 15 garden areas.
This “urban oasis,” as New York City Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue called it on the occasion of its 15th anniversary, is a “pioneering” example of how disused infrastructure can be reinvented as a green public space and “demonstrates what happens when we prioritize vital infrastructure” in cities.
Just a few meters from this structure, on the banks of the Hudson River, lies Hudson River Park, occupying more than 6 kilometers of what were once docks used for maritime industrial purposes. Since the late 1990s, this park has been key to the ecological restoration of the area, offering not only leisure and cultural opportunities but also environmental education and marine conservation programs.
The marine ecosystem surrounding the park is home to up to 85 species of fish—including seahorses and eels—according to its management entity. In addition to being a refuge for aquatic fauna, it functions as an important migratory corridor for birds. The influence of the tides generates a mixture of fresh and salt water that enriches this urban environment, creating a dynamic, highly nutritious habitat with great biodiversity.
A floating island with 350 plant species
Just steps from Hudson River Park, on Pier 54, stands Little Island, a floating park supported by 132 tulip-shaped columns. Home to more than 350 plant species and a 700-seat amphitheater, this space was conceived as an "imaginative and ambitious" place where New Yorkers could "receive the stimulation of the city into a bucolic place of strolling and entertainment," as described by its developer, entrepreneur Barry Diller.
Beyond the New York skyline, Governors Island represents another model of urban sustainability: with no cars or permanent residents, this island south of Manhattan is home to innovative projects such as the "Zero Waste Island" program, which promotes waste disposal through composting, and the "Billion Oyster Project," an initiative to restore New York's reefs. In 2029, it will also be home to the New York Climate Exchange, an international research center for climate solutions.
Urban gardens many meters above the ground
Outside of Manhattan, Brooklyn has become the epicenter of urban agriculture, where urban gardens and community gardens have proliferated.
An example of this is the world's largest urban rooftop garden, managed by Brooklyn Grange. According to data provided by this company, the nearly 2 hectares spread across the rooftops of two buildings produce more than 36,000 kg of organic vegetables annually. Nearly 60% of its production is distributed to New Yorkers at affordable prices through its Equitable Distribution Program.
But the urban garden network goes much further: the municipal GreenThumb Gardens initiative supports more than 550 community spaces throughout the city, promoting self-sufficiency and environmental education and providing tools to maintain these spaces. Along these same lines, projects like Red Hook Farms, which focuses on youth and food justice, have transformed spaces like a former baseball diamond into productive farms, such as Columbia Street Farm, which produces more than 7,000 kilos of fruits and vegetables per year. Ultimately, all these examples demonstrate that urban growth and sustainability can go hand in hand, and that tourists who fly to New York can explore and discover for themselves. EFE
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