Recent Projects

North Park Initiative

This Initiative seeks to address a history of neglect and disinvestment north of 120th Street, which has led to great disparities in amenities, cleanliness, and overall conditions between the Park’s northern and southern tiers. The Conservancy created the North Park Initiative in 2009 to focus additional time, advocacy, and resources on the part of the Park bordering the Morningside Heights and Hamilton Heights neighborhoods from 120th to 155th Streets, as well as the shoreline portion of Fort Washington Park through 181st Street. You can learn more about what we have accomplished so far, and our goals for the future, here.

Native Bee House Project

Thanks to the leadership of Conservancy Gardeners, the Conservancy is working in partnership with the Bee Conservancy to install special “houses” for native bees in Riverside Park. In the fall of 2021 the Conservancy placed bee houses in Riverside Park South and in the pollinator meadow at 119th Street, in order to provide safe shelter for native bee populations like Mason bees, Carpenter bees, Leaf-cutter bees, and Bumble bees. The houses offer a space for bees to lay eggs and to weather the hibernation season, which can help to increase the populations in coming years.

Pollinator Place Gardens

In 2021, Riverside Park Conservancy became one of the first NYC Parks partner organizations to launch an initiative to repurpose pieces of parkland throughout the city into “Pollinator Place” gardens. Pollinator Place gardens are designed to plant underutilized — or ecologically compromised — spaces with mostly native species that provide ecosystem benefits for a variety of birds and insects, and, of course, a beautiful garden for people to appreciate!

Riverside Repairs

The Conservancy raises money to deliver fixes like staircase and ramp repairs, monument restoration, and pathway paving. You can see the fixes we have completed so far -and even propose your own improvement project – here.

Advocacy

Riverside Park Conservancy actively advocates with elected officials for more city investment into Riverside Park’s infrastructure, and as a result of our work, we have successfully secured hundreds of millions for large-scale repairs in the Park.

We are also part of the New Yorkers for Parks Play Fair Coalition, which pushes for more investment in the Parks Department to ensure that parks around the City have the resources and staff that they need.