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TESTIMONY

Tami Lin-Moges, Interim Director of the Nature Conservancy's New York City Program, on Increasing Funding for NYC Parks and the Urban Forest Plan

7:54:56

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127 sec

Lin-Moges calls for increasing the NYC Parks budget to 1% of the total city budget and fully funding the urban forest plan.

She represents the Nature Conservancy, the world's largest conservation organization with over 35,000 members in NYC.
The Nature Conservancy convenes the Forest for All NYC coalition of nearly 140 organizations.
She commends past commitments to parks and urban forests but says the latest budget cuts parks funding by $55 million despite growing the overall city budget.
Lin-Moges urges restoring parks staffing to pre-COVID levels and funding the mayor's office to develop the legally mandated NYC urban forest plan by 2025.

Tami Lin-Moges

7:54:56

Hi.

7:54:56

Thank you so much.

7:54:57

My name is Tandy Lynn Mocus, and I'm the depate I am the Interim Director of the Nature Conservancy's New York City Program.

7:55:03

The Nature conservancy is the World's largest conservation organization, and we have over 35,000 members in New York City.

7:55:10

The Nature conservancy in New York is a member of the play for a coalition, and we're also the convener of the force for all NYC coalition.

7:55:17

That is made up of nearly a 140 organizational members, many of whom are also providing testimony today.

7:55:23

I hear your express support for growing the New York State Parks budget to 1% of the total state budget and to commit full funding for the urban forest.

7:55:31

Thank you to finance manager, Brandon, Prime's manager, Krishnan, and members of both committees for the opportunity to speak about these issues.

7:55:38

And thank you to the cheers for your efforts to restore customer parts budget.

7:55:42

I'll also submit a longer written testimony.

7:55:45

So far, we commend the city's previous commitments to parks under urban force, including

Hayley Gorenberg

7:55:49

the mayor's pledge to increase

Tami Lin-Moges

7:55:50

New York City Parks' budget to 1% of the total city budget and in PlanoIC's commitment to reaching 30% canopy over city wide.

7:55:58

We also plot the unanimous council passage of 2 Asburg Mills last fall, including local law 148 that mandated the city's first urban forest plan.

7:56:07

However, the latest budget is not in line with these commitments.

7:56:10

Worse and shockingly, the latest budget shows the overall city budget growing by $4,500,000 from to last year and yet the parts budget is being slashed by $55,000,000.

7:56:21

To support the care and growth of the urban forests as well as clean, safe, and accessible parts, The near today parts need sufficient and baseline funding for capital and operations expenses.

7:56:31

This includes adding the hiring freeze now and restoring staffing to pre COVID levels.

7:56:36

Furthermore, to ensure the requirements of local law 148 are on track, we strongly encourage committing funding for the mayor's office of climate and environmental justice as the lead agency to develop a long term New York City urban forest plan by its legally mandated due date of July 2025.

7:56:52

The Nature conservancy is proud to join with 100 of diverse organizations from hospice city to call for 1% for parks and

Christopher Marte

7:56:59

Times expired.

7:57:00

Thank you.

Tami Lin-Moges

7:57:01

Thank you so much for the vote cares.

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Rafael Espinal, Board Member of the Forest Park Trust, on Advocating for Prevention of NYC Parks Budget Cuts and Job Losses

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Kate Wimsatt, Director of Zero Waste Schools at GrowNYC, on the Elimination of Funding for GrowNYC's Zero Waste Schools Program