Q&A
Discussion on invasive species regulations in NYC
1:24:16
·
3 min
Council Member Jim Gennaro raises concerns about the lack of invasive species regulations in New York City, comparing it to surrounding jurisdictions that have implemented bans. The Parks Department representative is not fully aware of the current regulatory landscape regarding commercial or home use of invasive species.
- Gennaro highlights the need for regulations to prevent the sale and planting of invasive species
- The Parks Department has a Natural Resource Group that manages reforestation and natural area management
- Gennaro requests further investigation into the current status of invasive species regulations in NYC
Jim Gennaro
1:24:16
on that point, you know, back in my first tenure in the council, from 2,002 to 2013, I was banging my head against the wall to try to get an invasive species law passed in New York City, and we're surrounded by jurisdictions that have an invasive species ban, meaning that you can't go to the to to the local garden center and purchase them and plant them, and you can't contract with your landscape, or even if the landscape is located outside of New York City.
1:24:50
So Nassau County, Suffolk County, Westchester, New Jersey, they all have them.
1:24:56
But, but we didn't have any, but we didn't have that and we were told that, that the state was going to act or whatever, and that was going to, you know, create, like, a legal framework.
1:25:11
Did that ever happen regarding invasive species?
1:25:14
Right now, can I go to the local, you know, gardening center and buy a plant that and and of course, the list has to be updated from time to time?
1:25:24
I know The Nature Conservancy and other organizations help with that.
1:25:27
Ordinarily, there's, like, a panel that comes together and figures out, like, the new list of, invasive species, because more and more are constantly showing up.
1:25:37
Do we have that in New York City now, or do I have to, like, try to do that again?
Matt Drury
1:25:41
It's a good question.
1:25:41
I have to admit, I'm I'm not familiar with the regulatory landscape regarding, like, commercial or home use of of access to to species of that nature, like, at nurseries or what have you.
Jim Gennaro
1:25:50
My point is, and all these other jurisdictions around us have wised up to the point where they say, look, if we're breaking our back, you know, having DEC send in goats, you know, to to go eat, you know, invasive species, that's not a joke.
1:26:06
It it it happens.
1:26:07
Like, they send goats and they eat them.
1:26:10
I think we can do better than goats.
1:26:11
Like, you shouldn't be able to go down to the corner, you know, garden center and buy something that is invasive.
1:26:19
And, so I tell so that's another topic for Natasha.
1:26:24
If you can just see where we are on that, on, like, the legal landscape or whether or not I have to re up my efforts to try to because back in the day, the Parks Department just told me no, like, we're not doing it.
1:26:36
And I I couldn't get the counsel back in those days, just to do it over the Parks Department's objection.
1:26:44
And so, but we will look into that.
1:26:47
We'll come back more for but I but, to to look at, invasive species, but I interrupted you, so please continue.
Matt Drury
1:26:55
No.
1:26:55
No.
1:26:55
Just, but the broader point in terms of managing the property that is under our jurisdiction, these natural areas, you know, working closely with a lot of other agencies and in terms of the monitoring that happens during drought conditions, you know, watch or warning, you know, obviously, you know, you know, watch or warning, you know, obviously, you know, the agency, you know, implementing a variety of strategies to, you know, to make sure that we are monitoring and protecting our our natural areas as as best as possible.
Jim Gennaro
1:27:17
Yeah.
1:27:17
And if, you know, if you wanted to take out a bunch of phragmatties, you know, it's just like this stuff is everywhere, and and so how would that even happen?
1:27:26
Like, who comes out and does it?
1:27:27
I mean Yeah.
Matt Drury
1:27:28
So our so our our natural so we have a natural resource group that plans and executes, sort of what you might call either reforestation or management efforts of that sort in natural areas throughout our system.
