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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Victoria Dearborn, Representative of The Nature Conservancy
2:55:28
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Victoria Dearborn, representing The Nature Conservancy, advocates for fully restoring, baselining, and expanding the NYC parks budget, particularly for urban forestry. She emphasizes the importance of trees and parks for the health, safety, and livability of New York City, and calls for specific actions to support the urban forest and parks staff.
- Requests funding for baseline parks and recreation forestry staff positions
- Calls for funding the implementation of the citywide urban forest plan and updated lidar data
- Urges full restoration and baselining of over 700 park staff positions and tree programs cut in recent years
Victoria Dearborn
2:55:28
Always a tough act to follow.
2:55:31
Good afternoon.
2:55:32
My name is Victoria Dearborn.
2:55:33
I'm here today representing Tami Lynn Moges who is the director of the Nature Conservative Cities Program in New York.
2:55:39
Thank you Chair Krishnan for allowing us the opportunity to speak about the need to fund parks and in particular the New York City urban forest.
2:55:45
I'll be brief today but have submitted longer written testimony.
2:55:48
The Nature Conservancy is the world's largest conservation organization.
2:55:51
We have 90,000 members across New York State, thirty five thousand of whom are in New York City and we also convened the Forest for All NYC coalition which is now a coalition of over a 70 organizations and we are also a proud member of the Playfair coalition.
2:56:04
I'm here today to express support for fully restoring, baselining, and expanding the park's budget, particularly for urban forestry.
2:56:13
Tree canopy, vegetation cover, and green space are crucial for the health and safety and livability of New York City.
2:56:19
Trees and parks cool neighborhoods, clean air and improve our quality of life.
2:56:23
Our urban forest and its care directly impacts the well-being of New Yorkers.
2:56:27
I commend council as well as the administration for establishing a goal of 30% tree canopy cover citywide to address extreme heat both through commitments in plan y c and also codified in local law one hundred forty eight of twenty twenty three.
2:56:40
Unfortunately, the continued budget cuts critically threatened our urban forest.
2:56:45
I'm asking council and the mayor to fund baseline, the parks and recreation forestry staff positions as well as fund the implementation of the first ever citywide urban forest plan by the mayor's office, fund updated citywide lidar data to monitor the urban forest and fully fund the 20 20 five street tree census.
2:57:05
Additionally, I call for a full restoration and baselining of the 700 plus other park staff positions and tree programs that were cut in the past few years.
2:57:12
Parks workers perform critical services and they're necessary for the public safety, workforce development, community health and wellness and climate resilience goals of our city.
2:57:21
Thank you again committee chair Krishnan and members of the parks committee for considering our request for DPR's urban forest budget.
2:57:27
It needs to be fully restored and protected, and I ask that you help us in that fight.
2:57:31
Thank you so much.