Exploring the Nature of New York

Sustaining The Nature of New York
A new course is offered this spring at CUNY Institute for Virtual Enterprise. [more]

Cleaner waters
Hudson River Foundation issues report showing that health of New York Harbor has improved. [more]

Real-time monitoring
Stevens Institute of Technology launches New York City's first marine observatory. [more]

Deep Urban Nature
Explore some of New York City's best nature preserves with the Parks Department. [more]

The latest Buzz? Rooftop Honey
Wild Honey Bees roam the Cityscape in search of flowers to pollinate. [more]

A Cooler New York
Learn how green roofs can bring temperatures down and improve water quality. [more]

The Nature of New York: Ecology’s Last Frontier

New York City is the ultimate city, the ultimate urban environment. Unbeknownst to many, its plethora of wildlife and remaining natural areas are integral parts of the city’s greater urban ecology. New York is alive with wild birds, wildflowers and insects, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, aquatic life and more; surviving either in small pockets of wilderness or by adapting to everyday urban life.

Of equal importance is New York City’s ecological footprint; its profound, far-reaching impact on the global environment. Alaska, the Amazon, the deserts of Africa, the planet’s climate… Ultimately all of these physical and natural environments on earth are in some way connected to – and affected by - New York’s dynamic “pulse” and partial control of the world’s natural resources.

It has become increasingly apparent that a better understanding of complex urban ecosystems is vital to achieving a more sustainable future everywhere on the planet. For these reasons, urban environments such as New York City have been called ecology's last frontier.