Two years ago, this blog asked, Is Fort Greene Park at Risk of Being Washington ‘Squared’ With Proposed Redesign? – and it appears so.
Friends of Fort Greene Park and other community members return to court in Manhattan on Thursday, August 22nd to try to save their park. They are asking for community support to push the New York City Parks Dept to perform an environmental review – a simple request, no? – with regards to the agency’s changes proposed for Brooklyn’s Fort Greene Park, which include the cutting down of 58 trees in the Northwest area of the park, 83 trees throughout the entire park, as well as placing a 43-foot cement plaza in the park, removing existing grassy mounds that help absorb carbon.
According to the return from FOIL (Freedom of Information Letter) requests:
“There have been no environmental studies on any environmental issues including: effects on asthma, carbon sequestration, bird populations and bird flyways, pollinators of any kind, heat island index, water run off, increase in noise and light, the frying pan effect without trees for cover.”
Apparently, the NYC Parks Department is claiming it does not need to do any environmental studies.
As we’ve been chronicling at Washington Square Park Blog (more to come on this), trees seem to be last on the agenda with the current city Parks Department when capital construction changes move in. This needs to be changed immediately. The existence of older, mature trees – and what they offer – matters.
Come to court to support the community effort at Fort Greene Park on Thursday, August 22nd, 9:15 a.m. at 80 Centre Street, between Worth Street and Leonard Street, Part 62, Room 122, Manhattan.
Previously at Washington Square Park Blog:
Is Fort Greene Park at Risk of Being Washington ‘Squared’ With Proposed Redesign? (2017)
Website: Friends of Fort Greene Park