4 days Ago By Elise Hadley
In a recent push to green-up the Bronx, Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson has been vocal about the need for increased funding for tree planting and maintenance of green spaces. In a statement obtained by CBS News, Gibson pointed out the importance of these initiatives for mitigating health risks such as heat-related incidents, which she says are an issue of environmental injustice.
Efforts to expand the tree canopy, especially in areas like the South Bronx where shade is sparse, are seen as critical steps towards improving the overall well-being of residents.Not just a single day's effort, these initiatives were emphasized ahead of Arbor Day, with Gibson and environmental advocates highlighting the disparities in tree coverage throughout the borough's community districts. According to Bronx Times, specific areas like Community Board 2 struggle with a meager 8% urban tree canopy — starkly contrasting the citywide average of 22%.
The low coverage contributes to higher rates of asthma and heat-related deaths, making the drive to plant more trees also a pressing public health matter.Investment in NYC Parks is one of the principal demands coming from this united front of borough presidents, nonprofit leaders, and community activists. The goal to secure 1% of the city's executive budget for the department would mark an increase from the current 0.
6% allocation and could potentially bring back hundreds of lost jobs within the Parks Department. "This is not just a budget issue, but it’s a matter of public health, public safety, and health and wellness," Gibson told Bronx Times, emphasizing the life-and-death stakes of this environmental and social challenge.Additionally, the mission to bolster green spaces entails more than just advocating; it includes getting hands-on with the earth and planting life ourselves.
"Getting my hands dirty. Putting that tree in the ground. It felt like you supposed to be doing that.
Felt natural. It felt like we're actually loving what provides us life," said Mychal Johnson, co-founder of South Bronx United, in an interview with CBS News. The emotional resonance of physically contributing to the landscape plays a part in the broader vision for community involvement and ecological stewardship.
With Mayor Eric Adams slated to release the Executive Budget later this month, Bronx leaders like Gibson and environmentalists stand ready to challenge city council for the needed increase in funds for parks department funding, as reported by Bronx Times. The final figures, typically settled by the end of June, will be a measure of the city's commitment to addressing long-standing environmental injustices and safeguarding the health of its citizens through the nurturing of its urban forest..
