c. Martin Seck

City of Forest Day in Prospect Park

September 22, 2022

Join Prospect Park Alliance at the first annual City of Forest Day on Saturday, October 15 in Prospect Park. Presented by Forest for All NYC in partnership with the Parks and Open Space Partners – NYC Coalition and NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, City of Forest Day is a day of activities across the city to raise awareness of the importance of the New York City urban forest, and the essential role New Yorkers play every day in caring for the “lungs” of our city. Prospect Park Alliance presents an array of activities to raise awareness and celebrate Brooklyn’s last remaining forest including nature education programming, a volunteer opportunity, meditation hike and a tour of the woodlands in Brooklyn’s Backyard.

Check out the full list of 50+ events happening across New York City!

Prospect Park Events:

Park Pitch In: City of Forest Day
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Free, Registration Required
Join Prospect Park Alliance for a special Park Pitch-In volunteer event on City of Forest Day where we’ll be focusing our efforts on Lookout Hill, a scenic woodland restored by Prospect Park Alliance that lies on the park’s highest point, with views as far as Coney Island. Volunteers will help pick up trash and litter that can harm this important wildlife habitat, as well as  maintaining trails and pedestrian paths, as well as weeding and other woodland restoration activities. This event is suitable for teens over 14 and adults.
Please note, volunteer registration will open on Friday, October 7 at 11:00 am.

City of Forest Day at the Audubon Center
10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Free, no advance registration necessary
Families and youth can enjoy nature arts and crafts: learn about the variety of leaves that compose the urban forest, and arrange fallen leaves into a picture. Attendees can also lend a hand by raking leaves around the Audubon Center to help us prepare the park for winter. At 12 pm, set out on a nature walk to learn about the seasonal behavior of trees, plants and wildlife throughout Prospect Park.

City of Forest Day Tour: A History of Brooklyn’s Last Remaining Forest
10:30 pm – 12:30 pm
Free, Registration Required
Prospect Park is home to Brooklyn’s largest and oldest forest, an important hotspot of biodiversity with over 30,000 trees of 200+ species. On this guided walking tour with Prospect Park Alliance touring partner, Turnstile Tours, we will explore the history of the stewardship of this forest over the past 150 years, looking at some of the park’s oldest trees, exploring the management practices developed by park co-designer Frederick Law Olmsted, the work of the Alliance to restore these urban woodlands over the past 30 years, and contemporary challenges to forests due to climate change and invasive pests. This tour is appropriate for all ages, and we will walk approximately 1.5 miles. There will be limited access to restrooms, and extended periods of standing and walking over uneven surfaces is required.

City of Forest Day: Meditation Hike
Free, no advance registration necessary
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm
Join NYC Parks for a Meditation Hike in celebration of City of Forest Day. Forest meditation allows you to slow down and become immersed in nature. Come enjoy the sights and sounds of Prospect Park in this experiential hike focused on mindfulness and relaxation.