c. Martin Seck

Restoring Woodlands

August 6, 2015

The Prospect Park Alliance has received nearly $500,000 in funding to restore the woodlands at Lookout Hill, one of the highest points in Prospect Park. The funding from the National Park Service is being administered by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation through a program dedicated to rehabilitating historic landmarks damaged by Superstorm Sandy in 2012. 

Lookout Hill lost approximately 500 trees and suffered severe damage to the wooded slopes of Lookout Hill. The project will involve removing fallen material and stumps, and planting 2,500 trees, 3,000 shrubs and 25,000 plants to restore the woodlands and stabilize the slope to buffer against future storms. 

This is the second year that the Alliance has received funding through this program. In 2014, the Alliance received more than $725,000 in funding to restore a heavily wooded hillside in the Northeast corner of Prospect Park. Superstorm Sandy destroyed 40 to 50 trees causing damage to several structures and destabilizing slopes. This project will restore the woods by clearing storm damage, removing invasive species, planting native trees and shrubs, and stabilizing the slopes.