New York City
URPContact: Matthew Arnn
USDA Forest Service
c/o Department
of Housing and Urban Development
26 Federal Plaza, Room 3541
New York,
NY 10276
tel: (212) 264-8000, ext. 3134
fax: (212) 264-0246 e-mail:
marnn@fs.fed.us
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The NYC Urban Resources Partnership provides technical,
financial, and educational assistance to promote environmental stewardship in
under-served communities through awareness, involvement, and participation of
community groups and residents. Accomplishments for 2000
include:
Bronx River — URP NYC through its Bronx River
Working Group, an alliance of over 50 community groups, businesses, and
government agencies, has met significant watershed restoration and protection
objectives by replanting flood damaged parklands, restoring river channel
hydraulics, stabilizing eroding riverbanks with native vegetation, reclaiming
wetlands and floodplains, improving habitat, and increasing public access to
the river. Many projects and actions are now complete, including replanting of
Hunts Point Riverside Park, and a Bronx River ecosystem education program for
local youth. Other initiatives are underway, including a mile-long greenway
project in the Soundview section of the watershed, composition of a
comprehensive watershed management plan, establishment of new restoration
sites, and introduction of community stewardship initiatives.
Public
outreach projects, such as the Adopt-The-River Program, are generating new
interest for local businesses, leveraging millions of dollars in support funds,
and developing ecosystem activities critical to restoration efforts and
increased public participation and awareness.
Jamaica Bay —
Jamaica Bay is a critical and fragile natural area. URP NYC has worked to
coordinate restoration efforts through its partnership with Friends of Gateway,
the National Open Space Coalition, and five local community groups. The team
has worked to address outreach, education and restoration through the Tree
Grow-Out program, the creation of a migratory bird-haven, and a water quality
monitoring program. The partnership has also organized a high school wetland
restoration project, guided several camping/education weekends for local youth,
and provided technical training seminars on tree planting, landscape design,
and habitat monitoring.
URP Visioning — URP’s
contributions as an interface, catalyst, and facilitator in NYC under-served
communities were repeatedly acknowledged during a visioning workhop attended by
community groups, nonprofits, businesses, and government agencies. The goal of
the session was to assess URP’s accomplishments in NYC and explore ideas
for sustaining its principles. URP’s work has opened the door for new
partnership opportunities in NYC, including the USDA Forest Service/HUD
MemorandumOf Understanding (MOU), signed in 2000, to strengthen cooperative
work to revitalize and improve livability of urban areas in selected towns,
cities, and communities. New initiatives in 2000 include the Open Accessible
Space Information System Cooperative (OASIS), a partnership of more than 30
federal, state, and local agencies, private companies, academic institutions,
and nonprofit organizations to create a one-stop, interactive mapping and data
analysis application via the Internet to enhance the stewardship of open space
and urban forests for the benefit of New York City (NYC) residents. |
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Natural
Resources Ombudsman — The URP of Buffalo is active in the role of
natural resources ombudsman. Community contact through URP projects and
referrals enable the URP to act as a clearinghouse on natural resource topics
and related community issues. This role has proven important in fostering
community leadership, neighborhood development, and environmental stewardship.
The theme of “natural resources” has provided a common thread to
unite expanded and diverse community partnerships. 
The
East St. Louis Urban Resources Partnership advocates and assists
community-based action through local partnerships to enhance, restore, and
sustain urban ecosystems in the East St. Louis Metropolitan Area. These actions
contribute to the improvement of the social, economic, and physical health of
the residents and the natural environment. East St. Louis URP natural resources
goals are:
Project
HOME — Awarded $50,000 to Project HOME to develop a highly detailed
open space strategic plan for the St. Elizabeth’s/Diamond Street
neighborhood. The plan will look for opportunities to convert vacant land into
new open spaces to complement major development projects like Rowan Homes and
the Family Learning Center.