The Partnership
- Peter Crane, PhD, Dean, Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
The Brooklyn Bridge Forest project will link people across geographic and cultural boundaries in support of environmental protection and historic preservation.
New Yorkers and visitors who love the Brooklyn Bridge will contribute by sponsoring each of the new wooden planks that will soon be needed to replace the aging Promenade boardwalk. The people who live in the partner rainforest community will share their local knowledge about how rainforests can be protected through thoughtful and well-managed use. Governments at different levels will provide oversight, responsive policy, and support in facilitating cultural exchange. Local NYC schools will be able to use the project as a tangible example of applied science, math, and geography.
The partnership will provide a number of benefits to both New York City and the global environment.
A wooden boardwalk for a historic bridge
Plank sponsorship will enable New York City to receive the 11,000 durable, beautiful, and sustainable hardwood planks that will be soon be needed. And the historic Brooklyn Bridge will have 11,000 new supporters.
Rainforest conservation
In our proposed location in Guatemala, the local people work hard to protect the forest that provides them with their livelihoods, patrolling it to prevent illegal hunting and logging, and putting out fires. The substantial financial endowment created through plank sponsorship will provide them with the resources they need to do this work, and will also support further scientific research on the protection and sustainable uses of tropical forests.
Environmental protection in New York City
In addition to supporting environmental education, funds from plank sponsorship will also support the restoration of the 10,000 acres of natural areas that can be found within the five boroughs of New York City. These natural areas include the coastal wetlands and dunes that protect people's homes and businesses during hurricane storm surges.
Collaboration is at the heart of the Brooklyn Bridge Forest. Our Steering Committee brings together the expertise of four NYC organizations:
- The Wildlife Conservation Society has supported conservation for more than a century through its network of zoos and aquariums in New York City and through its on-the-ground work with communities around the world.
- The Municipal Art Society has been protecting New York City's historic landmarks for over 120 years.
- The Natural Areas Conservancy was established in 2012 to work in partnership with NYC Parks in restoring and protecting the more than 10,000 acres of forests, wetlands, grasslands, and other natural areas within the five boroughs.
- Pilot Projects Design Collective is a New York City-based design incubator with expertise in urban planning, architecture, and sustainability innovation.
