2024 Year-End Summary

It has been a year of daunting environmental headlines—unless you have been keeping up with NYC H2O! We have been very busy bringing environmental cheer and making a positive impact through our hands-on educational programs and community clean up events. 

In 2024, we reached 8,237 students by providing Water Ecology and Engineering Field Trips and online lessons, and by training an additional 360 students in watershed mapping and stewardship projects. Whether it was cleaning up the streets up north in the Bronx, identifying honey locust trees in Brooklyn’s Canarsie Park, making space for native species by clearing out phragmites reeds from the Ridgewood Reservoir, or reducing invasive spotted lanternflies in the southernmost tip of Staten Island’s Conference House Park, we made a splash in every borough. We also held our first public kayaking event at the Ridgewood Reservoir and saw the return of endangered bird species with each season!

Our 2024 impact was made possible by the New York City Council, our Board of Directors, individual donors and foundations, H2O members and of course, the thousands of volunteers and students who elevate our city.

EDUCATION

STEM and Water Ecology Trips and Virtual Lessons

In 2024, NYC H2O led 254 field trips at 144 schools in all five boroughs. In total, we brought 7,031 NYC kids to field trips at parks, wetlands, beaches, reservoirs, and natural areas across the city. We reached an additional 1,206 students by providing 43 virtual lessons. In total, in 2024, our programs reached 8,237 students and their educators. Since 2014 when we began offering H2O Field Trips we have reached 43,572 students in-person and an additional 11,779 online.

Most of our students attend schools that are cut off from urban natural areas and have minimal access to STEM training in their schools. As Title I and III students, they also face language and income barriers. Our Water Ecology and Engineering Field Trips and lessons open worlds to these young people and help them understand our ecological history and our vital interconnectedness with their city’s greenspaces and waterways.

NYC H2O field trips, led by trained field guides with dual skill sets in teaching and in environmental science/STEM, encourage students’ natural curiosity and prompt them to ask thoughtful questions about what they observe in both the natural and built environments at the following greenspaces: 

• Ridgewood Reservoir (Queens/Brooklyn)
• Baisley Pond (Queens)
• Central Park Reservoir (Manhattan)
• ​Jerome Park Reservoir (Bronx)
• Silver Lake (Staten Island)
• High Bridge (Manhattan / Bronx)
• Lemon Creek (Staten Island)
• Plumb Beach (Brooklyn)
• Canarsie Park (Brooklyn)
• Orchard Beach (Bronx)
• Manhattan Beach (Brooklyn)

H2O Eco Mappers: GIS, Research, and Advocacy

The H2O Eco Mappers program gives youth the tools to study, protect, and advocate for their urban watershed. We use GIS–a digital mapping technology–and ecology methods and environmental stewardship to power student action. 

In 2024, NYC H2O led 9 programs across 7 schools, teaching 140 lessons and engaging over 360 students in urban watershed projects. Students analyzed storm drains, street trees, and rain gardens to evaluate how stormwater moves through their neighborhoods and the risks of pollution entering local waterways. The students used their own data to drive thoughtful environmental cleanups and improvements, including street cleanups, tree maintenance, rain garden planting, and messaging campaigns.

Infographic clockwise starting from top left:
1: Lyons Community School 10th graders collect GIS data on smartphones
2: Middle schoolers from Park Slope Collegiate analyze storm drain infrastructure
3: 12th graders from EBC High School record street tree and soil conditions
4: Park East High School 12th graders giving their street trees much needed love

STEW (“Stewardship”) Crew entered its fourth year this fall at WHEELS High School in Manhattan, and we couldn’t be more proud of their work beautifying the blocks along the 182nd Street corridor, including 7 cleanups that removed over 400 lbs of trash. Students there are leading an effort to track litter hotspots, using GIS to present data and recommendations to community stakeholders with the STEW Crew Data Dashboard. STEW Crew also designed pole banners placed along 182nd in Washington Heights to promote access to healthy open spaces and outdoor programs.

STEWARDSHIP AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING

Ridgewood Reservoir

2024 was an exceptional year at the Ridgewood Reservoir, marked by significant progress in restoration and community engagement:

• Invasive Species Management: We continued removing invasive Phragmites reeds from the middle basin, significantly expanding cleared areas to restore this vital wetland habitat. We also removed bindweed, mugwort, crown vetch, and ailanthus trees from around the Reservoir paths.
• Pollinator Gardens: Weekly maintenance allowed us to expand the pollinator gardens around the Reservoir, creating a thriving habitat for native pollinators.
• Volunteer Engagement: Twelve stewardship events brought together 229 volunteers from Brooklyn, Queens, and beyond. Partnerships with organizations such as Cypress Hills LDC, ConEd, and NY Presbyterian Hospital helped us grow our volunteer base and raise awareness about our projects.
• Tree Care: The 20 large trees planted in 2023 received ongoing care to ensure their health and contribution to the Reservoir’s canopy.

During the summer, a dedicated team of 16 high school and college interns worked four days a week to remove Phragmites from the middle basin. At the South Viewing Area, they cleared large sections by cutting stalks and removing roots, followed by laying down black tarp to prevent regrowth. This two-step approach—avoiding herbicides—has proven highly effective in controlling these invasive reeds, whose extensive root systems can otherwise regenerate rapidly.

In September, a smaller team of four interns and two staff began similar work at the East Viewing Area along the East Causeway. They cleared a 40-by-120-foot path to open water, with adventurous volunteers joining in on stewardship days, donning waders to help tackle the messy yet rewarding task. The cutting season wrapped up after Thanksgiving, and we are eager to resume in the spring.

Aside from invasive species removals, our crew planted native plants to expand the habitat for insects, birds, and other creatures that call the Reservoir home. We planted five elderberry bushes, five buttonbushes, and 50 plugs of bulrush grasses in the basin. Butterfly weed, joe-pye Weed, wild bergamot, blazing star, and mountain mint were planted along the West Causeway path. 

In addition to habitat restoration, our teams continued combating illegal dumping along Vermont Place and the Jackie Robinson Parkway service road. Over the year, we removed more than 3,500 pounds of trash and 42 tires. While challenging, this work has made the park cleaner and more welcoming for all.

The successes of 2024 reflect a collective effort to preserve and enhance the Ridgewood Reservoir as a natural and cultural treasure. We look forward to continuing this vital work in the year ahead.

Virtual and In-Person Events/Readings 

This year, NYC H2O hosted 5 virtual and in-person talks and readings for 1400+ participants. 

We started out the year with a Virtual Presentation on January 23rd led by Ross Burach, author and illustrator of The Very Impatient Caterpillar. One of Brooklyn’s own, Ross read his story and led a drawing lesson for the students. Following this, we held a talk at Hunter College on February 2nd by Dr. Eric Sanderson who presented his most recent research on flooding in NYC and how it can be addressed with green infrastructure. We then rounded out Winter/Spring with another virtual presentation on March 6th by author Gianna Marino. She read excerpts from her books Too Tall Houses and Following Papa’s Song and followed with a drawing lesson for the students. 

To kick off the Summer we held another Hunter College talk on June 7th, this time with a focus on protecting public health. A scientist and engineer discussed how the city monitors sewage treatment plants for infectious diseases and how they use this information to stay ahead of epidemics. 
Finally, we finished the year with a virtual panel discussion on October 26th organized in coordination with New York Presbyterian (NYP). Titled, “Playing Outside: The Power of Nature to Promote Healthier Kids,” this talk featured experts including NYP pediatrician Dr. Gopi Desai, child psychologist Dr. Christina Fiorvanti, and NYC H2Os founder Matt Malina. The talk was skillfully moderated by Justin Bogardus, filmmaker and creator of the viral Nature Rx videos.

Community Walks

In 2024, we provided 41 free public programs reaching 1,429 New Yorkers! Each of these explorative walks and programs were led by experts passionate about the outdoors and our city.

This year, we brought back fan favorites, such as our Bat Walks at Ridgewood Reservoir with Gabriel Willow, and held brand new events like Kayaking at the Ridgewood Reservoir led by H2O staff.

We were also excited to show off Ridgewood Reservoir’s natural beauty throughout the seasons by engaging with so many different aspects of this ecosystem. We started off the season in May with Bird Watching at Ridgewood Reservoir led by Heather Wolf. During this tour Heather delved into how the critical freshwater source in the center basin attracts migrating birds on the Atlantic Flyway and boosts our local bird populations. Thanks to Heather, we were able to offer all bird watching events this year in both Spanish and English! In early June, we held a Spring Plant ID Walk, where Caitlin Lynch highlighted the native blooms in all eight different ecological zones within Ridgewood Reservoir. As the seasons turned, Caitlyn hosted the Summer Plant ID Walk, which offered a whole new collection of bright flora and native species. To round out the seasons, we held a Botanical Plant Walk in the Fall led by Sophie Cozine and more Bird Watching events with Heather Wolf in October! 

Our first ever Kayaking the Ridgewood Reservoir event also allowed community members to access the center basin for the first time to see the native flora and fauna we have worked so hard to rebuild with our Phragmites removal. H2O staff and interns were trained in kayak rescue allowing us to lead this event ourselves. Community response was amazing with both our slots booking out immediately as we aim to make this an annual event!

Journalist and photographer Nathan Kensinger continued his captivating walking tour series this year, exploring diverse New York landscapes. His tours included Walking the Harlem River, Lemon Creek and Prince’s Bay Walk, Rossville Historic Waterfront Walking Tour, Mill Creek and Richmond Valley Walk, Cedar Grove Beach Walk, Richmond Creek and Brookfield Park Walking Tour, Harlem Creek Walking Tour, and Tappen’s Creek Walking Tour. Each walk offered unique insights into the natural beauty and history of these areas, led by Nathan’s knowledgeable guidance. Additionally, urban explorer Steve Duncan engaged participants with the history of our city’s hidden water system during walking tours of Minetta Brook. 

This year, we continued our focus on fostering a deeper connection to our marine ecosystems and watershed through a series of coastal walks and freshwater tours. One of our own educators, Cullen Brown, led a bike tour along the Old Croton Aqueduct Bike Tour tracing the path of NYC’s first reliable and plentiful source of freshwater. Over in Staten Island, DEP Project Manager Dana Gumb led a tour of the Staten Island Bluebelt exploring one of the 70 bluebelts in the borough that utilize natural wetlands and waterways to manage and filter stormwater. Rounding off our program, we offered the extremely popular Horseshoe Crab and Offshore Wind (OSW) Discovery Walk, led by Professor Lisa Jean Moore twice at Plumb Beach in Brooklyn. These activities not only educated participants about NYCs unique water ecology but also emphasized the importance of conservation and sustainable interaction with our marine surroundings.

Beach, Park, and Litter Cleanups

In 2024, we organized impactful volunteer events across all five boroughs, hosting cleanups at 21 sites. Together, we held a total of 54 cleanup events, removing over 33,000 pounds of trash, equal to the weight of a NYC garbage truck, with the help of 2,064 community volunteers. 

We focused heavily on Staten Island, conducting six cleanups along Arthur Kill Road, two at Lemon Creek Park, two at Lemon Creek Pier, three at Mariners Marsh, and one each at Alice Austen House, Crescent Beach, Oakwood Beach, and Wolfe’s Pond.

Brooklyn’s coastline received special attention, with two volunteer community cleanups at Plumb Beach and four at Canarsie Park and Beach. These efforts ensured that students participating in our field trips could explore vibrant and well-maintained ecosystems and have family join them.

In the Bronx, we partnered with local schools to lead street cleanups on Edson Avenue, Givan Avenue, and Tillotson Avenue. We also contributed to green space restoration by planting a pollinator garden at Morris Heights Health Center.

At Baisley Pond, we hosted three cleanup events, successfully removing 3,600 pounds of trash, including 11 e-bikes and scooters, to restore the area and protect its delicate aquatic ecosystem.

This year’s efforts reflect our continued commitment to fostering cleaner, greener spaces throughout New York City while engaging and empowering local communities.

PARTNERS

We’re grateful to the following elected officials and government entities for their generous support of  H2O education and stewardship programs:

We also thank the following sponsors, partners, community groups and schools for their sponsorship and support of our programming: