2026 Spring Semester Summary

NYC H2O had a busy Spring!  We provided 216 free Water Ecology and Engineering Field Trips and 16 virtual lessons reaching 5,711 students at 110 schools across the five boroughs.

Our programs enhance STEM learning outdoors through hands-on lessons about New York City’s reservoirs, parks, and beaches. We serve primarily Title I & III schools, bringing our programs to youth in underserved communities.   

Since 2014, we have taken 58,373 students on our outdoor field trips, and reached 13,447 more students with virtual lessons. Many of those students also joined us for beach and park cleanups, where we have removed over 110,000 pounds of litter over the last seven years.

EDUCATION

Stem and Water Ecology Education

Our field trips bring students to reservoirs, beaches, and wetlands, where they explore the natural wonders found in these diverse ecosystems up close. H2O educators foster students’ curiosity, encouraging them to ask questions about the plants and animals they observe. It is our hope that by developing a connection to the natural environment that they will grow into future stewards.

Students love getting to know the different trees at each of our sites through a game called “Tree Races.”  Students run from one tree to another, stopping to make observations about the leaves, bark and fruits of each tree. This year the students’ keen eyes explored Golden rain trees, Sassafras, and Eastern White Pines. Through careful observation they noted that the pine needles come in bunches of five!  We also discuss the important role that trees play in our water system, filtering and cleaning our water.

Students also love playing the “Aqueduct Challenge,” where they work together to build a functioning aqueduct that models NYC’s real water system. Through this activity, they experiment with different designs to drive water from the mountains upstate down to the city using the force of gravity. Students personalize their aqueducts in creative ways. For example, a group of first graders showed their understanding of the force of gravity by making a “fun water slide” out of tubes and cups, pouring water from the reservoirs found in the mountains upstate down the “slide” to get it through the aqueduct to the city below. 

We also lead field trips at beaches where students explore the coastal environment through scavenger hunts and learn about the city’s stormwater system. Each trip brings exciting discoveries—students often find and even hold fascinating creatures like whelk egg cases, fiddler crabs and horseshoe crabs. They also find shells of the Atlantic Quahog and skate remains. They observe many species of birds in the salt marshes such as the Yellow-crowned Night Heron, Egrets and Oyster Catchers. These moments spark wonder and excitement and help students build a deeper connection to local marine ecosystems.

Our field sites include High Bridge Park, Orchard Beach, and Jerome Park in Manhattan and the Bronx; Baisley Pond, Canarsie Park, Plumb Beach, and Ridgewood Reservoir in Queens and Brooklyn; and Lemon Creek & Silver Lake in Staten Island. We also have expanded our reach by hosting lessons at more sites throughout the city this spring at Shore Road Park, Manhattan Beach, and Owl’s Head Park.

Mapping Education: Eco-Mappers

At Park East High School in East Harlem, NYC H2O’s Eco-Mappers program brought together data science and environmental stewardship. Using ArcGIS on smartphones and laptops, students collected, analyzed, and visualized data on green infrastructure, stormwater flooding, and street conditions in their surrounding neighborhood.

Students then translated their findings into polished one-pagers: formal reports presented to community leaders to advocate for local improvements like installing tree guards and maintaining tree pit soil to better absorb stormwater runoff. From data collection to community presentation, Eco-Mappers students took ownership of real environmental challenges right outside their school doors.

CASA Lessons

Weekly after school lessons at PS 58, IS 5, Grover Cleveland High School, WHEELS and PS 24 deepened students’ understanding of the urban water system, local ecosystems, and the wildlife living in their neighborhoods. Activities blended art, hands-on science, and spatial reasoning to support students’ creativity and socio-emotional growth. Through civic engagement, neighborhood mapping, and stewardship projects, students learned real-world skills that fostered a genuine sense of responsibility for their environment.

This spring’s afterschool program highlights include raising and releasing a record of 97 trout fingerlings into the upstate watershed, designing and building model aqueducts and water filters, plein air painting and making nature collages, planting pollinator gardens, growing plants from seed under a grow light, and mapping green infrastructure around each school. Stewardship remained a cornerstone of our CASA programs. Students took on activities to improve their neighborhood such as trash cleanups, painting benches, mulching trees, and planting pollinator gardens. These activities developed a sense of responsibility for their local green spaces.

Our pollinator planting efforts this year resulted in planting over 200 pollinator plants throughout all of our CASA schools. At PS 58 and IS 5, students planted and maintained Goldenrods and Asters in their school gardens. Grover Cleveland High School students designed and planted a native pollinator garden in the school courtyard with milkweed, grasses, wildflowers, and more, creating new habitat for pollinators and increasing biodiversity. PS 24 students partnered with the Parks Department to expand the pollinator garden in Seton Park, strengthening biodiversity and deepening students’ understanding of the role pollinators play in healthy ecosystems.

At PS 58, fourth and fifth grade students learned about the water cycle and wastewater system through hands-on activities, building a model aqueduct and testing water filters. They visited Elmhurst Park to observe and identify trees, plants, and birds and documented their findings in nature journals. They grew and cared for plants from seed under a grow light, then went outdoors to plant pollinators in front of their school. They cleaned up trash from streets, parks, and rain gardens near their school, putting their stewardship values into action in their own neighborhood.

Middle school students at IS 5 Walter Crowley raised trout and monitored water quality in a classroom tank throughout the year. They tended the school’s garden filled with pollinator flowers, aerated tree beds and spread mulch on the street trees outside their school. They put what they learned in the classroom into practice by traveling upstate to release trout they had raised into the watershed

At Grover Cleveland High School, students explored environmental science and civic action. They designed and planted a native pollinator garden in the school courtyard, painted benches in Grover Cleveland Playground, and took a field trip to Ridgewood Reservoir to connect the water systems they had been studying to the urban watershed surrounding their school. Civics was a central thread. Students identified the government officials who represent them and examined who holds responsibility for caring for public spaces. Through their stewardship efforts, students came to see themselves as active participants in shaping their community.

At WHEELS High School, the STEW Crew (“Stewardship”) program focuses on fostering a sense of environmental stewardship and encouraging students to take responsibility for caring for their community. As part of a GIS-based community outreach project and public awareness campaign, 14 students participated in a weekly after-school program in which they lead cleanups, care for street trees, and collect environmental data using GIS.

Students organized and led seven community cleanups and mapped over 100 trees, helping them better understand and support their neighborhood. To extend their impact, they also created educational zines, booklets, and other outreach materials to raise awareness about keeping the community clean and sustainable.

These materials were shared in both the school and local businesses, encouraging residents to take part in maintaining the neighborhood throughout the summer. Through tracking their work in GIS dashboards, students built data skills and demonstrated how stewardship can create lasting community change.

Teacher Testimonials

Grade 3 Teacher “The tour was AMAZING!  You guys do such excellent work! Our favorites were the scavenger hunt on the beach and learning about fiddler crabs in the marsh! We get around and the students, my co teacher and I all agree this was our favorite trip of the year! I am always grateful and in awe that these incredible trips are FREE*! We paid $300 for specialty programming at the PP Zoo, which paled in comparison to today!”

* Schools in sponsored districts qualify for free field trips

Grade 6 Teacher “Something that I like about this trip was how interactive it was for the students, from us getting the imprint from the medallions and learning the history about it to the students starting about the system, and then trying to make their own aqueduct. For my kids who are very much hands-on, that was A1. They all loved and enjoyed the trip. I honestly don’t know or can think of something that needed to be changed or improved other than I wish it was a little bit longer cause the kids were like is this it we want more”

Grade 4 Teacher “I loved that you had the kids engaged and moving. The racing to the tree was a great idea and I loved the funnel and water hands on activity. Thank you so much. It was a wonderful trip that the students truly enjoyed!”

Grade 11 Teacher “The kids had a great experience and learned a lot about our water supply, the trees of Central Park, and the controversial history of Central Park’s creation. It was super hot today but Camila and Jade kept our students interested and motivated them to ask questions and participate in the activities. Each activity and section of the tour was worthwhile; I can’t think of anything to improve. 10/10”

STEWARDSHIP AND PUBLIC PROGRAMMING

Ridgewood Reservoir

We are thrilled to observe the positive impacts of our ongoing stewardship at the Ridgewood Reservoir. Thanks to our dedicated efforts, we are seeing blooming pollinator gardens, the return of enthusiastic volunteers, the songs of birds, healthy trees, and cleaner sidewalks.

Our mission is twofold: increasing public access to green spaces while protecting the unique ecosystems within the Reservoir, a vital refuge for native plants, birds, and other wildlife. So far in 2026, we’ve hosted five volunteer events that engaged 166 community members, averaging 30 participants per event. These events included impactful litter cleanups along Vermont Place and the Jackie Robinson Parkway service road, as well as targeted removal of invasive species such as mugwort, cleaver, crown vetch, and garlic mustard.

This year, NYC H2O staff have already committed over 30,000 hours to maintaining and improving the health of the Reservoir. As we prepare for another active summer, we’re gearing up to continue our major project: removing Phragmites australis from the middle basin. This critical ecological work will be supported by a cohort of 20 summer interns, our largest cohort yet.

The pollinator gardens are thriving with native bees, butterflies, and birds. Our team continues to support this ecosystem by planting native flora, watering during dry spells, and keeping the gardens weed-free.

Highland Park, straddling Brooklyn and Queens, is an essential green space for its neighboring communities. We look forward to expanding our efforts there with future tree planting and care initiatives that will further enrich this beloved urban park.

Beach, wetland and neighborhood cleanups

Between January and June 2026, in addition to our Ridgewood Reservoir events, NYC H2O organized 18 cleanups across beaches, wetlands, and neighborhoods citywide. Our work included removing litter from Arthur Kill Road, Mariners Marsh, Lemon Creek Beach, Conference House Beach, and Oakwood Beach in Staten Island; Ogden Avenue, Edson Avenue, and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx; Baisley Pond Park in Queens; and Canarsie Park, Canarsie Beach, and Plumb Beach in Brooklyn.

These efforts engaged 656 volunteers who collectively removed more than 9,600 pounds of debris from New York City’s natural areas and streets.

In Manhattan, we contributed to the beautification of Tompkins Square Park. There, 55 students from St. John’s University and 40 from the Children’s Workshop School helped us paint benches, enhancing the park’s appeal and inviting greater community use.

Community programs

Already in 2026, we’ve hosted 17 public education programs and walking tours, bringing New Yorkers into close contact with local ecology, history, and animal observations!

• New Year’s Day High Bridge Walking Tour led by Nathan Kensinger January 1st, 2026
• Clean Beaches 101: Marine Debris and the Ecology of Jamaica Bay virtual webinar February 5th, 2026
• Prince’s Bay and Lemon Creek Walk led by Nathan Kensinger March 21st, 2026
• Tappen’s Creek and Kresicherville Walking Tour led by Nathan Kensinger April 18th, 2026
• Harlem River Photo Walk led by Nathan Kensinger April 25th, 2026
• Historical Rossville Waterfront Walking Tour May 2nd, 2026
• Birdwatching/Observación de Aves at the Ridgewood Reservoir led by Heather Wolf May 10th, 2026
• Fordham Landing Waterfront Walk led by Nathan Kensinger May 16th, 2026
• Introduction to GIS: A Virtual Workshop for Educators (CTLE Credit) May 17th, 2026
• Sandy Brook Walking Tour led by Nathan Kensinger May 30th, 2026
• Birdwatching/Observación de Aves at the Ridgewood Reservoir led by Heather Wolf May 31st, 2026
• Harlem River Photo Walk led by Nathan Kensinger June 6th, 2026
• Horseshoe Crab Discovery Walk led by Lisa Jean Moore at Plumb Beach June 6th, 2026
• Horseshoe Crab Discovery Walk led by Lisa Jean Moore at Plumb Beach June 13th, 2026
• Bundle Dyeing Workshop at Green Belt Nature Center with Flowers and Kitchen Dyes led by Laura Hricko June 14th, 2026
• Bat Walk at the Ridgewood Reservoir led by Nic Comparato June 26th, 2026
• Birdwatching/Observación de Aves at the Ridgewood Reservoir led by Heather Wolf June 28th, 2026

We could also be found tabling at events like the PS 10 STEAM Fair, the Environmental Education Expo at Pier 57, Earth Fest at NEST+m school, Staten Island Students Summit and the Maspeth High School Climate Action Day!

CLOSING

Thank You for Your Support
Thank you again to all our sponsors and to all who support our work through donating, volunteering, and participating in NYC H2O programs.

This includes recognizing the following officials and foundations their contributions in creating and continuing our environmental education and stewardship mission:

We’d also like to highlight our utmost appreciation for our program partners, volunteer groups and students for their assistance in our civic environmental stewardship activities:

Support NYC H2O to Support NYC’s Kids

Your donation directly supports our free outdoor educational field trips for underserved students enrolled in Title I and III schools in all five boroughs. Please consider donating here to support our students in learning about the critical importance and beauty of New York City’s water through hands-on science learning. Members are a critical part of our NYC H2O team: learn how you can make a difference by becoming a member here. Members receive NYC H2O merchandise and other benefits such as event and walking tour discounts.