NYU Green Spaces
by tiffany wang
Happy Earth Day!
Starting from 1970, Earth Day is held annually on April 22 in order to demonstrate support for the increasingly pressing issue of environmental protection. Even though I love seeing the skyscrapers throughout the cityscape, the pops of green, pinks, and reds returning back to the city in the parks and alongside the streets have been the highlights of my days recently.
Washington Square Park has been bustling with people enjoying the radiant sunshine, mild breezes, and blossoming trees, but there are many more cool spots tucked around campus that you can check out! NYU has a great variety of urban landscapes tucked between campus buildings, which offer environmental and health benefits to the NYU and surrounding local community. Biodiversity in plant life increasing the health of the local ecosystem, and sustainable landscaping provides valuable research opportunities for renewable sources of fertilizers and gardening methods. Plus, studies have shown that seeing a garden every day can reduce stress, so maybe take a detour one day to check out some of these cool outdoor sites!
1. Green Roof on The Global Center for Academic and Spiritual Life (GCASL)
Planted in 2011, this green roof of 3,700 square feet is composed of 3,000 plants, varying from Wild Columbine, Goldenrod, Moss Phlox, Corsican Violet, and even chives. The rooftop is maintained without any herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides.
Fun fact: this roof has not been irrigated in six years!
2. Woodland Garden in Schwartz Plaza
The Woodland Garden incorporates many of the indigenous plants to Manhattan Island before urbanization.
3. NYU Urban Farm Lab
This Farm Lab is located on the south side of 110 Silver Towers at Houston Street and Wooster. The farm is used by the NYU Steinhardt professors to teach and conduct research about urban agriculture in New York City.
Fun Fact: it’s the first urban agriculture project in the City of New York on a Landmarked site.
4. Willy's Memorial Garden
Located at 1/2 Fifth Ave, Willy’s Memorial Garden is an 8,000 square foot courtyard garden.
5. Silver Towers Oak Grove
The Oak Grove is located on the north side of the Silver Towers and has 22 native species of oak trees.
6. Sasaki Garden
A quiet Japanese-style garden, the Sasaki Garden is located within the Washington Square Villages.
If you want to learn more about NYU’s sustainable landscaping projects, you can check out @nyu_grounds and @nyu_green on Instagram.