Spring has arrived in Hell's Kitchen. There are lots of ways to have fun cooking and get your hands dirty to celebrate this season. The organization hosts multiple outdoor eco-friendly events throughout the month.
Environmental activists from the neighborhood spoke to W42ST about what's to come and the issues they're focused on.
On Friday, Elizabeth Young, New York City's Park Care Captain and volunteer citizen pruner, will lead a walking tour of Hell's Kitchen's tree canopy, highlighting the care volunteers regularly perform on trees in the neighborhood. and point out areas that still need improvement.
“We don’t have enough time to talk about urban canopies,” Elizabeth explained. “The whole aim is to spread the word that trees are important. Trees play a big role in our lives, not just adding decoration. They give us shade. It provides habitat for the surrounding nature, but at the same time it collects rainwater.”
Elizabeth would like to see more “rain gardens” and 10-foot-long wooden beds in Hell's Kitchen. This would help absorb water during heavy storms. I was overwhelmed. ”
She is hosting an event on May 8th and 10th where volunteers will place locally grown composted soil on tree beds. Elizabeth added that it's important to provide the trees with fresh soil and mulch. This provides habitat for insects and allows the soil to hold more water.
Young trees, between 4 and 10 years old, are the most vulnerable and require more care. The Park Service cares for trees for the first few years after they are planted, but not until they reach maturity.
At the end of the month, the Hell's Kitchen Conservancy, an organization founded last year, will hold an “It's My Park” day at Ramon Aponte Park (W47th St bw 8/9th Ave). Rita Kwon said the group's goal is to renovate the park, which has been neglected since it was renovated in 2016.
“There's a blank canvas,” says Rita, a landscape architect and Hell's Kitchen resident. “Over the past eight years, some trees have died and most of the understory plantings have not been done in time, so not much progress has been made.”
Rita added that it is difficult to build because of the heavy shadow of neighboring buildings. The conservancy will be working with the Partnership for Parks to plant native species that will thrive in the environment, as well as repainting one of the playground walls.
Rita said the group plans to incorporate grass-like sedges that will provide soft landing pads for birds and caterpillars as they fall from trees. We also plan to plant columbine flowers, which are popular with pollinators.
The Hell's Kitchen Conservancy is planning more events this spring and summer in partnership with various block associations. They also conduct neighborhood tree surveys to understand the proportion of native and non-native trees and check the overall condition of the tree beds.
There's so much to see and do in Hell's Kitchen next month. Here are the details:
May 3rd 11am: Jane's Walk down Ninth Avenue with Elizabeth Young
May 8th from 9am to 12pm and May 10th from 2:30pm to 4:30pm: Pick up compost at the southeast corner of W44th Street and 9th Avenue and add it to the block's street tree beds.
May 11th, 16th, 23rd and 25th from 10am to 12pm: Visit the rooftop farm at the Hell's Kitchen Farm Project located at Metro Baptist Church (410 W40th Street). “We'll have music, snacks, games, and more!”
May 18th and 26th from 1pm to 3pm: Planting and painting trees during It's My Park Day at Ramon Aponte Playground at Hell's Kitchen Conservancy (343 W47th St)
May 25th from 10am to 1pm: My Park Day will be held at Matthews Palmer Playground in partnership with the HK45/46 Street Block Association. “We will clean up and then plant native plants. We look forward to working with you to beautify the park.” (445 W45th St)
