Street Tree Perennials Intern

AGENCY DESCRIPTION The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation manages 14 percent of the land in New York City with facilities ranging from playgrounds and large parks, to tranquil wooded areas and more than 14 miles of beaches. Parks serve as New Yorkers’ backyards, as vital meeting areas for outdoor play and recreation – but also as an important tool in mitigating the effects of climate change, critical engines for economic growth and development. NYC Parks’ mission is to grow, maintain, and program a world-class park system prioritizing equity, access, safety, and nature. In the past year, Parks completed a number of initiatives citywide that helped New Yorkers access their shared public spaces. These include: • Securing more than $700 million in funds to build or substantially reconstruct six recreation centers, including two opening in 2026: the $141 million Shirley Chisholm Recreation Center in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and the $92 million Mary Cali Dalton Recreation Center in Tompkinsville, Staten Island. • Expanding our free learn-to-swim programs to reach an additional 4,800 second graders and bring the total to nearly 18,000 youth served by our essential swim programming.  • Keeping more than 8 million people safe at the city’s public beaches last summer along with over 1 million patrons at outdoor pools, thanks to the highest number of Parks lifeguards since 2019, including a 23 percent increase in new recruits. • Completing a $23 million investment in public space at New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments, bringing new playgrounds, sports equipment, and seating areas to NYCHA residents. • Launching our latest Tree Census, which involves thousands of volunteers to measure the size, location, and condition of the city’s trees. Conducted once every ten years, the census helps to identify areas where more trees can be planted, supporting a more equitable urban canopy and increasing the many benefits trees provide. • Celebrating the historic expansion of the Second Shift program, dedicating extra maintenance services for 100 additional hot spots at parks across the five boroughs during peak evening and weekend hours. This expanded the total sites citywide serviced by dedicated staff to 200 hot spots.   • Adding 100 new Parks Enforcement Patrol positions to bolster patrol strength throughout the city.  • Promoting equity in athletic spaces by rolling out new athletic permit rules and fee changes to improve access for non-profit and youth organizations. UNIT DESCRIPTION The Street Tree Planting Program at Central Forestry is responsible for fostering the urban forest across all five boroughs of New York City. We are striving to plant 18,000 trees a year, starting in 2027, to contribute to a vibrant and resilient urban forest that provides a myriad of ecosystem services to the city. From capturing stormwater runoff to mitigating the urban heat island effect, our street trees are an integral living part of our city. POSITION TITLE Street Tree Perennials Intern INTERNSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES - Assist in developing a perennial planting palette of urban tolerant species which complement street trees in providing ecosystem services to New York City - Inform and revise guidelines/designs for perennial plantings in street tree beds  - Perform field surveys for viable planting sites in various weather conditions  - Engage community members to steward tree beds  - Monitor and record survival and growth rates of perennials as part of a research report to present at the end of internship - Opportunities to shadow other Forestry programs such as Permits & Plan Review and Trees & Sidewalks QUALIFICATIONS/SPECIAL SKILLS/AREAS OF INTEREST - Interest in forestry, urban planning, and community engagement  - Willingness to work outdoors in various weather conditions - Previous plant ID experience preferred  - Currently enrolled college student ADDITIONAL INFORMATION This opportunity does not include remote workdays nyc.gov/internships Title: City Seasonal Aide Salary: $19.14 per hour In collaboration with PECAN (Plant Ecology Center and Nursery), Central Forestry seeks to build upon the work of the Street Tree Habitats Project. Since spring 2023, PECAN has been engaging community members to plant native plants sourced from the nursery in their street tree beds with goal of furthering research on how native plant species grow in the urban landscape. This year, PECAN aims to develop a planting guide from collected data to provide evidence-based recommendations for native plantings in street tree beds. Intern will be expected to perform extensive field surveys and plantings across all five boroughs. Office work will be based out of the Rego Park office. APPLICATION PROCESS Please email cover letter and resume to Leslie.Nusblatt@parks.nyc.gov

START DATE IS BEGINNING JUNE; EXACT DATE TBD