Prospect Park Woodland Restoration

Prospect Park spans 350 acres of natural areas and is home to 30,000 trees, Brooklyn’s only lake, and one of the last remaining native forests in New York City. Designed by Olmsted and Vaux, it is widely considered one of their masterpieces. For many Brooklyn residents, the park is their primary access to nature. It also delivers critical environmental benefits, including pollution mitigation, carbon sequestration, stormwater capture, and temperature regulation.

Following news of a significant fire in the park, the Millbrook Garden Club (MGC) reached out to the Prospect Park Alliance, the nonprofit that has managed the park’s natural areas for nearly 40 years. The Alliance has led major revitalization efforts across the park’s ecological zones—from the woodlands and waterways to the horticultural beds—focusing on invasive species removal, native planting, ecological monitoring, and trail system development. In 2024 alone, the Alliance planted 16,691 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants representing 107 native species.

In 2017, the Prospect Park Alliance received a $2,500 grant from the Garden Club of America (GCA). With the GCA Restoration Initiative Grant, the funding would support the recovery of the Ravine, a woodland area severely impacted by the recent fire. The restoration is a multi-year effort, involving the replanting of overstory trees, midstory shrubs, and herbaceous groundcover.

Work began immediately after the fire with slope stabilization, erosion control, hazardous tree assessments in partnership with NYC Parks’ Brooklyn Forestry division, and removal of invasive species. The Alliance also initiated winter seeding using a custom native mix developed with NYC Parks and the Greenbelt Native Plant Center. A spring 2025 site assessment will guide the next phase: soil remediation, continued invasive removal, and preparation for native species planting in fall 2025. The Restoration Initiative Grant would support this critical phase, with active restoration and monitoring continuing through fall 2027.

MGC has been closely involved from the outset, working with the Alliance on the grant application and conducting site visits. The Garden Club of Lawrence and the North Country Garden Club of Long Island (the “Related Clubs”) have also participated in early discussions and reviewed the application. If funded, these clubs will continue collaborating with the Prospect Park Alliance throughout the restoration process.