PlayFair Rally for Parks Budget and NYC Council Joint Oversight Hearing Parks and Fire/Emergency ManagementNYers4Parks

NYC Council joint oversight hearing hosted by the Committees on Parks and Recreation and Fire and Emergency Management to address the risks facing our city’s natural areas and Parks.

AND…Our rally was hugely successful. Many Council Members spoke on behalf of a Parks Budget increase!

The PlayFair Coalition Rallied at City Hall last Thursday for Parks Departments Budget to be restored. (See above)

NYC Council joint oversight hearing hosted by the Committees on Parks and Recreation and Fire and Emergency Management to address the risks facing our city’s natural areas and Parks.

The hearing will focus on Intro 0800-2024, a bill that would require the Department of Parks and Recreation to:

1) This bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) to develop criteria by which they prioritize tree maintenance, taking into account the likelihood of potential harm to persons or property, whether a tree or limb that has already fallen is still capable of causing harm, and the proximity of a damaged tree or limb to nearby buildings. Parks must also post a description of the criteria used to prioritize tree maintenance on its website.

2) This bill would require the Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR), in consultation with other appropriate City agencies, to develop a plan to mitigate the occurrences of wildfires in parks by October 1, 2025. The plan would have to be posted on DPR’s website and updated regularly. This bill would also require DPR to report annually on wildfires that occur in parks under its jurisdiction.

Details from NYers for Parks:

Hearing Details

Date: Thursday, January 30th
Time: 1:00 PM
Location: 16th Floor Committee Room, 250 Broadway, New York, NY

How to Testify

In Person: No registration needed; bring 20 double-sided copies of your testimony.
Via Zoom: Register by 1 PM, Jan. 29 (tomorrow! Past Deadline ) at council.nyc.gov/testify.
Written Testimony: Email dabram@ny4p.org or submit totestimony@council.nyc.gov by January 31.

Key Talking Points

We’ve prepared a set of detailed talking points to help guide your testimony.

Access them here: Talking Points: Preventing Brush Fires in NYC Parks

Some highlights:

Budget Cuts Have Increased Risks: The FY25 budget eliminated 51 forestry positions and the Citywide Trails Team, leaving our parks vulnerable to brush fires and slowing response times.
Restore Essential Staff: Restoring these positions ($4.9M total) is vital to managing overgrowth, invasive species, and recovery efforts.
Recovery Efforts Require Resources: Stabilizing erosion, replanting climate-adapted species, and monitoring long-term health are critical after fires.
Interagency Coordination Matters: A stronger plan is needed to improve emergency response and prevent future fires.

Every voice matters.

This is your chance to advocate for the resources our parks need.

Let’s keep the momentum going from last week’s rally and show City Council how vital our parks are for public safety and climate resilience.

Thank you for your dedication to NYC’s parks—we couldn’t do this without you!