World · India Bureau
From Bette Midler's Vision: 200,000 Trees Transform New York Parks
What began as one entertainer's mission to restore a neglected New York park has blossomed into a sprawling environmental initiative. The New York Restoration Project has fundamentally reshaped urban green spaces across the city over nearly three decades.
LSN India ·
Since 1995, the New York Restoration Project (NYRP) has established itself as a transformative force in urban environmental restoration. The organization has planted more than 200,000 trees across the city's parks while simultaneously removing millions of pounds of accumulated rubbish from neglected green spaces.
Founded by entertainer Bette Midler, the project has expanded far beyond its initial scope to directly benefit over 1.6 million New Yorkers through improved access to quality parks and green infrastructure. The initiative demonstrates how private commitment to urban stewardship can create measurable environmental and community outcomes at significant scale.
The organization's work has evolved to address modern environmental challenges. Recent efforts include the installation of an artificial oyster reef designed to provide protection against rising sea levels—a recognition that urban parks must now serve dual purposes as both recreational spaces and climate resilience infrastructure.
Current restoration projects showcase the breadth of NYRP's ambitions. Work is underway in Highbridge Park to restore American chestnut trees, a species historically decimated by disease. Such efforts underscore a commitment to ecological recovery that extends beyond simple landscaping to address historical environmental damage and restore native biodiversity.