Environmental Advocates Join NYC Parks Department to Celebrate  Pesticide-Free Parks  

New York, NY, June 1, 2023 · link

Eco-Friendly Parks for All, a coalition of  environmental, public health and political action organizations has teamed  up with Beyond Pesticides, New York City Parks and Recreation Department, and Stonyfield Organic Yogurt to celebrate the success of pilot organic land  management programs at eight sites across the five boroughs. The demonstration programs, directed  by nationally recognized natural turf expert Chip Osborne, president of Osborne Organics, were  initiated by the coalition after the city council adopted new legislation in 2021 prohibiting the use of  chemical pesticides on all New York City parks.

“We are excited to be working with the City of New York on organic land management practices that  protect community health and the environment, and support efforts to mitigate climate change and  biodiversity decline,” said Jay Feldman, Executive Director of Beyond Pesticides. “Organic practices  such as those being used in these demonstration sites eliminate fossil fuel petroleum-based products  and sequester atmospheric carbon in the soil, combating the climate crisis. It’s a win for the city, the  public and the environment.”

The new law, adopted on Earth Day 2021 and required to be fully implemented in the fall of 2022,  restricts pest management products to those compatible with organic systems, which eliminates  synthetic weed killers like glyphosate (Roundup), tied to cancer by the World Health Organization,  and bee-toxic insecticides like the neonicotinoids, which have been prohibited by many communities  and countries. The goal of an organic system is to help beautify the park land and playing fields by  strengthening the grass plants, which become better able to stand up to the stress associated with  use.

“We are proud of the significant reduction in pesticide use at Parks, and our collaboration on this  pilot with Eco-friendly Parks for All will further demonstrate what can be achieved through our  continued and expanded use of sustainable landscaping practices,” said NYC Parks Deputy Commissioner for Environment and Planning Jennifer Greenfeld.