Environmental Project: Urban Forests in our Midst

IN YOUR BACKYARD!

Urban Forests in our Midst!

Are you aware that there are roughly 115 acres of privately-owned open space on the Upper West Side alone? Have you ever thought about the unrecognized environmental benefits these areas convey to the City?

Whether we rent or own, have a backyard or a small placemat-sized patch of green, or live in an apartment, we are reaping the benefits of open spaces that are hidden behind Upper West Side rowhouses. What would the difference in our air quality be if these backyards suddenly disappeared? Would it be hotter in the summer? Would our water quality be worse during heavy rains?

LANDMARK WEST! has received challenge grants to help us reach our goal of$185,000 to support our innovative environmental study, Urban Forests in ourMidst: The Environmental Benefits in Adjoining Backyards in Brownstone Blocks¸ which we are undertaking in partnership with The CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities and NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. We need you to make this innovative study a reality.

This study will quantify the extent to which these open spaces:
* Alleviate the urban heat island effect thereby potentially reducing air conditioning use and energy consumption;
* Remove air pollution thereby improving air quality; and
* Reduce stormwater runoff that overwhelms New York City's water treatment infrastructure during heavy rains.

This is a real opportunity to positively affect your neighborhood, and indeed the City as a whole.

Please see our website http://www.landmarkwest.org/green/greeninitiatives.htm for the full project proposal.

Donations, large and small would be much appreciated! Send us a check to support this project to: LANDMARK WEST! 45 West 67th Street, New York, NY 10023-or call the office to contribute via credit card. Let us know what you think!

Call Evan Mason at 212 496-8110.