Environment

Allison Henry explores seven proposals for the future of the Gowanus Canal.

As a pit deepens in Chile, a pile rises in New York City. Dan Adams and Marie Law Adams chart the story of New York's relationship with one mineral — from explosions on a faraway salt flat, across oceans, and to its landing in a dynamic mountain on Staten Island's North Shore.

The chemist who monitors gas and liquids produced by the world's largest landfill touts the benefits of harvesting environmental hazards and the monitoring system with aviation roots that gives him eyes across thousands of acres.

Jason Vollen walks us through the many processes and benefits — health, environmental, and economic — behind the installation of novel plant wall technology in the City's new Bronx-based Public Safety Answering Center.

Five writers tag along as scientists assess bat, insect, dragonfly, moss, and other plant populations during a 24-hour biological survey of Staten Island's Freshkills Park.

Geographer Marla Emery explains the nuances of urban foraging — its cultural and personal purposes, public health benefits and risks, and potential and pitfalls for land management.

Becca Cudmore reports on a new social and ecological health assessment of New York City’s parkland — the largest dataset ever gathered in a city — and its implications for the management of our wildest urban spaces.

Food chain expert Karen Karp weighs in on the complex policies behind school lunches, equity and access to healthy food, and ambitious new initiatives to better connect New York City residents to upstate agricultural wealth.

Marie Warsh draws on recent archaeological discoveries to revisit the history of the northern end of Central Park. Touching on geology and topography, 19th century military strategy, and new readings of documentation of Central Park's creation, she reveals a more densely layered cultural landscape than is commonly understood.