The Bronx may not currently be known for its green spaces, but some Fordham groups are trying to change that by emphasizing the borough’s natural beauty. (Andrea Garcia/The Fordham Ram).
By Ashley Katusa
In the northernmost borough of New York’s primary metropolis, amid brown and red mid-rise buildings and perpetually crowded roadways and highways, green space is abundant.
The Bronx has the most green space of any borough in New York City. It boasts the two largest public parks in the city, Pelham Bay Park and Van Cortland Park, as well as lesser known wildlife hybrids such as Seton Falls Park, which has 30 acres of preserved natural land and manmade waterfall.
Pelham Bay Park, measuring in at 2,772 acres, is the largest public park in New York City. The landscape terrain is a combination of boulder formations, woodlands and forests, as well as a 13-mile shoreline. The park is teeming with wildlife such as coyotes, deer and many species of birds. Turtles, fish and horseshoe crabs reside on the shoreline and surrounding water.
There are various groups, both Bronx and Fordham based, that dedicate themselves to preserving the borough’s green spaces, like Pelham Bay Park.
The Bronx Is Blooming is a non-profit group with a mission of promoting environmental advocacy, community building and youth leadership development, backed financially in part by Fordham itself. It holds projects in various green spaces in the Bronx—by doing so, they hope to “foster youth leadership.” In the five years that the group has been active, The Bronx is Blooming has implemented volunteer programs at 17 parks throughout the Bronx, with over 7,000 volunteers clocking in upwards of 28,000 hours of service.
Similarly, Fordham students make use of the green spaces in their own programming. The Outdoors Club takes members on day trips to go on excursions such hiking, kayaking and rafting. In the past year, the club has hosted six hikes, among other outdoor-themed trips, including an overnight white-water rafting trip and rock climbing nights, according to Rachel Fox, FCRH ’18, president of the Fordham University Outdoors Club.
The Students for Environmental Awareness and Justice (SEAJ) club has more of an environmental advocacy focus, as it strives to “foster open dialogue, facilitate opportunities for community outreach, and hold social events focused on sustainability,” according to its website. Its members host events to promote sustainability here at Fordham such as flea markets and clothing swaps, and organize awareness events such as protests and marches.
While Manhattan may be home to some of the cities most well known parks, there are many opportunities in the Bronx to not only enjoy nature, but also help maintain it.
