Before & After

From what was previously a concrete manufacturing plant, then a parking lot and subsequently a brown field, Stuyvesant Cove Park is now a model of responsible urban living and landscaping.

Stuyvesant Cove is unique because it is a living symbol of ecological restoration. Landscape architect Donna Walcavage transformed this once dirty and polluted stretch along the river into a brilliantly designed park with a spirit of nurturing and caring for what had been lost since settlers began the East Side’s industrial metamorphosis. Today, many species of migratory birds and seasonal butterflies find food and shelter in Stuyvesant Cove Park as many plants produce fruit and flowers year around.

Starting in the year 1750, non-native species of flora and fauna were introduced to New York. As a direct result of this practice, only 60 percent of all plants and animals in the city are indigenous. Recently there has been a shift in landscaping conventions in an attempt to remedy this predicament. Stuyvesant Cove Park, in an effort to symbolize ecologically sound and sustainable landscaping practices, has become dedicated to propagating species of plants that are native to the Northeast. This practice allows for a more efficient use of water and limits soil degradation. We are also committed to limiting any use of toxic pesticides and harmful fertilizers as we develop an integrated pest management program. This approach to plant care will manage weeds and contagion with proven organic practices.