BOROUGHWIDE — Earth Day activities will be taking place across Brooklyn this week, with numerous opportunities to have fun and go green.
“Just show up!” said Cadman Park Conservancy President Doreen Gallo. The park’s spring Mulch Fest takes place Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon; meet in Juneteenth Grove, near the intersection of Cadman Plaza West and Tillary Street.
“The Parks Department drops off the mulch and tools, and everybody spreads it around the flower beds and trees,” Gallo said. “Trader Joe’s supplies snacks, and Gristedes brings water.”
Cadman Park Conservancy President Doreen Gallo, in a wonderland of spring tulips in in Cadman Plaza Park’s Juneteenth Grove. Mulch Fest takes place this Saturday. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle
All ages are welcome. “We’re expecting a group of 4-5-year-olds to plant irises. It’s amazing how much work the little kids do — it’s adorable,” she said.
In addition to special events like Mulch Fest, a regular group of volunteers joins New York City Parks Department Gardener Nathan Grozan in Cadman Plaza Park every Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. to help maintain the park’s flourishing gardens.
Pat Lucey, who is also a member of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade Gardeners (they meet Tuesday mornings), has been volunteering in the gardens for more than ten years. “Look at these colors!” Lucey said, pointing to the beautiful array of spring tulips filling Juneteenth Grove. “Every week it’s something different.” She added, “There’s always a lot of weeds, too. So there’s job security.”
This couple celebrated Earth Day weekend in 2024 with a picnic in nature at Brooklyn Bridge Park. Numerous Earth Day events will take place in the park this year. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle
Earth Day at Brooklyn Bridge Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park celebrates Earth Day with numerous activities led by the park’s horticulture and education teams and plenty of hands-on volunteer activities Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Programming includes nature walks for both kids and adults on Pier 1, with talks by experts on topics including birding; tree, plant and insect identification; workshops, such as “Build A Bird’s Nest” and a plastics “upcycling” demonstration; crafts; and recycling collections for textiles, gently-used books, clothing and toys. Full details at brooklynbridgepark.org.
Pat Lucey has been a volunteer gardener in Brooklyn Heights for more than ten years. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle
Earth Day celebrations with Brooklyn Org
Brooklyn Org is connecting volunteers on Earth Day Saturday with numerous projects across the borough, including ten focusing on the environment. These include cleaning and caring for Bushwick Inlet Park; gardening along the Brooklyn Greenway; and composting at the Wyckoff House Museum.
As part of this event, the Brooklyn Heights Association is hosting two activities: one is making sandwiches to fill the community fridge, and another is a community litter pickup. They are also hosting a children’s item drive and a book drive. More details at brooklyn.org/volunteerday/.
Ducks float by tug boats in the Gowanus Canal. Photo: Nicole Vergalla/The Gowanus Dredgers
The City Nature Challenge
The City Nature Challenge motivates people around the world to find and document wildlife in their own cities in an annual four-day blitz. Activities take place Friday through Monday.
These include events such as “Exploring Marine Life in the Gowanus Canal” and the “Gowanus Community Festival 2026” with the Gowanus Canal Conservancy; a “Marine Park Biomarathon”; the “Pratt Institute City Nature Challenge” event at Prospect Park; “Buds, Birds, and Bugs Bonanza” at Brooklyn Bridge Park hosted by Urban Park Rangers; seining at Valentino Pier in Red Hook and more. See all the activities at inaturalist.org/projects.
Meet at the Naval Cemetery Landscape on Saturday for an Earth Day cleanup. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle
Naval Cemetery Landscape and Greenway event
The Brooklyn Greenway Initiative will be welcoming the public on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to care for the Naval Cemetery Landscape and adjacent Greenway, located near the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Professionals will guide volunteers in identifying and removing invasive species in the Naval Cemetery, as well as weeding, aerating tree pits and removing trash. Registration is required at Eventbrite.
Open Streets returns to New York City for Earth Day. Shown: The Hort gave away free plants on Hoyt Street between State Street and Atlantic Avenue during 2024’s Open Streets. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle
Return of car-free streets
The New York City Department of Transportation’s car-free streets will be returning for Earth Day on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Select streets will go pedestrian-only to host activism and education surrounding environmentalism and sustainable transportation, along with performances and installations by local artists. Brooklyn’s main event will take place on 5th Avenue, from 41st Street to 45th Street.
As part of the celebration, Citi Bike will offer one-day passes for unlimited 30-minute rides on regular Citi Bikes, sponsored by Lyft. Additional information and locations for events in other boroughs can be found at nyc.gov/carfreenyc.
Cadman Plaza Park is in full bloom, thanks to Mother Nature, the NYC Parks Department and dedicated community volunteers. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle
People enjoy the the Naval Cemetery Landscape. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle
Volunteer Octavio Molina wields his rake in Cadman Plaza Park. Photo: Mary Frost/Brooklyn Eagle