October 2024 was one of the driest months for Madison Square Park, with the area receiving no rainfall compared to NYC’s monthly October average of 4 inches. The extreme weather conditions and their growing unpredictability challenged local plant life and the city’s park management systems.
Central Park also fell victim to the unprecedented drought; according to NOAA, no measurable precipitation was recorded in the area from Sept. 30 to Oct. 28, constituting 29 consecutive days. The total number of days the park endured without rain was 40, which surpassed the previous record of 36 days in 1924.
The unusual heatwave posed another threat to NYC green spaces as the temperatures sometimes reached the upper 70s and lower 80s in October and November.
As a result, 229 brush fires have occurred in the city since Oct. 29, the highest number in two weeks in the history of NYC, as reported by FDNY. 67 of them happened in the Bronx only, followed by 56 wildfires in Queens and 51 in Brooklyn.
The opposite of the fall 2024 weather was experienced just last year when the residents of NYC and nearby areas faced approximately 8 inches of rain on Sept. 29 – more than in any single day since 1948.
The weather severely disrupted the transportation system, infrastructure and educational institutions, forcing officials to declare a state of emergency for NYC, Long Island and other regions.
Stephanie Lucas, a director of horticulture and park operations for Madison Square Park Conservancy, expressed her concerns regarding the influence of climate change on the welfare of flora in the municipal parks.
“We are already feeling the effects,” Lucas said. “As plants decline due to stressful conditions, our city becomes less resilient against future challenges.”
In the urban environment, trees and other types of vegetation perform various crucial functions, such as oxygen generation, carbon dioxide absorption, soil erosion prevention and cooling effect production. Many plants serve as vital food and habitat sources for wildlife.
Additionally, as the NC State University research indicates, certain plants can act as biofilters by removing toxic pollutants like sulfur dioxide and formaldehyde from the air.
Janet S. Hartin, a horticulture advisor at the University of California, expands the importance of plant life by discussing its positive impact on cognitive abilities, mental well-being and societal and community health.
The lack of precipitation and high temperatures along with other unfavorable climate shifts, including the escalating number of storm events, powerful winds and rising sea levels, strained local flora, impairing its essential functions and leading to the decrease of overall biodiversity.
According to the article by the NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, the city is predicted to confront a sea-level rise of around 2.5 feet by the 2050s, which will cause many wetland plants, not adapted to being submerged under water, to become extinct.
To prevent the adverse consequences of climate change, NYC Parks engages in natural areas preservation, shoreline restoration and green space development.
For instance, the implementation of the Forever Wild program resulted in the protection of more than 12,300 acres of land in NYC, a habitat for many plants and animals, including some endangered species. As of today, NYC Parks continues caring for the area by eliminating harmful plant species and maintaining effective trail networks.
Another measure taken by the department is the creation of living shorelines using concrete blocks, used for wave energy absorption and marsh erosion prevention. These blocks operate as habitats for mussels, oysters and other bivalves that play an important role in filtering pollutants from the water.
On its website, NYC Parks also highlights the actions individual parkgoers can take to contribute to the green spaces’ conservation. The department emphasizes the significance of looking after local vegetation, using eco-friendly transportation methods and keeping public areas clean.
