NYC Upper West Side Transforms into Urban Refuge for Migratory Birds and Insects

Habitat Restoration on the Upper West Side

• 🌳 The Broadway Mall Association is transforming street medians on the Upper West Side into an urban refuge.
• 💡 The project initially aimed to refresh plantings but evolved into a full-blown habitat restoration effort.
• 제거 invasive weeds and replacing them with native plants to support local wildlife.

Supporting Migratory Birds

• 🐦 New York City is a critical stopover point for migratory birds along the Atlantic flyway, one of four major historic migration routes.
• ✈️ Approximately 25 million birds pass through NYC during migration season, often exhausted from long journeys.
• 🔋 The restored medians provide essential feeding and resting spots for these exhausted migratory birds.

Project Funding and Future Plans

• 💰 The $2 million project is primarily funded through donations.
• 📈 If successful, the initiative aims to expand the urban refuge model to other areas.
• 🏞️ The project continues a 19th-century model of bringing nature into the city.