Stuyvesant Cove Park’s 1.9 acres includes several features that have been designed, built and maintained with a view toward a cleaner and greener open space model. Formerly a concrete factory and other industrial land uses, Stuyvesant Cove Park now represents a shift in civic values and community land use.
At 6 years old, many of the elements of the park’s green master plan have been realized, save the full-scale environmental learning center SOLAR 2. Today, Stuyvesant Cove Park is a public open space that affords citizens diverse passive and active recreation with design and support services that make it an enjoyable green space. Its location East of the FDR affords us with an uninterrupted view of the water, and a continuous greenway from lower midtown to the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Wildlife Habitat #50805
Stuyvesant Cove Park is green in the most literal sense with an ever expanding offering of plants that are indigenous to the region including species such as Echinacea, Amelanchier, Tiarella and Quercus. We also showcase different native grass species, that contribute to the biodiversity of the park as well as help sustain native bird species in the area. The National Wildlife Federation has designated Stuyvesant Cove Park as Wildlife Habitat #50805. To qualify, we met the NWF’s standards due to “conscientious planning, landscaping and sustainable gardening, wildlife may find quality habitat-food, water, cover and places to raise their young.”
Monarch Waystation
In 2008 Stuyvesant Cove Park was designated a Monarch Waystation by Monarch Watch, an educational outreach program based at the University of Kansas that engages citizen scientists in large-scale research projects. Stuyvesant Cove Park has many attributes that make in ideal for a Monarch Waystation, one being its location along the east river. The park also has a number of Milkweed species which are the host plants for Monarch Butterflies. There are also many nectar producing perennials in the park that provide the much need energy source the Monarchs need on their migration south for the winter. Every September Solar One holds a childrens day event where we encourage children and adults of all ages help tag  Monarchs we find in the park in a nationwide project to better understand the great migration these butterflies make each year.
Our park derives much of its character and beauty from a strong identification with its waterfront location. Curvilinear ornamental paths, that mimic the oceans movement, to a selection of plants that are at home on the waters edge, make Stuyvesant Cove Park a unique New York experience.
Sustainability
As a sustainable park, Stuyvesant Cove uses only manually operated tools powered by the strength of dedicated staff and volunteers. The benefits of a maintenance plan such as ours is; a reduction in fossil fuel consumption and emission, a peaceful, quiet park for visitors during maintenance routines, and eliminates our dependence on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Integrated Pest Management is our maintenance philosophy. Whether we carefully pull weeds so as to not disturb the soil, or use non-toxic soy based graffiti removal, we strive to minimize our imprint on the park and its inhabitants.
Maintenance
Stuyvesant Cove Park is maintained by Solar One, a non-for-profit organization under a long-term lease with New York City. Solar One’s offices/classroom are located next to Stuyvesant Cove Park in a solar-powered building the produces most of its own power. Its goal with in the next few years is to build a larger net-zero educational center, replacing the existing office/classroom.
