URBAN ECOLOGY

One Saturday at Inwood Hill Park, I joined volunteers pulling out goutweed, an invasive plant with roots that stretch for meters underground. As my teammate and I dug, we uncovered more than just rhizomes—we found ourselves in a conversation about migration, history, and belonging. The work was humbling, and the questions it raised lingered long after.

What do daffodils, wildflower seeds, and a two-hour bus ride to Staten Island have in common? A surprising journey into New York City’s native plant movement. Join me on a visit to PECaN, the city’s native seed farm, and learn why restoring ecological resilience starts right beneath our feet—in the soil, in the sidewalk tree wells, and in the quiet work of local pollinators.