How the Urban NEST Fellowship Inspired an Alum’s Career in Community Engagement

Sarah Maloney was the Natural Areas Conservancy’s Urban Forest Plan Community Engagement Fellow in 2025. In this role, she interfaced directly with community members in NYC’s parks and natural areas and gained a unique perspective on how New Yorkers perceive and use our green spaces. She is currently pursuing an M.S. in Urban Planning at Hunter College and will graduate in Spring 2026. 

Read our Q&A with her below to learn more about her experience as a year-long fellow, and what’s next for her career.

1. What kind of work did you accomplish as NAC’s Urban Forest Plan fellow? 

SM: At NAC, I was the year-long 2025 Urban Forest Plan Community Engagement fellow. I supported planning and staffing community events, outreach across boroughs, and the synthesis of public feedback related to the Urban Forest Plan. A lot of my work focused on documenting community experiences and concerns to use for long-term planning. 

Sarah Maloney facilitating an Urban Forest Plan workshop in Inwood Hill Park

2. What inspired you to pursue this fellowship, and how does it relate to your studies at CUNY? 

SM: I was inspired to pursue this fellowship because I wanted to experience environmental justice from a more hands-on perspective. A lot of my academic work was research-based, so I was really interested in being directly in the field and engaging with a community in real time. Overall, it aligned well with my work at CUNY by bringing together lived experience and active, hands-on environmentalism. 

3. What did you learn by surveying NYC park goers?

SM: One of the main takeaways was that people use their local urban forests and  parks for many different reasons. It could be anything from family time and sports, to relaxation and connecting with nature. But often they don’t know much about the natural areas themselves. Many return to the same parks out of familiarity and nostalgia. There’s a gap between how much people rely on these spaces and how much they know about them. (I had asked someone at Forest Park if they ever saw the map of the park, and he said no—even though it was around the corner!)

4. How do you think the fellowship helped shape your career? 

SM: The fellowship for sure shifted how I think about my future career. It gave me a new perspective on environmental and climate justice that’s more people-centered and place-based.

I was able to see how planning, engagement, and environmental work intersect in the nonprofit world in ways that are equally, if not more, impactful than in the private sector or city agencies. 

5. What’s next for you? 

SM: This year, I am finishing up my Master’s degree in Urban Planning and doing some travelling. I hope to secure a full-time role at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene supporting climate resiliency efforts in vulnerable communities in NYC. 

Learn more about the Urban NEST fellowship program.