Go on the record: How to testify and take action for NYC parks and natural areas

There are many ways New Yorkers can speak up and participate in the public process on behalf of our parks and natural areas. While we often focus our attention each year on advocacy around the city budget, there are other important opportunities to speak up about the need to invest in the care and protection of forests and wetlands. Read on for more information about ways the public can speak up on behalf of urban nature!

How can you help advocate for NYC’s natural areas?

• First and foremost, there is always a need for everyday New Yorkers to speak up for a better budget for parks and natural areas! While we have seen some important progress on the budget for NYC Parks in the FY27 budget cycle, the city has still not funded NYC Parks at the level needed to ensure our park system has the staffing and resources it needs. Stay tuned for updates from NAC each winter and spring on ways you can help participate in the budget advocacy process. 
• For day-to-day concerns about your parks and natural areas, you can always reach out to your local Community Board and City Council Member for support. Not sure who your local Council Member is, or which Community Board district you live in? Find out here! There are more resources about calling your elected officials below. Additionally, you can share concerns directly with 311. As a rule you should always consider contacting your local Community Board District Manager and Council Member to share a record of your 311 request and service number, so their offices have a record of the issue on file.

In addition to budget hearings, there are also often opportunities to testify on behalf of parks and natural areas in what are known as oversight hearings. What is an oversight hearing? An oversight hearing is called by a City Council Committee to solicit information and input about particular policy topics or proposed legislation. Oversight hearings also have space for public comment and input, and can be a great way to learn more about how policy gets made!

To track the calendar of City Council hearings relating to parks, you can check on NYC Legistar to see what hearings are on the schedule. NYC Legistar provides detailed information about legislative bills that are introduced, and also shows a record of upcoming and past public hearings (including video recordings of prior hearings), which can be filtered by committee.

At the local level, Community Boards across the city hold monthly meetings to discuss issues around land use, quality of life, and other major policies impacting neighborhoods. Each Community Board also has committees that meet monthly to focus on particular topics, and almost all of NYC’s 59 Community Boards has a committee dedicated to parks and/or the environment. You can learn more about your local Community Board here.

So you’ve decided to attend a public hearing – what comes next?

How to submit written testimony or request to virtually testify to the NYC City Council:

• Go here to sign up to testify at City Council hearings (note – if you are participating in-person, you do not need to pre-register!)
• Scroll to the bottom of the page, and select the method by which you will be testifying.
• Provide your name, email address, and phone number.
• Under the “Select a Hearing” drop-down menu, select the Committee hearing you plan to participate in.
• If you are part of a community organization, you can select “Other,” then provide the name of your organization. If you are testifying as an individual, select “Self.”
• You’ll then have the option to upload your written comment in .DOCX or .PDF format.

If you plan to testify in-person or via Zoom, please note that you will have two minutes or less to share your comments. Keep it brief and to the point! You can always submit longer written comments.

What to include in your testimony:

• Introduce yourself, and your organization if applicable. We also recommend you share your local park or natural area, and highlight your local City Council Member.
• Make your ask early! Remember, most public comment at hearings is limited to two minutes.
• Tell a story about what you’ve seen in your park! Park users, volunteer Pathkeepers, and former natural areas interns have a unique perspective on the need for increased funding or improved policies relating to the care of our natural areas, and your firsthand experiences are important to share with our decision makers.
• Urge the City Council to fight for a better budget and policies for NYC Parks to care for our natural forested areas and trails, and thank them for the chance to speak.

If you’d like to see examples of prior testimony, you can see testimony that the NAC submitted at the recent City Council Committee on Parks oversight hearing regarding the long-term health of our city’s trees.

Tips on calling your local Council Member:

Each Council Member has two offices—a district office and a legislative office. The district office is a great resource for local issues and concerns. The legislative office handles the Council Member’s citywide and policy work. For calls about the city budget, we recommend you contact their legislative office. You can look up the contact information for every City Council office here.

Basics of what to say when you speak with a staff member:

• Share your name, address, and phone number. You can also share if you volunteer for a local park or civic organization.
• Tell the staff member that you are calling to share concerns or information relating to your local park (and during budget season, ask for support for a better budget for NYC Parks!)
• Thank the Council Member and their staff for their time.

Thank you for your help advocating for our natural areas!