Skip To Content

We conduct innovative research

Clara Pregitzer holds a clipboard and measuring tape in a forest

Why do we study natural areas?

Through our research projects and partnerships, the Natural Areas Conservancy is gaining a better understanding of the value of urban natural areas and their role in combating climate change, both in New York City and nationwide. We’re developing resources and tools that help advance the planning, restoration, and conservation of natural areas now and into the future.

From the cooling effects of trees to funding trends for natural areas, our environmental research digs deep into the economic, public health, and climate benefits of forests, wetlands, and grasslands. Our goal is to fill gaps in scientific knowledge about these critical areas, improve their care, and make the case for preserving them.

See Our Research

What we study

  • Climate IconClimate
  • People iconPeople
  • Urban Ecology iconUrban Ecology
  • Public Policy iconPublic Policy

Issues we're prioritizing

Two interns work in a forest, one wears orange safety vest and looks at clipboard, the other examines trees

More about our recent work

The Impacts of Climate Change on New York City’s Natural Areas

By Jeffrey Clark, Senior Manager of Applied Climate Research Amidst the escalating concerns of climate change, marked by extreme weather events and rising temperatures, the urgency to seek effective solutions ...

Read more
  • Helen Forgione, NAC senior ecologist, adds a sticky note to a bulletin board that reads “scientific research and synthesis”
  • A group of trails crew leverage a boulder using long shovels

    Start your environmental research career here

    The NAC has seasonal and year-round internship opportunities that support both our independent and collaborative research and data analysis efforts.

    See Opportunities
Underside of greens leaves and branches with blue sky behind