In 1995, Bette Midler founded the New York Restoration Project (NYRP) after seeing how much neglect had taken over New York City's parks and green spaces.
She started by bringing together friends and family to clean up parks in Northern Manhattan. Three decades later, NYRP had planted more than 200,000 trees and built or renovated more than 300 green spaces across New York City.
Why Bette Midler started NYRP
NYRP's story began in Northern Manhattan.
According to the organization, Midler returned to New York in 1995 and found many streets, neighborhoods and parks covered in litter and affected by years of neglect. She recruited friends and family to help remove garbage from Fort Tryon Park and Fort Washington Park.
On July 7, 1995, Midler joined friends and more than 100 volunteers at Fort Washington Park to clear refuse from the area. The park had suffered from neglect and disrepair, with parts of it overrun by trash and invasive plants.
Fort Tryon Park was also one of the first New York City parks where Midler began cleanup and restoration work that year.
From park cleanups to work across New York City
NYRP's work eventually expanded beyond those early cleanups in Northern Manhattan.
Today, the nonprofit works with residents across all five boroughs to renovate community gardens, restore parks, plant trees and promote urban agriculture. It owns and operates more than 50 community gardens and stewards more than 80 acres of parkland in Northern Manhattan.
The organization has also worked with city agencies and community groups on projects aimed at improving access to green space.
