How the Central Park Conservancy Works Year-Round for New Yorkers

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Though you’d be hard-pressed to find a New Yorker who hasn’t stepped foot in Central Park, many don’t know the role that the Central Park Conservancy plays in ensuring the Park is a clean and beautiful place for all.

While many assume that Central Park’s care is supported by taxpayer money, the Central Park Conservancy relies primarily on individual donations for funding. Each year, we raise and invest nearly $100 million into the Park’s care with the sole mission of protecting and improving Central Park in perpetuity.

So how does the Central Park Conservancy put those donations to work? For starters, it employs more than 300 committed staff members, including conservators, groundskeepers, and landscape architects, who care for the Park and make it an enjoyable place to be. The fact that visitors can enjoy healthy lawns, clean pedestrian and bike paths, remarkable biodiversity, thriving woodland habitats, and historic structures like Belvedere Castle is all because of its dedicated and expert staff members.

Most visitors don’t think about what it takes to make Central Park a pleasant place to be, and that’s somewhat intentional. It’s meant to feel like a natural environment, but the truth is, it’s a human-made space that requires constant human care. There’s quite a bit of effort and love that’s poured into the Park every day by both staff and volunteers. Just ask Ray and Terrence, two members of the Central Park Conservancy maintenance team who gave a behind-the-scenes look at what it’s like to care for the iconic Sheep Meadow each evening, as they deal with thousands of visitors and collect heaps of trash.

In addition to the day-to-day operations, the Central Park Conservancy is responsible for the most ambitious changes to the Park. Since it was founded in 1980 by citizens who were alarmed by the Park’s deterioration over the prior two decades, the Central Park Conservancy has been responsible for restoring many spaces in the Park.

For instance, the Great Lawn—which most visitors now know as a relaxing place for sunbathing, softball, and picnicking—was previously considered a “dust bowl” due to severe overuse and a lack of maintenance. From 1995 to 1997, the Central Park Conservancy worked tirelessly on the multi-million dollar project of restoring the lawn to the glorious refuge it is today. Of course, the work is never truly done. Even this season, Central Park Conservancy employees diligently worked to ensure the Great Lawn opened for the 2024 summer picnic season.

Other major recent Central Park Conservancy projects include the transformation of the Dene Slope on the east side of the Park into a native meadow with lush grasses and wildflowers and the restoration of the Ramble, which involved the reconstruction of open-air shelters in the woodland area. Belvedere Castle also underwent extensive restoration beginning in 2019, which among other tasks involved installing new drainage and waterproofing systems, recreating a wood tower from the original design, and replacing doors and windows to control interior temperature and moisture while maintaining the historic integrity of the castle.

The Park that New Yorkers know and love today would not be possible without the Central Park Conservancy staff behind the scenes, every single day of the year.

While the Conservancy makes the Park a vibrant sanctuary, so do hard-working volunteers who welcome guests, provide information, and assist with landscaping alongside staff. If you’re looking to give back to the Park, you can find out more about Central Park Conservancy volunteer opportunities. In addition to individual volunteer opportunities, there are also volunteer options specifically for families, teenagers, and corporate groups.

If you don’t have time to volunteer, you can also support the Park through a one-time or recurring donation. If you’re looking for a thoughtful gift that gives back, you can also adopt a Central Park bench, endow a tree, dedicate a paving stone, or donate flowers. All these options directly support the Park in a meaningful way.

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