2021 Projects
Community gardening and beautification projects have included:
- August 2021: a series of events including: a street tree care workshop with NYC Parks staff; a progressive potluck picnic with Aleda Gagarin and Felicia Singh; a free compost giveaway and educational event; a day for street tree care and transplanting new plants near the Yellowstone LIRR Overpass garden; learning how to grow vegetables with the folks at the FH Community Garden; a voter registration and advocacy skills event.
-May 2021: Started a food scrap drop off site in MacDonald Park by the Farmers Market to fill in the gap created when the site was cut due to the pandemic. This site now used by 150 people per week, whose food scraps are composted by Queens Botanical Gardens.
- Yellowstone Garden Community Landscaping Project:
Regular work days at the YG have significantly improved the appearance of the area, which is passed by thousands daily
Advocacy projects have included:
- In 2021, we interviewed NYC Council candidates for District 29, and endorsed both Aleda Gagarin and Lynn Schulman using ranked choice voting.
- Hosting presentations on the NYS Climate & Community Protection Act and the Off Fossil Fuels Act
-Met with Congresswoman Grace Meng and Senator Joseph Addabbo to secure their support of the OFF Fossil Fuels Act
-Advocated for LL97, and worked with Councilmember Koslowitz to ensure her support.
- Testifying in support of congestion pricing; and for safe NYC shoreline protection and against the Army Corps of Engineers proposed multi-billion dollar harbor barrier
FHGT held monthly meetings at Queens Library at Forest Hills until the pandemic, and since then we have moved to Zoom.
Earlier Activities
- Receiving a Love Your Block Grant to beautify the area surrounding the Yellowstone Blvd. LIRR Overpass, and organizing the initial volunteer work day in May 2019
- In 2019, helping to start the community garden at Forest Hills HS, as well as a year-long Ecological and Permaculture Design Program at FHHS, supported by a grant from AM Hevesi.
- In 2018, revitalizing the school garden at the Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School
Visit us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/foresthillsgreenteam/
Contact: Mark Laster and Dan Miner, Co-Chairs, FHGT