Secret Gardens: The Plants and Insects That Inhabit NYC's Green Roofs
Sourced from Brick Underground
When you think of New York City’s birds, you probably think of one particular feathered fiend. Sometimes called a “sky rat,” it’s short, often missing toes, and travels in packs. But the pigeon is far from the only bird to traverse the city’s skies.
Gotham’s green roofs—gardens, farms, and planted green spaces—help the city absorb excess rain water during storms and cool the air. They are home to an assorted mix of bats, bees and plants—plus migratory birds that use roofs as rest stops before flying across the continent. The city might look like a concrete labyrinth from the ground, but its skies are teeming with life.
“The story that plays out on a green roof is so fascinating to me. The [roof] was once this useless space devoid of life,” says Dustin Partridge, the director of conservation and science at NYC Audubon. “But then you install these green spaces, and they end up providing this habitat that would otherwise not be there.”
NYC Audubon monitors a handful of green roofs on commercial buildings—including the Javits Center—as part of the Green Roof Researchers Alliance, a consortium of more than 60 researchers including The New School, Columbia University, and The Durst Organization, a developer. But green roofs have become a popular installation for residential buildings too.
“[Green roofs] offer such a Swiss army knife of benefits,” says Anastasia Plakias, co-founder and chief impact officer of rooftop farming business Brooklyn Grange. “It's an investment that improves quality of life for neighborhood residents, migratory and native wildlife has pollinators, and improves quality of life for residents in the building tremendously as well.”
If your building doesn't have a green roof, you might still be able to spot a handful of plants and animals around the city. (Or, you can score a tax abatement from the city to install one). Read on for a list of some of the coolest flora and fauna to flock to NYC.
Migratory birds
Partridge’s favorite birds to spot on green roofs are those that have flown from far flung corners of the continent. One is the blackpoll warbler, which migrates from Denali National Park in Alaska all the way to South America in the fall, according to the National Park Service. It can fly for 72 hours straight despite its small stature; it’s only about half an ounce in weight.
The blackpoll warbler uses NYC’s green roofs as an important pitstop on its journey—fueling up by chowing down on its bugs and flies.
“To think of these birds moving through, finding this tiny roof amongst a sea of concrete, being able to use it for forage space, and successfully using it before they move on to the next stop of their migration is shocking,” Partridge says.
From the Living Architecture Monitor
