Nonprofit group makes unlikely transformation of Brooklyn reservoir into classroom: 'It is critical'

A nonprofit based in New York has made an unlikely spot for an outdoor classroom. NYC H2O has turned the former Ridgewood Reservoir into an environmental classroom, according to Spectrum News NY1. 

Dedicated to spreading water ecology education, NYC H2O is working with 16 interns to remove and replace invasive species from the reservoir with native plants. 

The work is not easy. The team must wear waders and boots as they chop the stalks off of aggressive invasive species in 90-degree weather and waist-deep muck. As part of the group tackles the stalks, the rest of the team must remove the roots of the plants so the invasive species won't grow back.

"It is critical, yeah, without [the interns'] help, this won't happen," Zihao Wang, a forester with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, told Spectrum News NY1.

Through the work, though, the interns are learning effective ways to safeguard natural landscapes from invasive species. 

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the Ridgewood Reservoir on the Brooklyn-Queens border was used to supply water to the Brooklyn area. Now the body of water has turned into a freshwater pond overrun with invasive species.

NYC H2O's project is vital for the health of the reservoir's ecosystem. By removing the invasive species and adding native plants, the team is promoting local biodiversity. When invasive species infiltrate an environment, they outcompete local species for key resources. 

Native plants play a crucial role in supporting the health of the local ecosystem. They not only attract key pollinators, such as butterflies and bees, but also provide food and shelter for local organisms. 

All the native plants for the project come from NYC Parks nurseries. The plants are then transported and replanted at the reservoir. 

"The whole idea is to make the reservoir more accessible to the community, and we are hoping in the spring — with the partnership of the Parks Department — to open it up for kayaking," NYC H2O director Matt Molina told Spectrum News NY1. 

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