Sara Morgan, Author at North Brooklyn Parks Alliance

North Brooklyn Parks Alliance. “NBK Parks Calls On Community To Reimagine BQE.” [press release] February 10, 2023.

Horticultural Fellowship

The North Brooklyn Parks Alliance Horticultural Fellowship is a twelve-week volunteer program with special opportunities and perks: horticultural skill building in our nursery and seed plots, training in data collection and identification using iNaturalist, and experience managing volunteers at stewardship events. This program is ideal for high school graduates, college students, or individuals seeking to add horticultural experience to their resumes. As a Fellow you will:

Volunteer weekly at Under the K Bridge Park on Fridays for 5 hours (~50 hours total over a 12 week period).
Be encouraged to attend and assist with 5 weekend stewardship events.
Join NBK Parks staff as guests for professional development opportunities and special events, like the Annual Fall Gala.
Receive a certificate upon successful completion of the program; you may be offered letters of recommendation or consideration for future horticultural positions.
Spring Fellowship is from April 1 – June 30; Fall Fellowship is from October 15 – December 15.

To apply, interested applicants should email info@nbkparks.org with subject NBPA Horticultural Fellowship including a cover letter responding to the following prompts: What do you hope to learn as a NBParks Horticultural Fellow? How does this align with your prior experience and career goals? Include any other information you feel would be relevant to securing your position. Resumes are encouraged but not required. Please include at least one reference with an email and phone number. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, but we will not take on more than 4 fellows at a time.

Under the K Bridge Park – Gardener (1 Job Opening)

Seasonal (April 15 – November 15), hourly, 35 hours/week at $20/hour
Work takes place at Under the K Bridge Park; may also support small-scale gardening efforts in other spaces cared for by North Brooklyn Parks Alliance
Maintains health of the gardens and all planted areas within the park, assists with seasonal projects (such as soil remediation, nursery production, seed collection), and works alongside Grounds Crew Members to keep the park free of litter, pet waste, and weeds
Able to use horticulture tools and basic power tools safely and effectively
Able to perform manual labor outdoors in all weather conditions
Must have a smartphone and valid NY State driver’s license
Reports to Director of Horticulture & Stewardship
Application due 3/18/24. Learn More

Under the K Bridge Park – Maintenance Technician (1 Job Opening)

Seasonal (April 15 – November 15), hourly, 35 hours/week at $21/hour
Work takes place at Under the K Bridge Park; may also support operations efforts in other spaces cared for by North Brooklyn Parks Alliance
Maintains and repairs park facilities and equipment; keeps the park free of litter, graffiti, pet waste, and weeds; assists with light construction, landscaping, and build projects
Able to use power tools and equipment safely and effectively
Able to perform manual labor in all weather conditions
Must have a smartphone and valid NY State driver’s license
Reports to Assistant Director of Operations, collaborates with Foreman
Application due 3/18/24. Learn More

Neighborhood Operations – Mobile Crew (3 Job Openings)

Seasonal (April 15 – November 15), hourly, 35 hours/week at $20/hour
Work is based at Under the K Bridge Park and includes mobile service routes throughout Brooklyn Community Board District 1
Supports the care and maintenance of public plazas, dog runs, and public spaces, including trash, graffiti, and pet waste removal, storm drain clearing, and timely response to service requests
Able to use basic power tools and equipment safely and effectively
Able to perform manual labor in all weather conditions
Must have a smartphone and valid NY State driver’s license
Reports to Assistant Director of Operations
Application due 3/18/24. Learn More

Under the K Bridge Park – Event Production Crew (2 Job Openings)

Seasonal (April 15 – November 1), hourly, 30 hours/week at $21/hour
Work takes place at Under the K Bridge Park
Support all aspects of UTK’s concerts and programming, including day-of-event preparation and breakdown, liaising with internal teams and event partners, and conducting crowd control
Able to use basic power tools and equipment safely and effectively
Able to perform manual labor in all weather conditions
Must have a smartphone and valid NY State driver’s license
Reports to Assistant Director of Operations, collaborates with Deputy Director
Application due 3/18/24. Learn More

Lisa Bloodgood (she/her) joined North Brooklyn Parks Alliance in 2022 as the Director of Horticulture & Stewardship. She brings to the role a deep knowledge of the area, from plants to pollutants, as well as a wealth of experience engaging with North Brooklyn communities on matters relating to the local environment and sustainability.

Lisa currently resides in Williamsburg and can trace her ancestry all the way back to Dutch settlers in Queens and Brooklyn in the 1660’s! However, she first fell in love with plants in California: her family moved there from West Nyack, New York when she was a teenager, and the drastic differences between the natural environment on the east vs. west coast helped spark her curiosity in the natural world.

As an adult, Lisa moved to Brooklyn to pursue a career in the arts—but found herself repeatedly drawn to horticultural endeavors: tending to her own backyard garden and helping to establish gardens at local schools. She pursued her passion in academic and applied ways, obtaining a degree in Earth & Environmental Science from Brooklyn College while working as the Environmental Policy Advisor and Community Liaison for the office of Stephen Levin, former NYC Council Member for District 33.

Lisa went on to work at Newtown Creek Alliance as Director of Advocacy & Education, aiding the organization in their community-based approach to revitalizing this fraught waterway. She has also served, and continues to serve, on several boards, advisory councils, and steering committees for organizations like New York City Brownfield Partnerships and Mt. Sinai Transdisciplinary Center on Early Childhood Environmental Exposures.

At NBK Parks, Lisa looks forward to helping ensure that Under the K Bridge Park is stewarded responsibly and can thrive as a public green space in an unlikely setting: under the Kosciuszko Bridge, in the Greenpoint Industrial Business Zone, and abutting the Newtown Creek.

North Brooklyn Parks Alliance. “NBK Parks Announces New Artist Collaboration With Steve Wasterval.” [press release] November 17, 2022.

NYC Council Member Lincoln Restler’s Office. “Council Member Lincoln Restler Announces District 33 Street Tree Plan.” [press release] November 2, 2022.

Edwin Hernandez joined North Brooklyn Parks Alliance in spring 2022 as the Operations Manager. Born and raised in Cooper Houses, Edwin has seen firsthand how under-utilized industrial sites in Greenpoint and Williamsburg—like Under the K Bridge Park—can be transformed into vibrant community spaces. Outside of his role at NBK Parks, Edwin is an accomplished creative fiction writer and has self-published more than a dozen short stories!