Gov­er­nors Island’s third annu­al Earth Day cel­e­bra­tion will cel­e­brate the pow­er of native plants through free edu­ca­tion­al activ­i­ties and work­shops for all ages, guid­ed tours through the Island’s open space, a par­tic­i­pa­to­ry mur­al inspired by the rela­tion­ship between milk­weed and Monarch but­ter­flies, Gov­er­nors Island Nature activ­i­ties, and vol­un­teer stew­ard­ship projects. The fes­tiv­i­ties will take place on Sat­ur­day, April 20, 2024, from 10am to 3pm in Colonels Row. Free and open to all; Pre-reg­is­tra­tion for morn­ing vol­un­teer projects is encour­aged but not required.

VOL­UN­TEER PROJECTS: 10AM-12PM

Reg­is­tra­tion for vol­un­teer projects begins at 10am in Colonels Row. Project signups are on a first come, first served basis. You can sign up for projects like: 

• Eco­log­i­cal hor­ti­cul­ture with the Trust for Gov­er­nors Island’s Hor­ti­cul­ture Team: solar­iza­tion site prep, milk­weed plant­i­ng, inva­sive species removal, and Nolan Park and Liggett Ter­race cleanup

• Bird-friend­ly glass mur­al mak­ing with NYC Audubon

• Inva­sive species removal with the Bee Conservancy

• Fort Jay cleanup with the Nation­al Park Service

• Laven­der Field care with Earth Mat­ter

• Find­ing Nature focus group with the Insti­tute for Pub­lic Architecture

CEL­E­BRA­TION: 1 – 3PM

• Demon­stra­tions with Duro UAS, RETI Cen­ter, and South Bronx Unite

• Com­post learn­ing and tree care with Earth Mat­ter

• Mate­r­i­al PLAY with the Insti­tute for Pub­lic Architecture

• Bike Skills 101 with Bike New York

• “Decol­o­nized & Decar­bonized Din­ner Par­ty” course exhi­bi­tion with Par­sons-The New School students

• Bird Scav­enger Hunt with NYC Audubon

• Cyan­otype Work­shop with the Trust for Gov­er­nors Island’s Hor­ti­cul­ture Team

• Cir­cu­lar Econ­o­my Man­u­fac­tur­ing Intro and Demonstration

• Milk­weed Plant­i­ng, Seed Ball work­shops, and com­mu­ni­ty mur­al with the Trust for Gov­er­nors Island’s Hor­ti­cul­ture Team

• Ear­ly Spring Migra­tion Bird Out­ing with NYC Audubon

• Tours with the New York Cli­mate Exchange

DOG FESTIVAL

Plus, enjoy a Dog Festival on Governors Island Earth Day! Did you know that dogs are welcome on Governors Island from December 1st through April 30th? This seasonal program gives our canine friends, along with their beloved humans, a chance to roam the island’s beautiful 172 acres of car-free pathways, open fields, and enjoy the sights of New York Harbor!

BetterBone is celebrating with loads of fun activities for you and your pups:

🐶 Indulge your pup’s taste buds at the dog food truck, capture precious memories with pet portraits, and engage in exciting activities hosted by the Museum of the Dog.
Plus, get ready for live training with the experts from School for the Dogs to keep your pups on their best behavior!


🦴 Come visit the BetterBone booth from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM and say hi to our team and learn all about our carbon-neutral dog chew toy made with only 2 all-natural, food-grade, GMO-free ingredients: cellulose and vegetable oil 

🎉 And of course, there will be giveaways from BetterBone that your furry friend won’t want to miss out on!