A $1.2 million grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Ford Foundation and the JPB Foundation aims to support an initiative from The Fresh Air Fund to turn New York City's closed streets into open spaces for children to play this summer.
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covidmunity
Of all the media images that the Covid-19 crisis has generated in recent weeks, it is the city devoid of crowds that has perhaps been the most affecting. It doesn’t matter whether it’s New York, or Rome or London — it is the empty public space that most clearly signifies something is wrong. There ought to be crowds, and there aren’t. It is the classic horror movie trope. Closer to home, it is what most disturbs and compels us about contemporary Detroit — except we are all Detroiters now.
Photo: In Barcelona, under the guidance of Oriol Bohigas in the 1980’s the city built or remade some 160 public spaces. The Parc de Joan Miro featuring the Dona i ocell statue was one of them. Credit:Tony Marshall/PA Images, via Getty Images
“The whole world is under risk,” said Andrade, environmental manager for the city of Paulista. “But this was a moment of happiness. It was a feeling that nature was transforming itself.”
For centuries, humans have pushed wildlife into smaller and smaller corners of the planet. But now, with billions in isolation and city streets emptied, nature is pushing back. Wild boar have descended onto the streets of Barcelona. Mountain goats have overtaken a town in Wales. Whales are chugging into Mediterranean shipping lanes. And turtles are finally getting some peace.