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Thousands Of New Yorkers Show Mother Nature That New York Cares

NEW YORK(CBSNewYork) - Thousands of volunteers across the city spent their Saturday lending a hand as part of New York's annual "Spring Greening".

New Yorkers rolled up their sleeves, flexed their green thumbs and hit the dirt. They planted grass, spread mulch, and restored worn out garden beds.

CBS 2's Mark Morgan spoke with one volunteer.

"In order to allow native plant species to flourish, we need to get out invasive species. That's What everyone here is hard at work doing," said Naisargi Shukla.

Staurday's event featured five-thousand volunteers. The massive group cleaned up eighty-two parks, gardens, and playgrounds in the five boroughs.

"We really do need citizens, locally and across the city to dig in...literally.. to make their parks a better place for everybody to enjoy this summer," said Gary Bagley, the Executive Director of New York Cares.

New York Cares placed special emphasis on the Hudson River shoreline where volunteers picked refuse out of the water.

'We're cleaning up the shoreline, pulling up some tires. Lots of styrofoam, people's take out containers...Whatever we can find that isn't supposed to be here," said Eridania Suarez of Corona Park, Queens.

The goal of the program is to allow New Yorkers to reap the benefits of a beautified city during the spring and summer.

What type of green activities did you take part in this weekend? Let us know in our comments section below...

 

 

 

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