Who Takes Care of New York explores the variety of civic groups that exist and thrive in New York City, and the ways that they care for and support their local environments. Displayed through maps, art, and storytelling, this exhibition aims to empower visitors with an understanding of their capacity to make lasting changes in their neighborhoods.

Data, images, and narratives about stewardship in this show are drawn from the Stewardship Mapping and Assessment Project an applied research project of the USDA Forest Service. STEW-MAP has been used in more than a dozen locations worldwide to inventory civic stewardship groups, map their turf, and visualize their social networks. Thousands of stewardship groups are searchable through online, publicly accessible maps' including many informal groups that do not have websites of their own. STEW-MAP databases and interactive maps allow land managers, community organizations, non-profits, and the public to see where environmental stewardship groups are working in a particular landscape of interest. This community organizing tool can be applied to strengthen capacity, promote engagement with on-the-ground projects, and build a more effective partnerships among stakeholders.

Collaborators: Jessie Braden, Zackary Walker, Josephina Matteson, Case Wyse