Episode 10: Ecologist Eric Sanderson on How NYC Transformed From Wetlands and Forests to Concrete and Skyscrapers

Eric Sanderson, vice president for urban conservation strategy at the New York Botanical Garden and the author of the best-selling book, Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City, joins Emily Weidenhof and Kyle Gorman, assistant director of programs and partnerships in NYC DOT’s Public Realm team. They discuss how the city looked before European settlement, the influence of indigenous trails on the city’s first streets, the shift from agriculture to housing as transportation methods expanded, and the effect of climate change on the future of NYC’s streets and public space.

Chapters

• 0:40 How Eric Sanderson Defines Ecology
• 2:00 How Does Transportation Fit Into Ecology?
• 3:52 The Creation of the First Streets
• 6:01 What NYC Looked Like Before It Was a City
• 9:08 What NYC Looked Like Before It Was a City (12,000 Years Ago)
• 11:12 The Underlying Ecology That Shaped the City We Know Today
• 14:23 Similarities Between Nature and Cities
• 15:14 How Cars Shaped NYC's Ecological Landscape
• 17:02 The Link Between Oil, Cars, and the Suburbs
• 19:37 Listeners, We Want To Hear From You!
• 20:34 The Future of NYC From an Ecologist’s Perspective
• 22:47 Studying Native Bee Species With Rutgers University
• 24:51 How Climate Change Is Affecting Flood Conditions
• 28:31 The History of Naming Places in NYC
• 30:35 Integrating Ecology Into Urban Planning
• 32:22 Eric's Biggest Breach of Transportation Etiquette
• 34:23 What Eric Is Most Enthusiastic About for the Future of Transportation
• 35:47 A Message From NYC DOT Commissioner Rodriguez