Job Description

Central Park is one of the world’s most famous and beloved public spaces. Designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in 1858, the 843-acre Park was the country’s first purpose-built public park and is a National Historic Landmark and a New York Scenic Landmark. The Central Park Conservancy, a private, not-for-profit organization, was founded in 1980 to rescue the Park, which had fallen into serious disrepair. Since then, the Conservancy has overseen the investment of over $1.5 billion in the restoration of the Park, which now hosts over 40 million visitors a year.

The Conservancy is one of the largest and most successful public private partnerships in New York City and is considered a major civic institution given its impact on the health and vibrancy of both the Park and the City. The Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and celebrate Central Park as a sanctuary from urban life. The City of New York has formally entrusted the care of the Park to the Conservancy which is responsible for every aspect of its care, including landscape maintenance, capital improvements, and the visitor experience. The Conservancy employs roughly 400 people and has an annual operating budget of $100 million.

Position Summary:

The Gardener in the Landscape Management Department of the Central Park Conservancy provides all manner of care to the landscape and planting areas within the park. The Gardener supports the care and maintenance of hardscape areas within an assigned Section. The Gardener works under the guidance of the Section Manager, Assistant Manager and Foreperson. It is expected that the Gardener will work within and across their Section and with other staff in Landscape Management to perform their primary tasks.

Essential Duties:

Technical Responsibilities:

Care for and maintain all plant beds and their surrounding landscapes in an assigned Section according to an established schedule to organizational standards. Monitor landscape plants for insects and diseases.
Perform pruning, weeding, planting, mulching, irrigation, raking, leaf-blowing, sweeping, basic irrigation system maintenance, and other related tasks.
Prepare landscape beds for planting. Plant annuals, perennials, bulbs, woody plants and trees in compliance with approved design. Perform all manner of horticultural care, routine and seasonal maintenance, cultivation, transplanting, and pruning as necessary.
Install and repair fence as needed and as directed
Support waste management operation by picking up and performing proper disposal of trash in landscapes, paths, and perimeter; empties trash cans as necessary; sweep around benches, stairs and entryways
Perform snow removal and ice mitigation on paths, entrances, playgrounds, perimeter, and other hard surfaces with machines and hand labor to provide appropriate levels of access as per established organizational standards
Maintain surface drainage by keeping catch basins free of debris during heavy rainstorms and snow and ice in the winter months

Collaboration & Communication:

Work with volunteers and seasonal interns
Cooperate with other staff within the department and other department personnel in completing assigned tasks
Display the necessary initiative and dependability to work alone or in groups
Keep supervision informed on important developments concerning assigned landscape management tasks
Keep records and makes simple written reports
Ability to use Microsoft Office and other software applications
Interact with Park patrons and colleagues in a professional manner and answer plant identification questions
Assist in the preparation of special events as needed

Related Work:

Operate various types of equipment including utility vehicle, light or medium weight trucks and tractors
Maintain tools and equipment in good working order and report items that require repair
Participate in all training sessions and seminars
Provide reports of malfunctioning infrastructure, furnishings, safety hazards, and quality of life issues
Perform related work as assigned

Qualifications:

A certificate from a horticulture or botanical program containing college-level courses, such as programs offered by the New York Botanical Garden, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or a bachelor’s degree from accredited college in a related field; or
Two years of full-time experience in gardening work, including experience in caring for trees, shrubs, perennial and annual plant material, and lawns; or
Satisfactory combination of education and/or experience that is equivalent to #2 above.
Possess a fundamental understanding and working knowledge of gardening; ornamental and native plant cyclical care including planting, pruning, irrigation, fertilization, weeding, transplanting, and removals.
Valid Drivers’ License that must be maintained for duration of employment
Ability to identify ornamental and native plant material specific to the northeast US
Ability to work overtime, weekends, and holidays as needed
Ability to lift 50lbs. and perform heavy physical labor daily in all weather conditions

Note: This is in-person (not remote role).

Salary range:

Gardener I $48,000 – $58,000 (based on level of experience)

Tagged as: Conservation

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