AmeriCorps Member – Volunteer Management and Recruitment: Eltan Samoylov

12.19.25

My name is Eltan Samoylov (he/him), and I will serve as an AmeriCorps Member (1 of 3) for the 2025-2026 service term at Freshkills Park under NYC Parks. My role, Volunteer Management and Recruitment Member, will focus on building capacity at the park while serving to meet the needs of New Yorkers. My major focus will be on supporting the park’s Docent program, which will allow more visitors to learn about the area’s past, current developments, and vision for the future.

Previously, I earned both my undergrad and graduate degrees in Computer Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY). I am now transitioning to education (with a focus on the outdoors and engaging the public in learning about the environment) through the Science Learning and Public Engagement program at CCNY. While at CCNY, I served as the CCNY Outdoors Club’s Outreach Coordinator, which involved learning about and connecting with local organizations to provide unique experiences for my college’s community.

My future career aspirations are to continue providing opportunities to conserve public lands and to connect students with educational outdoor programming. My goal is to instill an appreciation for the Great Outdoors (even if it’s your local park, too), which will help better protect it.

During my free time, I enjoy hiking in our local trail systems, making sure to stop, listen, and appreciate my surroundings. My favorite trail systems/parks are Inwood Hill Park (Upper Manhattan), Forest Park (Queens), and, of course, The Greenbelt (Staten Island). See you out there! 🤠

What are you working on, and why do you think it’s interesting/important?

I will serve as a Volunteer Management and Recruitment AmeriCorps Member, with a focus on the park’s Docent program. I am excited to expand the park’s ability to host guided tours, which focus on the area’s historical and natural context.

What drew you to Freshkills Park?

Freshkills Park will be the largest park created in NYC in over 100 years. Not only that, but it’s also a living laboratory, where new techniques in land reclamation and habitat restoration are studied. Sharing the park’s vision with the public and being part of such a large project drew me in.

What is your favorite topic surrounding Freshkills Park and why?

The birds! Using the presence of indicator species, like the osprey and the grasshopper sparrow, to understand the overall health of the waterways and grasslands of the Fresh Kills ecosystem fascinates me. Watching these and other birds soar gracefully from the top of the mounds gives me hope for the future, one where our impact can be cleaned up.