Christopher Ricker
Christopher Ricker is the Freshkills Park Program Director for the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation. A native Staten Islander, Christopher grew up in New Springville and from an early age become fascinated with the natural world because of visits to the Staten Island Zoo, Clove Lakes and High Rock Park. Christopher holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Adventure Education & Outdoor Studies with a concentration in Natural Resource Management from Green Mountain College. He began his career in NYC Parks with Student Youth Employment Program (SYEP) back in the summer of 2000, in 2003 he was a part of the Ranger Conservation Corps in High Rock Park and later worked as an Environmental Educator in the Staten Island Greenbelt.
Prior to working at the Greenbelt, Christopher was a Conservation Program Manager with the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC); a statewide non-profit conservation and education organization with the mission of teaching young people personal responsibility through meaningful conservation work. During his time at VYCC Christopher developed integrated placed-based, work-based, and experiential leadership curriculums for diverse youth crew. A Leave No Trace Master Educator, and Wilderness Education Association National Standards Practicum recipient, ACA Kayak Instructor Level 1, Project Wild & Wet Instructor and a PADI Advanced Open Water Diver, Christopher is experienced teaching in both the classroom and backcountry settings. Beyond outdoor adventure Christopher is also a Marker Park Radio DJ, a published poet and fiction writer and is learning to play the ukulele.
Chris is excited to create further access to Freshkills Park through kayaking, mountain biking, road biking, running, and other adventure sport opportunities. What drew Chris to Freshkills Park was growing up in New Springville adjacent to the former Landfill and watched in transition into a beautiful green oasis that is Freshkills Park today. His favorite parts of Freshkills are the views over Main and Springville Creek from North Mound, and teaching visitors the history of the Lenape people. “My goals are simple. I want to provide New Yorkers with sustainable adventure opportunities without leaving the 5 boroughs!” says Chris.
