José Ramírez-Garofalo

José Ramírez-Garofalo is an ecologist and the Director of the Freshkills Biological Station. His work focuses on documenting changes in the ecological communities in and surrounding Freshkills Park, as well as understanding the coupled dynamics of the human-natural system. Working with a number of stakeholders, from federal agencies to local non-profits, he uses cutting-edge methods and natural history information to inform natural resource management decisions and conservation actions.

José is an author, and frequently writes about the natural history of the New York City region, including The Birds of Freshkills Park (Freshkills Park Alliance, 2022). He is currently completing The Birds of Staten Island and its Surrounding Waterways with Anthony Ciancimino, an academic text focused on the long-term status of birds on Staten Island and Richmond County, New York more broadly. Additionally he is an Associate Editor for the peer-reviewed journals Urban Naturalist and Check List, a Publication Editor for the Journal of Ornithological Record North American Birds, and serves on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission. José is an elected council member of the Waterbird Society, and is a member of the American Ornithological Society’s Student Affairs Committee. Prior to Freshkills, he worked for the U.S. National Park Service, the New York City Bird Alliance, and as an adjunct professor at the City University of New York.

For all research inquiries related to Freshkills Park, please fill out a research inquiry form here. Please allow approximately three business days for a response.

For all press inquiries related to research occurring at Freshkills Park please fill out a media inquiry form here. Please allow approximately three business days for a response. For inquiries not directly related to Freshkills Park, or for research occurring elsewhere, send an email to jose@freshkills-station.nyc.

ORCID iD icon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0904-6270