Horticulture, Diversity, and Urban Scapes

Rebecca McMackin is an ecological horticulturist and green space designer. She resides in the Connecticut woods, where she writes, lectures, and occasionally designs gardens. As the Arboretum Curator at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, she tends to one of NYC’s finest tree collections, restores historic grave sites, and reintroduces ecological functionality to 400 acres of urban greenspace. Before her current role, she spent a decade as Director of Horticulture at Brooklyn Bridge Park, managing eighty-five organic acres and fostering habitats for birds, butterflies, and soil microorganisms. Rebecca, a 2023 Harvard Loeb Fellow, studied ecological design, history of native plant movements, and science communication, and holds M.Sc. degrees in Biology (University of Victoria) and Landscape Design (Columbia University). She received the 2023 Pollinator Advocacy Award from Pollinator Partnership. Rebecca’s research has influenced urban biodiversity practices and ethical management strategies, and her dedication to enhancing beauty and biodiversity extends across city landscapes. Notably, her garden at Brooklyn Museum demonstrates that ecological gardens thrive even in bustling public areas. Rebecca lectures on garden politics, landscape management, and pollination ecology. She has contributed to publications like the New York Times and appeared on PBS’s Garden Smart, among other programs.