A river runs through a fall forest of red and yellow leaves

Before New York: Walk & Booksigning

November 7, 2026

10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Join us for early access to the highly anticipated publication of BEFORE NEW YORK: The Natural Geography of the City: An Atlas and Gazetteer, by Dr. Eric Sanderson, with a historical ecology walk through the living landscape of NYBG followed by a booksigning at NYBG Shop.

Landscapes in Dialogue: A Historical Ecology Walk at NYBG

10:30 a.m.
Meet at the Visitor Center Reflecting Pool

Join NYBG’s Dr. Eric W. Sanderson for a guided walk that traces the Garden’s ecological history and examines how its landscapes have changed over time. Participants will explore key sites that reveal the Bronx’s geologic and ecological origins, learn how past conditions shaped today’s environment, and see firsthand how NYBG is restoring habitats to support a resilient future. Participation is for registrants only.

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A green and blue book cover that reads "Before New York"

Booksigning: Before New York

12 to 1 p.m.
NYBG Shop

Join Dr. Eric Sanderson for a signing of his new book, BEFORE NEW YORK: The Natural Geography of the City: An Atlas and Gazetteer. This monumental work is the culmination of more than 25 years of research, featuring 75 original maps, 200 color illustrations, and nearly 4,000 detailed descriptions of streams, wetlands, rocks, plants, animals, and Indigenous settlements. An epic expansion of Sanderson’s bestselling and critically acclaimed book Mannahatta, this atlas and gazetteer brings to life the land we now describe as the five boroughs of New York City, revealing what has vanished, what survives, and what could be restored with vision and care.

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