Outdoors IN NEW YORK CITY April/May/June 2018
Welcome to Outdoors in New York City Outdoors in New York City is a quarterly newsletter that highlights Urban Park Ranger programs and events throughout NYC Parks. This issue focuses on all nature has to offer during spring. Soak in the season while exploring nature on a hike through the forest. Tap into your sense of adventure while canoeing or overnight camping within the five boroughs. NYC Parks manages more than 30,000 acres for you to explore, and the Urban Park Rangers invite you to celebrate Earth Day, Arbor Day, National Trails Day, and other special events at our parks. It s a great time to get outside with your family at our Kids Week programs or our annual Urban Wildlife Festival join us to learn more about the diverse ecosystem and natural areas around us. Urban Park Ranger Facilities Please call specific locations for hours. BRONX Pelham Bay Ranger Station // (718) 319-7258 Pelham Bay Park // Bruckner Boulevard and Wilkinson Avenue Van Cortlandt Nature Center // (718) 548-0912 Van Cortlandt Park // West 246th Street and Broadway BROOKLYN Salt Marsh Nature Center // (718) 421-2021 Marine Park // East 33rd Street and Avenue U MANHATTAN Payson Center // (212) 304-2277 Inwood Hill Park // Payson Avenue and Dyckman Street QUEENS Alley Pond Park Adventure Center (718) 217-6034 // (718) 217-4685 Alley Pond Park // Enter at Winchester Boulevard, under the Grand Central Parkway Forest Park Ranger Station // (718) 846-2731 Forest Park // Woodhaven Boulevard and Forest Park Drive Fort Totten Visitors Center // (718) 352-1769 Fort Totten Park // Enter the park at fort entrance, north of intersection of 212th Street and Cross Island Parkway and follow signs STATEN ISLAND Blue Heron Nature Center // (718) 967-3542 Blue Heron Park // 222 Poillon Ave. between Amboy Road and Hylan Boulevard 2 Cover photo: NYC Parks Outdoors, April/May/June 2018
3 1 4 2 5 Earth Day NYC Parks has plenty of ways for you to celebrate Earth Day this year, with volunteer opportunities at your local parks, family-friendly festivals, lectures, crafts, and more! Visit nyc.gov/parks for a complete list of Earth Day Events. 1 Sunday, April 22 // Earth Day Hike Seton Falls Park // 11:00 a.m. East 233rd Street and Baychester Avenue 4 Sunday, April 22 // Celebrate Earth Day Flushing Meadows Corona Park // 10:00 a.m. Meet inside the park at the Unisphere 2 Sunday, April 22 // Earth Day Hike Marine Park// Noon Salt Marsh Nature Center, East 33rd Street and Avenue U 5 Sunday, April 22 // Earth Day: Senses Walk Ocean Breeze Park // 1:00 p.m. Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, 625 Father Capodanno Boulevard 3 Sunday, April 22 // Earth Day Hike Inwood Hill Park // 11:00 a.m. Payson Center, Payson Avenue and Dyckman Street 3
Urban Park Ranger Programs For a complete detailed listing of programs and to register, visit nyc.gov/parks/rangers. KIDS WEEK APRIL 2 6 The kids are out of school, now get them out of the house! Head to the park and join Urban Park Rangers FREE Kids Week programs. Immerse your kids, and yourself, in the natural world. Experience history, wildlife, birds, bugs, and more. For a complete list of programs and descriptions visit nyc.gov/parks/rangers. Ages 12 and under. MONDAY, APRIL 2 // 1:00 P.M. Bronx: Pelham Bay Nature Center // Brooklyn: Salt Marsh Nature Center // Manhattan: Payson Center // Queens: Captain Tilly Park // Staten Island: Clove Lakes Park TUESDAY, APRIL 3 // 1:00 P.M. Bronx: Van Cortlandt Nature Center // Brooklyn: Salt Marsh Nature Center, Fort Greene Visitor Center // Manhattan: Dana Discovery Center // Queens: Alley Pond Adventure Course // Staten Island: Greenbelt Nature Center WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4 // 1:00 P.M. Bronx: Crotona Nature Center // Brooklyn: Salt Marsh Nature Center // Manhattan: Inwood Hill Park // Queens: Willow Lake // Staten Island: Ocean Breeze Pier THURSDAY, APRIL 5 // 1:00 P.M. Bronx: Orchard Beach Nature Center // Brooklyn: Salt Marsh Nature Center, Fort Greene Visitor Center //Manhattan: Dana Discovery Center // Queens: Fort Totten Visitor Center // Staten Island: Bloomingdale Park FRIDAY, APRIL 6 // 1:00 P.M. Bronx: Van Cortlandt Nature Center // Brooklyn: Salt Marsh Nature Center // Manhattan: Payson Center // Queens: Forest Park Visitor Center // Staten Island: Willowbrook Park BRONX Sunday, April 8 // Birding: Hawk Watch Pelham Bay Park // 11:00 a.m begins on Wednesday, Mar. 28. Saturday, April 14 // Survival Series: Pack and Prepare Pelham Bay Park // 11:00 a.m. Pelham Bay Nature Center, Bruckner Boulevard and Wilkinson Avenue Saturday, April 21 // Fitness Hike Van Cortlandt Park // 10:00 a.m. Van Cortlandt Nature Center, West 246th Street and Broadway Saturday, April 28 // Survival Series: Forest First Aid Van Cortlandt Park // 11:00 a.m. Van Cortlandt Nature Center, West 246th Street and Broadway Sunday, April 29 // Freshwater Fishing Crotona Park // Noon Crotona Nature Center, Charlotte Street and Crotona Park East. Ages 8 and up. Saturday, May 12 // Survival Series: Water Filtration Techniques Pelham Bay Park // 11:00 a.m. Pelham Bay Nature Center, Bruckner Boulevard and Wilkinson Avenue Sunday, May 20 // Revolutionary New York: Washington s Slow Retreat to Victory Van Cortlandt Park // 11:00 a.m. Van Cortlandt Nature Center, West 246th Street and Broadway Friday, May 25 // Family Camping Van Cortlandt Park // 7:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, May 16th. 4 Outdoors, April/May/June 2018
Friday, April 20 // Family Camping and Nature Meditation Marine Park // 7:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, April 11 Sunday, April 29 // Brooklyn Shoreline Bicycle Tour American Veterans Memorial Pier // 1:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, April 18. Sunday, June 3 // Basic Canoeing Van Cortlandt Park // 11:00 a.m. Enter the park at Bailey Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South. Meet at the Golf House. Ages 8 and up. Saturday, June 9 // Survival Series: Firebuilding Van Cortlandt Park // 11:00 a.m. Van Cortlandt Nature Center, West 246th Street and Broadway Saturday, June 16 // Basic Canoeing Crotona Park // Noon Crotona Nature Center, Charlotte Street and Crotona Park East. Ages 8 and up. Saturday, June 23 // Survival Series: Overnight Wilderness Survival Van Cortlandt Park // 6:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, June 13. BROOKLYN Saturday, April 7 // Nature s Workshop: Seashore Nature Art Marine Park // 1:00 p.m. Salt Marsh Nature Center, East 33rd Street and Avenue U Saturday, April 14 // Nature s Workshop: Rubber Band Creations Marine Park // 1:00 p.m. Salt Marsh Nature Center, East 33rd Street and Avenue U Sunday, April 15 // Birding: Spring Migration Prospect Park // 10:00 a.m. Prospect Park Picnic House, 5th Street and West Drive Sunday, May 6 // Saltwater Fishing American Veterans Memorial Pier // 2:00 p.m. Bay Ridge Avenue and Shore Road. Ages 8 and up Sunday, May 13 // Basic Canoeing Prospect Park // 11:00 a.m. Prospect Park Audubon Center, East Drive and Lincoln Road Sunday, May 27 // Nocturnal Wildlife Marine Park // 8:00 p.m. Salt Marsh Nature Center, East 33rd Street and Avenue U Saturday, June 2 // Family Camping Prospect Park // 6:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, May 23. Saturday, June 9 // Basic Canoeing Prospect Park // 11:00 a.m. Prospect Park Audubon Center, East Drive and Lincoln Road Saturday, June 16 // Nature s Workshop: Wind Energy Workshop Fort Greene Park // 1:00 p.m. Fort Greene Visitor s Center, Myrtle Avenue and Washington Park MANHATTAN Saturday, April 7 // Historic New York: Little Red Lighthouse Fort Washington Park // 1:00 p.m. Enter the park from the pedestrian bridge at West 181st Street and Riverside Drive Sunday, April 15 // Bridges and Arches of Central Park Central Park // 11:00 a.m. East 60th Street and 5th Avenue Photo: NYC Parks 5
Saturday, June 2 // National Trails Day Hike Inwood Hill Park // 11:00 a.m. Isham Street and Seaman Avenue Saturday, June 9 // Family Camping Inwood Hill Park // 7:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, May 30. Sunday, June 17 // Saltwater Fishing East River Park // Noon Enter park at East 10th Street and FDR Drive Urban Wildlife Festival Saturday, May 5 Noon-3:00 p.m. Highbridge Park West 172nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue On Saturday, May 5, get to know your wild neighbors, including squirrels, turtles, skunks, raccoons, deer and coyotes while participating in games and activities to build your awareness and understanding of the natural world. Saturday, April 21 // Rangers Choice: Landscape Natural History Inwood Hill Park // 1:00 p.m. Isham Street and Seaman Avenue Saturday, April 28 // The New York City Naturalist Club: Hawk Nest Watch Tompkins Square Park // 1:00 p.m. St Marks Place and Avenue A Sunday, May 6 // Rangers Choice: Three Sisters Garden Planting Inwood Hill Park // 1:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, April 25. Sunday, May 13 // Basic Canoeing Central Park // 11:00 a.m. Harlem Meer, West 110th Street and Lenox Avenue Saturday, May 19 // The New York City Naturalist Club: Urban Wildlife Central Park // 11:00 a.m. East 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue Saturday, May 26 // Twilight Canoe Adventure Central Park // 8:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, May 16. Friday, June 22 // Family Camping Central Park // 7:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, June 13. QUEENS Saturday, April 7 // Historic New York: Fort Totten Fort Totten Park // 10:00 a.m. begins on Wednesday, March 28. Sunday, April 15 // Stargazing Club: New Moon Fort Totten Park // 8:00pm Fort Totten Visitors Center, Totten Road and Cross Island Parkway. Follow signs to Visitors Center Saturday, April 21 // Nature Exploration Hike Highland Park // 11:00 a.m. Meet at parking lot on Vermont Place Sunday. April 29 // City Nature Challenge Flushing Meadows Corona Park// 9:00 a.m. begins on Wednesday, April 18. Sunday, May 6 // Rangers Choice: Gather Around The Campfire Rockaway Beach // 7:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, April 25. Saturday, May 19 // Illustrating Birds Captain Tilly Park // 1:00 p.m. Highland Avenue and 165th Street Sunday, May 20 // Stargazing Club: The Full Moon Alley Pond Park // 8:00 p.m. Enter at Winchester Boulevard under the Grand Central Parkway and proceed to the Alley Pond Adventure Course 6 Photo: NYC Parks Outdoors, April/May/June 2018
Saturday, May 26 // Birding: Hawk Watch Astoria Park // 10:00 a.m. Meet in parking lot at Hoyt Avenue North and 19th Street Saturday, June 2 // National Trails Day: Pat Dolan Trail Flushing Meadows Corona Park // 11:00 a.m. Mauro Playground, Park Drive East and 73rd Terrace Sunday, June 10 // Historic New York: General Slocum Astoria Park // 11:00 a.m. begins on Wednesday, May 30. Saturday, June 16 // Stargazing Club: New Moon Rockaway Beach // 8:00 p.m. Meet at Boardwalk and Beach 116th Street Saturday, June 23 // Tree ID Hike Captain Tilly Park // 1:00 p.m. Highland Avenue and 165th Street STATEN ISLAND Saturday, April 7 // Nature s Workshop Blue Heron Park // 1:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, March 28. Sunday, April 15 // Tree ID Hike Clove Lakes Park // 11:00 a.m. Martling Avenue and Brooks Pond Place Saturday, April 21 // Animal of the Month Club: Northern Gannet Wolfe s Pond Park // 1:00 p.m. Comfort Station near parking lot at the end of Cornelia Avenue Saturday, April 28 // Nature Photography: Wildflowers Brookfield Park // 11:00 a.m Parking lot at Arthur Kill Road and Brookfield Avenue Friday, May 11 // Family Camping Blue Heron Park // 7:00 p.m. begins Wednesday, May 2. Sunday, May 13 //Archery Lemon Creek Pier // 10:00 a.m. Hylan Boulevard and Sharrott Avenue Sunday, May 20 // Freshwater Fishing Clove Lakes Park // 11:00 a.m. Parking lot near Park Drive and Clove Road Sunday, May 27 // Staten Island 1680-2018: Historic Houses of Conference House Park Conference House Park // 11:00 a.m. Visitors Center parking lot at Hylan Boulevard Satterlee Street Saturday, June 9 // Birding: Raptors Brookfield Park // 10:00 a.m. Parking lot at Arthur Kill Road and Brookfield Avenue Sunday, June 10 // Saltwater Fishing Lemon Creek Pier // 11:00 a.m. Parking lot at Sharrott Avenue and Hylan Boulevard Saturday, June 16 // Family Camping Willowbrook Park // 6:00 p.m. begins on Wednesday, June 6. Photos: NYC Parks 7
Be a Tree Detective! Trees make great neighbors they produce oxygen for you to breathe, they make shade in the summer, and they provide animals with food and shelter. They re all tree-rific to have around, but they re not all the same. Did you know that there are almost 240 different kinds of trees growing in NYC? You can become a Nature Detective by learning how to tell trees apart. Look closely for clues on and near the tree you re trying to identify, and you ll see it s elemen-tree! Have something you d like to share? Tag us @NYCParks on Twitter and Instagram. Draw your tree here: Draw a line from each circle below to place on your tree where you might find it! Draw a leaf Draw an animal What shape is your tree? Seed Samples Locust Seedpod Sweetgum Seed Oak Acorns Maple Samaras Draw a seed THIS DETECTIVE WORK WAS COMPLETED BY: