OutdoorsIN NEW YORK CITY April/May/June 2018 Welcome to Urban Park Outdoors in Ranger Facilities New York City Please call specific locations for hours. BRONX Outdoors in New York City is a quarterly Pelham Bay Ranger Station // (718) 319-7258 newsletter that highlights Urban Park Ranger Pelham Bay Park // Bruckner Boulevard programs and events throughout NYC Parks. and Wilkinson Avenue This issue focuses on all nature has to offer during spring. Van Cortlandt Nature Center // (718) 548-0912 Van Cortlandt Park // West 246th Street and Broadway Soak in the season while exploring nature on a hike through the forest. Tap into your sense of adventure while canoeing or overnight BROOKLYN camping within the five boroughs. NYC Parks Salt Marsh Nature Center // (718) 421-2021 manages more than 30,000 acres for you Marine Park // East 33rd Street and Avenue U to explore, and the Urban Park Rangers invite you to celebrate Earth Day, Arbor Day, National Trails Day, and other special events MANHATTAN at our parks. It’s a great time to get outside Payson Center // (212) 304-2277 with your family at our Kids Week programs or Inwood Hill Park // Payson Avenue and our annual Urban Wildlife Festival—join us to Dyckman Street learn more about the diverse ecosystem and natural areas around us. 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 1 3 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 4 Sunday, April 22 // Celebrate Earth Day Seton Falls Park // 11:00 a.m. Flushing Meadows Corona Park // 10:00 a.m. East 233rd Street and Baychester Avenue Meet inside the park at the Unisphere 2 Sunday, April 22 // Earth Day Hike 5 Sunday, April 22 // Earth Day: Senses Walk Marine Park// Noon Ocean Breeze Park // 1:00 p.m. Salt Marsh Nature Center, Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex, East 33rd Street and Avenue U 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. BRONX Sunday, April 8 // Birding: Hawk Watch KIDS WEEK Pelham Bay Park // 11:00 a.m APRIL 2–6 Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins on Wednesday, Mar. 28. The kids are out of school, now get them out of the house! Head to the park and Saturday, April 14 // Survival Series: join Urban Park Rangers FREE Kids Week Pack and Prepare programs. Immerse your kids, and yourself, Pelham Bay Park // 11:00 a.m. in the natural world. Experience history, Pelham Bay Nature Center, Bruckner Boulevard wildlife, birds, bugs, and more. and Wilkinson Avenue For a complete list of programs and Saturday, April 21 // Fitness Hike descriptions visit nyc.gov/parks/rangers. Van Cortlandt Park // 10:00 a.m. Ages 12 and under. Van Cortlandt Nature Center, West 246th Street MONDAY, APRIL 2 // 1:00 P.M. and Broadway Bronx: Pelham Bay Nature Center // Brooklyn: Salt Marsh Nature Center // Manhattan: Payson Saturday, April 28 // Survival Series: Center // Queens: Captain Tilly Park // Staten Forest First Aid Island: Clove Lakes Park Van Cortlandt Park // 11:00 a.m. Van Cortlandt Nature Center, West 246th Street TUESDAY, APRIL 3 // 1:00 P.M. Bronx: Van Cortlandt Nature Center // Brooklyn: and Broadway Salt Marsh Nature Center, Fort Greene Visitor Center // Manhattan: Dana Discovery Center // Sunday, April 29 // Freshwater Fishing Queens: Alley Pond Adventure Course // Staten Crotona Park // Noon Island: Greenbelt Nature Center Crotona Nature Center, Charlotte Street and Crotona Park East. Ages 8 and up. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4 // 1:00 P.M. Bronx: Crotona Nature Center // Brooklyn: Salt Saturday, May 12 // Survival Series: Marsh Nature Center // Manhattan: Inwood Hill Water Filtration Techniques Park // Queens: Willow Lake // Staten Island: Pelham Bay Park // 11:00 a.m. Ocean Breeze Pier Pelham Bay Nature Center, Bruckner Boulevard THURSDAY, APRIL 5 // 1:00 P.M. and Wilkinson Avenue Bronx: Orchard Beach Nature Center // Brooklyn: Salt Marsh Nature Center, Fort Sunday, May 20 // Revolutionary New York: Greene Visitor Center //Manhattan: Dana Washington’s Slow Retreat to Victory Discovery Center // Queens: Fort Totten Visitor Van Cortlandt Park // 11:00 a.m. Center // Staten Island: Bloomingdale Park Van Cortlandt Nature Center, West 246th Street and Broadway FRIDAY, APRIL 6 // 1:00 P.M. Bronx: Van Cortlandt Nature Center // Brooklyn: Friday, May 25 // Family Camping Salt Marsh Nature Center // Manhattan: Payson Center // Queens: Forest Park Visitor Center // Van Cortlandt Park // 7:00 p.m. Staten Island: Willowbrook Park Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration 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. Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins on Wednesday, April 11 Sunday, April 29 // Brooklyn Shoreline Bicycle Tour American Veterans Memorial Pier // 1:00 p.m. Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins on Wednesday, April 18. Sunday, May 6 // Saltwater Fishing American Veterans Memorial Pier // 2:00 p.m. Bay Ridge Avenue and Shore Road. Ages 8 and up Sunday, June 3 // Basic Canoeing Van Cortlandt Park // 11:00 a.m. Sunday, May 13 // Basic Canoeing Enter the park at Bailey Avenue and Van Cortlandt Prospect Park // 11:00 a.m. Park South. Meet at the Golf House. Ages 8 and up. Prospect Park Audubon Center, East Drive and Lincoln Road Saturday, June 9 // Survival Series: Firebuilding Van Cortlandt Park // 11:00 a.m. Sunday, May 27 // Nocturnal Wildlife Van Cortlandt Nature Center, West 246th Street Marine Park // 8:00 p.m. and Broadway Salt Marsh Nature Center, East 33rd Street and Avenue U Saturday, June 16 // Basic Canoeing Crotona Park // Noon Saturday, June 2 // Family Camping Crotona Nature Center, Charlotte Street and Prospect Park // 6:00 p.m. Crotona Park East. Ages 8 and up. Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins on Wednesday, May 23. Saturday, June 23 // Survival Series: Overnight Wilderness Survival Saturday, June 9 // Basic Canoeing Van Cortlandt Park // 6:00 p.m. Prospect Park // 11:00 a.m. Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins Prospect Park Audubon Center, East Drive on Wednesday, June 13. and Lincoln Road Saturday, June 16 // Nature’s Workshop: Wind Energy Workshop BROOKLYN Fort Greene Park // 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 7 // Nature’s Workshop: Fort Greene Visitor’s Center, Myrtle Avenue Seashore Nature Art and Washington Park Marine Park // 1:00 p.m. Salt Marsh Nature Center, East 33rd Street and Avenue U MANHATTAN Saturday, April 14 // Nature’s Workshop: Saturday, April 7 // Historic New York: Rubber Band Creations Little Red Lighthouse Marine Park // 1:00 p.m. Fort Washington Park // 1:00 p.m. Salt Marsh Nature Center, Enter the park from the pedestrian bridge at East 33rd Street and Avenue U West 181st Street and Riverside Drive Sunday, April 15 // Birding: Spring Migration Sunday, April 15 // Bridges and Arches of Central Park Prospect Park // 10:00 a.m. Central Park // 11:00 a.m. Prospect Park Picnic House, 5th Street and West Drive 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. Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins on Wednesday, May 30. Sunday, June 17 // Saltwater Fishing East River Park // Noon Enter park at East 10th Street and FDR Drive Friday, June 22 // Family Camping Central Park // 7:00 p.m. Urban Wildlife Festival Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins on Wednesday, June 13. Saturday, May 5 Noon-3:00 p.m. Highbridge Park West 172nd Street and Amsterdam Avenue QUEENS Saturday, April 7 // Historic New York: Fort Totten On Saturday, May 5, get to know your wild neighbors, Fort Totten Park // 10:00 a.m. including squirrels, turtles, skunks, raccoons, deer and Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins coyotes—while participating in games and activities on Wednesday, March 28. to build your awareness and understanding of the natural world. Sunday, April 15 // Stargazing Club: New Moon Fort Totten Park // 8:00pm Fort Totten Visitors’ Center, Totten Road and Cross Saturday, April 21 // Rangers Choice: Island Parkway. Follow signs to Visitors’ Center Landscape Natural History Inwood Hill Park // 1:00 p.m. Saturday, April 21 // Nature Exploration Hike Isham Street and Seaman Avenue Highland Park // 11:00 a.m. Meet at parking lot on Vermont Place Saturday, April 28 // The New York City Naturalist Club: Hawk Nest Watch Sunday. April 29 // City Nature Challenge Tompkins Square Park // 1:00 p.m. Flushing Meadows Corona Park// 9:00 a.m. St Marks Place and Avenue A Meeting location TBA. Lottery registration begins on Wednesday, April 18. Sunday, May 6 // Rangers Choice: Three Sisters Garden Planting Sunday, May 6 // Rangers’ Choice: Inwood Hill Park // 1:00 p.m.