THE FREE NEWSPAPER OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE OCTOBER / NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2011 INCLUDES CALENDAR OF URBAN PARK RANGER FREE PROGRAMS 2 NYCParks nyc.gov/parks/rangers URBAN PARK RANGERS Fall is a spectacular time to enjoy NYC Volunteers also help restore natural areas, Message From: parks. From leaf peeping to sports and like the wetlands and salt marshes on recreation, the city’s parks offer fantastic Randall’s Island, Inwood Hill Park, Marine Gary Bagley, Executive opportunities for city dwellers to make the Park and other waterfront areas. most of the change of season. Director of New York Cares, Since New Yorkers are the busiest people NYC’s largest volunteer Maintaining parks across the fi ve boroughs around, our volunteer projects take place is a big job, and the Department of Parks around the clock so you can fi t them in with organization. and Recreation makes it look easy. It other fall activities. A few projects are manages more than 29,000 acres – a family-friendly, but be sure to ask before staggering 14% of New York City - including bringing kids along. 1,800 parks, around two million park trees, and much, much more. No one knows this We offer environmental projects in the better than New York City Urban Park winter, too; things like composting, mulching Rangers, who help New Yorkers enjoy all the and building garden sheds. Come spring, parks have to offer. look for our biggest green volunteer event, New York Cares Day Spring (sponsored by Did you know you can help take care of our HSBC Bank), and join 5,000 other caring parks, too? New Yorkers for good, green, fun. You can volunteer 365 days a year with New York That’s where we come in. New York Cares is Cares - indoors and out - reading with the city’s largest volunteer organization. We students, visiting seniors in nursing homes, work with parks citywide, developing and helping people use computers, to name volunteer projects that help keep our a few (1,000 different projects every month). treasured green spaces the best they can be. Our projects tackle important work that I wish you your best fall ever in NYC parks. supplements what Parks’ staff can do and Stroll, play, and if you can, roll up your create meaningful ways for everyone to sleeves and release your inner gardener. The help. parks are our backyard, and we all have a role to play in making them the best they During the fall, New York Cares volunteers can be. I hope to see you out there! rake leaves; mulch; plant tulip, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs that will bloom in the spring; For more information or to volunteer, please and do other tasks to prepare for winter. visit www.newyorkcares.org. Photo by Lyn Hughes MANHATTAN STATEN ISLAND Urban Park Ranger Belvedere Castle: Blue Heron Nature Center: Central Park. 79th St., mid-park. Blue Heron Park. 222 Poillon Avenue, Nature and 212.628.2345 between Amboy Road & Hylan Boulevard. Visitor Centers 718.967.3542 Dana Discovery Center: Central Park. 110th St. & Lenox Ave. High Rock Ranger Station: BRONX 212.860.1376 High Rock Park. Park in the lot at the end of Crotona Nature Center: Nevada Avenue, off Rockland Ave., and Crotona Park. Enter the park at Charlotte St. Inwood Hill Nature Center: follow signs. 718.667.6042. & Crotona Park East. 718.378.2061 Inwood Hill Park. Enter park at W. 218th St. & Indian Road. 212.304.2365 or Orchard Beach Nature Center: 212.304.3401 Pelham Bay Park. Section 2 of Orchard Beach. 718.885.3466 QUEENS Pelham Bay Ranger Station: Alley Pond Park Adventure Center: Pelham Bay Park. Bruckner Blvd. & Alley Pond Park. Enter at Winchester Blvd., Wilkinson Ave. 718.319.7258 under the Grand Central Parkway. 718.217.6034 or 718.217.4685 Van Cortlandt Nature Center: Van Cortlandt Park. Enter the park at W. Forest Park Visitor Center: THE FREE NEWSPAPER OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE 246th St. & Broadway. 718.548.0912 Forest Park. Woodhaven Blvd. & Forest Park OCTOBER/ NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2011 Drive. 718.846.2731 Sarah Aucoin, Director Fort Totten Visitors Center: Bonnie McGuire, Deputy Director BROOKLYN Richard Simon, Deputy Director Salt Marsh Nature Center: Fort Totten Park. Enter park at fort entrance, Marta Arroyo, Program Manager Marine Park. East 33rd St. & Avenue U. north of intersection of 212 St. and Cross Elizabeth Green, Graphic Designer 718.421.2021 Island Pkwy. and follow signs. 718.352.1769 Fort Greene Visitor Center: Fort Greene Park. Enter the park at Myrtle Urban Park Rangers 1234 Fifth Avenue Avenue and Washington Park. 718.722.3218 New York City 10029 URBAN PARK RANGERS nyc.gov/parks/rangers NYC Parks 3 It’s My Park Day Mark your calendar for It’s My Park Day on October 1st. Each It’s My Park Day, thousands of New Yorkers come together to volunteer and celebrate their neighborhood parks at parks and public spaces throughout the fi ve boroughs. At the last It’s My Park Day, more than 9,000 New Yorkers participated in 175 parks throughout the city! How does It’s My Park Day work? • Rake, mulch, plant bulbs, and care for tree Partnerships for Parks invites dedicated pits community groups to organize It’s My Park • Paint benches, fencing, park houses, and Day volunteer projects and free cultural comfort stations throughout playgrounds events in their neighborhood parks. and parks Volunteer activities range from horticulture • Participate in fun, free events for the to painting projects, along with a variety of whole family – including tennis lessons, free events, including kayaking, dance face painting, historic house tours, nature performances, and much, much more! walks and more. YOU can help! On It’s My Park Day, If you can’t make it on October 15th, don’t Partnerships for Parks invites you and your worry – there will be another It’s My Park family to help care for and celebrate our Day in the spring. There are also plenty of parks! Registration is not required—all you other volunteering opportunities throughout need to do is fi nd a local park that’s hosting the year. Partnerships for Parks can put you an It’s My Park Day activity and show up at in touch with a community group that the park that day. It’s that simple. It’s My advocates for and volunteers in parks in Park Day is a great opportunity to meet your neighborhood. If your local park doesn’t local park groups that need year-round help have a group already they can even help you from caring neighbors like you. to get one started. Through MillionTreesNYC you can take a free tree care workshop and It’s My Park Day activities are coordinated learn how to protect and tend to street by local community groups, City Parks trees, or come and get your hands dirty Foundation, and many divisions of the NYC during one of their volunteer planting days. Department of Parks & Recreation, including Urban Park Rangers, Historic For more information about It’s My Park Day House Trust, and Recreation. Here’s a and other volunteer opportunities, visit sampling of how you can get involved: http://www.partnershipforparks.org. • Clean up litter in parks, along shorelines, For information about MillionTreesNYC visit and greenstreets http://milliontreesnyc.org. ©Photo by Daniel Avila/NYC Parks ©Photo by Malcolm Pinckney/NYC Parks 4 NYCParks nyc.gov/parks/rangers URBAN PARK RANGERS Astronomy and Night Sky Programs The wonders of the universe are ready to be discovered and New York City parks are the perfect place to stargaze and explore the night sky. Our Urban Park Rangers will be your guides to the solar system, discussing the science, history and folklore of the universe. Astronomy is consistently rated as a favorite science topic for children and our programs are the perfect gateway for furthering science education. Fall and winter are the best times to observe meteor showers, the phases of the moon, and many planets of the Milky Way. Astronomy programs feature the use of highlight the history and folklore of the telescopes and binoculars to observe solar system, using the naked eye to locate specifi c astronomical events. Many stars and planets. Programs are best programs feature astronomy experts and all enjoyed on clear nights, so please call equipment is provided. Night Sky programs ahead if weather conditions are not clear. ©Photo by Elizabeth Green | NYC Parks BRONX MANHATTAN QUEENS continued Saturday, December 17 Saturday, October 22 Saturday, December 10 The Night Sky/ Van Cortlandt Park 5 p.m. / Starfest 2011 with the Amateur Astronomy / Fort Totten Park 6 p.m. / Fort Golf House, enter park at Bailey Avenue Astronomers Association of NY / Central Totten Visitor Center, 212th Street and and Van Cortlandt Park South Park 7 p.m. – 9 p.m. / Sheep Meadow, enter Cross Island Parkway at West 67th Street and Central Park West BROOKLYN Sunday, November 20 STATEN ISLAND Saturday, November 12 The Night Sky / Inwood Hill Park 9 p.m. / Saturday, December 3 Astronomy / Fort Greene Park 5 p.m. / Fort Inwood Hill Nature Center, West 218th The Night Sky / Wolfe’s Pond Park 6 p.m. / Greene Visitor Center, Myrtle Avenue and Street and Indian Road Comfort Station west of Cornelia Avenue Washington Park Saturday, December 3 QUEENS Astronomy / Marine Park 5 p.m. / Salt Sunday, October 23 Marsh Nature Center, East 33rd Street and Astronomy / Fort Totten Park 7 p.m. / Fort Avenue U Totten Visitor Center, 212th Street and Cross Island Parkway URBAN PARK RANGERS nyc.gov/parks/rangers NYC Parks 5 Conservation, Restoration, and Stewardship Get involved! Help keep NYC clean and green.