THE FREE NEWSPAPER OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE JanuarY/FEBruarY/MARCH 2015 2 NYC Parks nyc.gov/parks/rangers URBAN PARK RANGERS As the snow, ice, and slush fall upon for New York City’s natural wonders, New York City, many of us are inclined to continue to offer many unique opportunities Message From stay in the warmth of our homes, enjoying throughout the winter. Join them to identify the holiday joy and time with our loved raccoon tracks in the snow, spot Red-tail Paul Fontana, ones. But at NYC Parks, we know that this Hawks in bare tree branches, and strap Chief of Staff for is perhaps the best time of year for on snow shoes for a winter hike. This winter New Yorkers to stay active and enjoy season, the Urban Park Rangers are Public Programs the outdoors. introducing several new programs. Nature’s Workshop programs will give you and your The winter morphs our Parks into family an opportunity to create a project wonderlands of joy for millions of children while enjoying one of our nature centers. and adults alike. In New York City, the Our Outdoor Skills program will prepare you juxtaposition of snow and skyscrapers is for your adventures in the great outdoors very iconic; the icicles and white coating and teach you how to be prepared for the change the character of the outdoors into unexpected. Winter is the best time to join something a little bit more magical. And our the Urban Park Rangers as they search parks provide many reasons to get outside, for winter wildlife, including seals, owls even during the coldest months. On days and eagles. when snow cover prevents “business as usual” for many New Yorkers, hundreds So this season, make sure to grab your of staff from NYC Parks mobilize to host snowsuit, boots, mittens, and hat, and head “Snow Days,” bringing sleds, hot chocolate, to your nearest park! New York City parks and fun winter games to open spaces are open year-round, and we are ready to throughout the city. This gives families welcome you. Let an Urban Park Ranger a chance to get outside, get active, and show you how to enjoy the outside even on enjoy the season. the greyest of days; if the cold doesn’t stop our city, it doesn’t have to stop you, either! When the weather outside is frightful, consider it an opportunity to explore a side of New York City that we are only able to enjoy for a few months every year. Our Urban Park Rangers, the spokespeople Credit: Daniel Avila | NYC Parks Urban Park Ranger Nature and Visitor Centers BRONX QUEENS For Nature and Visitor Center hours, call the Pelham Bay Ranger Station: Alley Pond Park Adventure Center: specific location. Pelham Bay Park. Bruckner Boulevard and Alley Pond Park. Enter at Winchester Wilkinson Avenue. 718.319.7258 Boulevard, under the Grand Central Parkway. 718.217.6034 or 718.217.4685 Van Cortlandt Nature Center: Van Cortlandt Park. Enter the park at Forest Park Visitor Center: West 246th Street and Broadway. Forest Park. Woodhaven Boulevard and 718.548.0912 Forest Park Drive. 718.846.2731 THE FREE NEWSPAPER OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE Fort Totten Visitors Center: Urban Park Rangers BROOKLYN Fort Totten Park. Enter the park at fort 1234 Fifth Avenue Salt Marsh Nature Center: entrance, north of intersection of 212th New York City 10029 Marine Park. East 33rd Street and Street and Cross Island Parkway and follow Avenue U. 718.421.2021 signs. 718.352.1769 Director Deputy Director Sarah Aucoin Richard Simon Deputy Director Graphic Designer MANHATTAN STATEN ISLAND Bonnie McGuire Elizabeth Green Belvedere Castle: Blue Heron Nature Center: Central Park. 79th Street, mid-park. Blue Heron Park. 222 Poillon Avenue, 212.628.2345 between Amboy Road and Hylan Boulevard. 718.967.3542 URBAN PARK RANGERS nyc.gov/parks/rangers NYC Parks 3 Community Parks Initiative On October 7, 2014, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Parks Commissioner Mitchell J. Silver, launched the Community Parks Initiative—a multi-faceted program to invest in under-resourced public parks located in New York City’s densely populated and growing neighborhoods with higher-than-average concentrations of poverty. CPI’s first phase will target 35 community parks and 55 neighborhoods across the five boroughs, reaching approximately 220,000 New Yorkers living within a 10-minute walk of the targeted parks. In its entirety, the initiative’s first phase represents over $173 million in capital and expense funding. The announcement was held at Bowne Playground in Queens—one of 35 sites that will benefit from an infusion of capital investment, community outreach, expanded recreational programming, and increased maintenance. CPI represents the first phase of NYC Parks: Framework for an Equitable Future. The framework outlines NYC Parks’ commitment to increasing the accessibility and quality of New York City’s parks in neighborhoods throughout the five boroughs through a dynamic series of immediate steps and long-term initiatives to support sustainable, equitable park development and implement targeted level of service improvements across the park system. Thanks to significant investments by the City Council in increased funding for Credit: Daniel Avila | NYC Parks gardeners, maintenance workers, and community partnership, parks in the CPI initiative will receive critical operating parks. The program will also engage agency the small parks that directly serve support to sustain the capital investments. partners, including the Department of communities. It is also just one of many Additional staff and resources will be Environmental Protection, the Department steps NYC Parks will take toward building allocated across critical categories of Education, the New York City Housing a more equitable future for our park system. including community outreach, capital Authority, and the Administration for Mayor de Blasio has committed New York and planning, recreational programming, Children’s Services to achieve shared goals. City to building and fostering the growth of and park maintenance. Community economic opportunity, social equity, and engagement and stewardship is a hallmark The Community Parks Initiative will bring livable neighborhoods. With the Community of CPI. Through Partnerships for Parks, a NYC Parks’ agency resources together in a Parks Initiative, NYC Parks supports Mayor joint program of NYC Parks and the City coordinated way to better leverage our de Blasio’s commitment to aggressively Parks Foundation, using the proven Catalyst investments, efficiently targeting those tackle equity issues in our communities. model, NYC Parks will engage community resources to address open space needs in stakeholders, such as “Friends of” groups, underserved communities through a and help them build their own capacity to multi-faceted approach. CPI is a scalable use, program, and be advocates for their and intensive approach to improving 4 NYC Parks nyc.gov/parks/rangers URURBANBAN PARK RANGERS Ranger in the Spotlight The Urban Park Rangers connect New Yorkers to the natural world through environmental education, outdoor recreation, wildlife management and active conservation. For over 30 years the Urban Park Rangers have helped New Yorkers of all ages discover the great outdoors, uncovering the natural wonders that exist right here in their own backyard. never have thought I would see deer, What is your favorite park and why? Grant Wheeler coyotes, seals and more in the Bronx! I would have to say Pelham Bay Park is my Urban Park Ranger favorite. As well as being the largest park in What do you enjoy most about being an New York City at 2,772 acres, it has varied NYC Parks Urban Park Ranger? and diverse ecosystems, like a coastal I really enjoy the diversity of tasks this job ecosystem and an urban forest, which I use offers. Every day is different and presents a as outdoor classrooms. This affords the subsequent range of new challenges. From opportunity to explore distinct yet introducing second graders to the urban overlapping ecosystems. A park such as forest, to investigating coyote sightings, you Pelham Bay provides us with an invaluable just never know what to expect. One must chance to see how the different flora and adhere to their training yet be able to think fauna interact. on their feet. What are you most proud of as a Ranger? What are your favorite programs? I think I am most proud of the impact I have I prefer and excel at Ecology and History had on teachers and students. Working with programs. Ecology, the study of ecosystems, dedicated teachers and their students in allows us to respond to and interpret the parks throughout the Bronx really makes stimuli of the natural world as it manifests me feel like I am empowering them to during the moment. For example, to observe become engaged in their community. an owl spring from its roost in search of Teachers ask to schedule additional prey while leading a group of young people programs with me by name. Students from in the woods is incredibly exciting. As for programs in previous years remember me History, we are fortunate to live in a city from our first encounter. My history with a rich and varied historical programs also have a following of patrons. significance. From Native Americans, to British Soldiers, and the Industrial What would you tell someone who wants to Revolution, New York City has seen it all. be a Ranger? This is a challenging but rewarding job. You Credit: Elizabeth Green | NYC Parks Have you ever created a program? must really want it. Urban Park Rangers are Since the parks of New York City are so rich committed to their mission of connecting How long have you been an NYC Parks in history, I wanted to create a program that New Yorkers to the natural world, and they Urban Park Ranger? demonstrated to people how the landscape bring their passion for nature with them I have had the privilege of being an Urban of our City has evolved over the decades.