Outdoors Outdoors THE FREE NEWSPAPER OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE JANUARY / FEBRUARY / MARCH 2011 iinn NNewew YYorkork CCityity Includes CALENDAR OF URBAN PARK RANGER FREE PROGRAMS Illustrator: Anne Yen| ©2011 NYC Department of Parks & Recreation 2 CITY OF NEW YORK PARKS & RECREATION www.nyc.gov/parks/rangers URBAN PARK RANGERS Message from: Sarah Aucoin, Director, Urban Park Rangers outside and explore all that the parks and open spaces in the City have to off er, and eff orts to do so will be richly rewarded. For example, during the winter, New York City parks are great places to spot a variety of unexpected wildlife. Bald eagles migrating from northern Canada land on frozen ice fl oes in the Hudson River to hunt for and feed on fi sh from the river, and can easily be spotted from parks along the waterfront in Northern Manhattan, such as Dyckman Ballfi elds in Inwood Hill Park. On sunny winter days, harbor seals haul out of the water and can be seen along the shoreline of Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx and on small islands just off the coast of South Beach in Staten Island. And on winter evenings, migrating Northern saw-whet and long-eared owls can be found roosting in the coniferous trees of the Arthur Ross Pinetum in Central Park. Winter is also a great time to get outside and have fun with your family. Children and adults alike are inclined to frolic happily in the snow and even the most reserved among us can be convinced to join in the building of a snowman or the making of a snow angel. Want to get your heart pumping? Wintertime extreme adventure is closer than you think. After a snowfall, join the Rangers for snowshoeing at Fort Winter in the Northeast may seem like a good time to hunker down in Totten Park in Queens, or experience cross country skiing at Winter a cozy room with a book and a cup of tea, but for nature enthusiasts Jam in Prospect Park. So whatever you choose—be it tracking down and outdoor adventure seekers in New York City, nothing could be extraordinary wildlife or cavorting in the snow—this winter, resist the further from the truth. Winter is actually an opportune time to get urge to hibernate. Instead, bundle up, get out there, and explore! Outdoor News of the city’s fi nest examples of Victorian Gothic architecture and HISTORIC TAVERN ON THE GREEN WELCOMES NEW YORKERS TO one of the park’s most treasured landmarked buildings. The NEW VISITORS CENTER AND OUTDOOR FOOD TERRACE preliminary sketch for the building was published in the First Annual Report of the Department of Public Parks of 1871. Sixty On October 15th, Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe, years later, Parks Commissioner Robert Moses converted the Central Park Conservancy President Douglas Blonsky, Department Sheepfold (which actually housed 200 sheep that grazed across the of Design and Construction Commissioner David Burney, NYC street) into a restaurant named Tavern on the Green, which opened & Company CEO George Fertitta, Mayor’s Offi ce of Media and to the public on October 20, 1934. Entertainment Commissioner Katherine Oliver, and representatives from the Sony Corporation opened a new visitors center and welcomed new mobile food vendors at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. The historic Tavern on the Green building now features a visitors center, gift shop and restrooms. The Tavern on the Green outdoor terrace is also open year-round and weather permitting, featuring high-quality off erings from four mobile food vendors: Ladle of Love, Pera Mediterranean Brasserie, Rickshaw Dumpling Truck and Van Leeuwen Artistan Ice Cream. Located in Central Park at West 67th Street, the new visitors center gives park patrons a one-stop shop for Central Park and citywide information on tours, attractions, and events between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Operated by the Central Park Conservancy, the 2,800 square-foot space off ers a range of Offi cial NYC gifts from the City Store, apparel, and other Central Park souvenirs including t-shirts, sweatshirts, books, mugs, posters and more. The Visitors Center also features a 12-foot model of Central Park that had formerly been on display at The Dairy since the © THE FREE NEWSPAPER OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE 1980s, and a reproduction of the Bethesda Terrace mintonon tile ceiling. Located on Tavern’s 7,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, patiopaatio seating is available for New Yorkers to enjoy world-class foododd between the hours of 10 a.m. and 10 p.m., weather permitting.nng. The terrace opens out onto the park, providing stunning views of tthehe OutdoorsOutdoors in New York City Sheep Meadow. The diverse culinary options, with an emphasiss ono in New York City healthy and tasty treats, include seasonal homemade soups and Director Sarah Aucoin stews, fresh salads, fried truffl ed chickpeas, Turkish tacos, baklava,kllava,a DDeputy Director Bonnie McGuire rice pudding dumplings, and artisan ice cream featuring fl avorsrs such as pistachio, currants and cream. Each of the vendors hass DeputyDeppuuty Director Richard Simon one-year license agreements, with one-year renewal options. Program MManageranna Marta Arroyo Tavern on the Green, originally known as the Sheepfold in GraphicGraphic DesignDes Elizabeth Green Central Park, was designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould Grantst MManageraana Shalini Beath and constructed in the latter half of the 19th century. It is one Urban Park Rangers • 1234 Fifth Avenue • New York City 10029 URBAN PARK RANGERS www.nyc.gov/parks/rangers CITY OF NEW YORK PARKS & RECREATION 3 Composting around NYC By Kathryn Boula, Sergeant, Urban Park Rangers environmentally active. The project encourages Did you know? Americans dump millions of tons of household the neighboring garbage into landfi lls each year! But if you take a good look community to bring inside your trash bin, you might be surprised to fi nd that 75% their food scraps to of that material could be composted instead. Composting is an the Inwood Hill Nature accelerated way of converting organic materials into soil. Each Center to be added of us generates 100 pounds per year of organic waste—which to the 3-phase bin includes food scraps like apple cores, coff ee grounds, eggshells, composting system. The etc.—that gets added to our already overfi lled landfi lls. When that food scraps decompose food begins to rot at the dump, it creates a greenhouse gas called into fertile soil, which methane, which contributes to global warming. Composting is is then used in gardens something that you and your family can do at home or at one of and tree-planting sites the many sites around NYC to be more “green.” all over the city. All of The Inwood Hill Community Compost Initiative is a new project the composting and hosted by the Urban Park Rangers to help New Yorkers be more volunteer activities are led by the Rangers when the Nature Center is open, Wed – Sun from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information about composting, please contact the Inwood Hill Rangers at 212.304.3401. IDEAS FOR GETTING KIDS INVOLVED IN COMPOSTING! • Lead an “insect safari” in a compost bin. Digging around for bugs will aerate the soil! • Rip scrap paper or newspaper into small pieces using a paper shredder or by hand. • Get crafty and make a “compost carrier” out of a milk jug. • Chop food into tiny pieces using scissors or by hand. • Find a fallen log or a pile of leaves to examine decomposition occurring in nature. IT MAY BE COLD OUTSIDE, BUT IT’S THE BEST TIME TO REGISTER FOR SUMMER CAMP! Junior Ranger Day Camp Summer 2011 (ages 8-11) Junior Rangers participate in fun & educational activities and games, immersed in a natural park setting. A summer full of fun! Located in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx and Staten Island. Monday through Friday, 9 am - 4:30 pm. Extended hours: 8:30 am - 5:30 pm. We accept Human Resources Administration (HRA) vouchers. • maps and • plants and trees • Native American • insect collecting • crafts compasses • conservation exploration • bird watching • hikes • • insects • ecology fishing • planting trees • seining • • fish • wilderness canoeing • building shelters • scavenger hunts • • birds survival archery • games and much more! For more information visit our website: www.nyc.gov/parks/rangers 4 CITY OF NEW YORK PARKS & RECREATION www.nyc.gov/parks/rangers URBAN PARK RANGERS City of New York Urban Park Rangers Parks & Recreation Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor EXPLORER PROGRAMS Adrian Benepe, Commissioner Arts and Culture Fishing Nature Exploration See, hear, and participate in crafts, Catch a fish! Freshwater and Learn about plants, wildlife, or stars poetry, writing, dance, acting, saltwater fishing available. in the sky. Bring binoculars if you readings, photography, and open Equipment provided, catch and have them, and a flashlight for microphone nights in our beautiful release only. The NYSDEC requires a evening programs. parks and nature centers. fishing license for everyone 16 years of age and older. To find out more information on how to obtain a Special Events Birding fishing license visit dec.ny.gov/ Our Special Events celebrate nature Learn everything you need to know permits/6091.html. and are great fun for all ages! about birds. Programs highlight different bird types, special park areas, and seasonal highlights. Hiking & Biking Survival & Orienteering Adventure and leisure hikes and bike Learn to survive in the wild. From rides. Nature walks, historic tours, using a map and compass to knot- Camping and greenbelt rides. tying and shelter-building, the Enjoy a night sleeping under the Rangers have workshops to help stars in New York City.