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February
1997
Hideaways
in and Around New York
Compiled by Julie Hughes
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Queens
Alley Pond Park and Environmental Center -228-06 Northern
Boulevard, Douglaston, NY, 718-229-4000. These 635 acres in
eastern Queens contain trails, ponds, meadows, a natural spring,
and marshes among extensive flora and fauna. The Center offers
environmental education programs for children and adults and
will provide guides on trails. For more information, please
call the Center at the number listed above. The Center is open
Monday to Friday from 9am to 4:30pm and Saturday/Sunday from
9am to 3:30pm. The park is open from dawn to dusk and admission
is free at all times. To get to the Center, take the #7 subway
to the last stop which is Main Street, and then grab the Northern
Boulevard #12 bus. Ask the bus driver to let you out at Alley
Pond; the bus stops in front of the Center.
Flushing Meadows-Corona Park -The 1,255 acres that
comprise this park once contained a vast wetland. Now the
park contains several of the city's landmarks. For example,
Shea Stadium, the U.S. Open Tennis Center, the Unisphere
from the 1939 and 1964 World's Fair, and the Hall of Science
now stand where flora and fauna once abounded. In addition
to these, there is park land containing a meadow and a lake
where wildlife can be found, mainly in spring. The park is
open from dawn to dusk and admission is free. To get to the
park, take the #7 to 111th Street, walk down 4 blocks to
53rd Avenue. You will see the entrance to the Hall of Science
parking lot. Follow the signs into the park.
For information on Queens Parks (Kissena, Cunningham, Forest, Clearview,
Astoria), contact the Urban Park Rangers at 718-353-2460.
Long Island
Sands Point Preserve -95 Middleneck Road, Port Washington,
NY, 516-571-7900. This 216-acre preserve features natural
habitats of woodland, fields, a freshwater pond, and a mile-long
stretch of beach. Home to a wide variety of animals and birds,
this preserve also features special exhibitions, most recently "Masters
of the Night: The True Story of Bats." A word of caution
though, Sand's Point is often closed during the winter months,
so call before venturing out. Usual hours are Tuesday to
Sunday from 10am to 5pm and admission is free. The Preserve
is tricky to get to via public transportation so if you decide
to drive, take the Long Island Expressway to Exit 36 (Searingtown
Road North), stay on this road for 6 miles. Searingtown Road
will change names several times, from Port Washington Boulevard
to Middle Neck Road. You will see the entrance after a few
miles on the right.
Staten Island
Clay Pit Ponds Preserve -83 Nielsen Avenue, Staten
Island, NY, 718-967-1976. This 250-acre natural area near
the southwest shore of Staten Island was once the site of
a clay mining operation. Today, the park supports a variety
of habitats such as wetlands, fields, sandy barrens, spring-fed
streams, and woodlands. The area is rich in plant and animal
life. Admission is free and hours are 9-5 daily. On Sundays
from Labor Day through Memorial Day, the Preserve is closed.
Take the Staten Island Ferry from Battery Park. Once on the
Island, take the S74 bus to Arthur Kills and Sharrotts Roads;
this ride is approximately 40 minutes.
For information on Staten Island Parks (Silver Lake, Latourette, Great
Kills, Blue Heron), contact the Urban Park Rangers at 718-667-6042.
Bronx
Wave Hill -675 W. 252 Street, Bronx, NY, 718-549-3200.
This nature spot is a City-owned cultural institution that
provides an oasis of serenity and offers programs in horticulture,
environmental education, and landscape history. Originally
built as a country home in 1843, it has since had visitors
and inhabitants ranging from Theodore Roosevelt to Mark Twain,
and has housed zoologists and conductors. Located on the
Hudson River overlooking the Palisades, a visitor can enjoy
the conservatory and greenhouse, a selection of gardens (herb,
wild, dry, aquatic, monocot, and flower), or hike along the
trail encompassing 10 acres of woodland and meadows which
are being restored with native plants. Wave Hill's Ecology
Building is a two-story stone structure built into the hillside
which serves as classroom space and base of operations for
student crews in Wave Hill's Forest Management Project. Admission
is $4 for adults, $2 for students/children from April to
October, during the winter season admission is free. Hours
of operation are Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 4:30pm. Take
Metro North from Grand Central Station to the Riverdale stop,
walk down 254th Street & make a right on Independence Avenue.
New York Botanical Garden -200th St. and Southern
Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 718-817-8616. One of the oldest and
largest botanical gardens in the world, the NYBG is open
year-round and internationally renowned for its horticultural
excellence, educational programs, and scientific research.
A National Historic Landmark, the Garden's 250 acres contain
wetlands, rock formations, ponds, a cascading waterfall,
and a 40-acre tract of uncut forest. Also on the grounds
is a Victorian glasshouse, the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
(closed until May), the Main Building and the Stone Cottage.
In addition to these attractions, the Gardens offer weekend
programs for kids and families from April to October. Admission
is $3 for adults, $1 for students/children. The Garden is
open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10-4. Take the D or 4 train
to Bedford Park Blvd., walk east eight blocks or take the
#26 bus. Bedford Park Boulevard ends at the Garden gate.
Another option is to take Metro North from Grand Central
Station, ask for the Harlem/Blue Line on the White Plains
Local to the Botanical Garden.
For more information on Bronx Parks (Van Cortland, Pelham Bay, Riverdale),
contact the Urban Park Rangers at 718-548-7070.
Brooklyn
Botanic Garden -1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn,
NY, 718-622-4433. Founded in 1910 and open year round, this
garden located in the middle of one of the largest cities
in the world boasts "many gardens within a garden." Most
delightful are the fragrance, herb, Japanese Hill, native
flora, and rock gardens. In the Steinhardt Conservatory,
a visitor will find desert and tropical pavilions, a Bonsai
Museum, an Aquatic House, and a special feature, the Trail
of Evolution, which traces the development of the natural
world over 3.5 billion years. Admission is $3 for adults
but free on Tuesday; the Garden is open from Tuesday to Friday
from 8am to 4:30pm and Saturday, Sunday, and Holidays from
10am to 4:30pm. The Garden is adjacent to the Brooklyn Museum,
take the 2 or 3 train to Eastern Parkway or the B41, 47,
or 48 bus routes.
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge -Located on Crossbay Boulevard
at Broad Channel, this refuge, founded in 1951 by Robert
Moses, is one of the most important urban wildlife refuges
in the U.S. Encompassing 9,155 acres, it is comprised of
diverse habitats including a salt marsh, upland field and
woods, several fresh and brackish water ponds, and an open
expanse of bays and islands. This spot is known as a prime
birding area where thousands of water, land, and shorebirds
stop during migration. This refuge is open all year long,
everyday from 8:30am to 5pm; admission is free. Take the
A train towards the Rockaways and exit at Broad Channel station.
Walk west to Crossbay Boulevard then north (right) about
1/2 a mile to refuge.
For information on Brooklyn Parks (Prospect, Marine, Floyd Bennett,
Breezy Point), contact the Urban Park Rangers at 718-438-0100.
Manhattan
Pier 84 -Built in 1925 at the foot of West 44th Street,
Pier 84 is currently owned by the City of New York and managed
by the Department of Citywide Administrative Services. The
Friends of Pier 84 have won public access to the dock which,
at one time, was in danger of being reconstructed into a
heliport. Currently, the Pier houses a botanical garden.
Proposed future additions include a dog run, a solar powered
lighting project and a community boathouse. Friends of Pier
84 desperately need help to complete these plans. For more
information on their organization or the Pier, call them
at 212-757-1600. Hours are usually from 7am to midnight but
call for verification.
Central Park -Fifth Avenue to Central Park West, 59th
(Central Park South) to 110th Streets. The 843 acres that
comprise Central Park consist of freshwater ponds, lakes,
pools, and meadows. The Ramble, 38 acres of the Park, provides
birdspotting possibilities amongst its black cherry, black
locust, sycamore, and London plane trees. A large 55-acre
contiguous forest exists within an area known as the Ravine.
For more information on natural areas in New York City a guidebook,
Woodlands, Wetlands and Wildlife: A Guide to the Natural Areas of New
York City Parks can be purchased from the City Parks Foundation, 1234
Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10029 for $5. For information on upcoming
activities around your neighborhood, contact City-Wide Park Info & Special
Events at 212-360-3456. The Green Map [see Wendy Brawer's article for
details] offers more information.
Highlights of Manhattan's Community Gardens
Manhattan's community gardens offer a marvelous series of oases in an
urban desert. Unfortunately, they are under constant and increasing
threat from developers. Get involved, and support your community gardens.
West Side Garden -This community garden, located on 89th and
90th Sts. between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues, is open every day
from morning to evening except during snow or ice. It is a permanent
garden owned by the community and is the most publicly accessible garden
in the city.
Liz Christy Garden on Bowery/Houston -The first garden constructed
and saved by the Green Guerilla movement. Hours are subject to change.
For information on this garden, call 212-674-8124.
6th Street and Avenue B Garden -Thanks to measures taken by the
Trust For Public Land, this garden was recently transferred to the Parks
Department and now has the status of permanent garden. Concerts and
certain events are held here, so call the Parks Department for a calendar
of events.
Northeast Corner of 9th Street and Avenue C -This innovative
community garden contains a series of individualized theme plots; the
most famous one resembles an English garden.
Lower East Side Community Gardens:
Alberts Garden -
2nd St. between 2nd Ave. and Bowery
All People's Garden -
3rd St. between Aves. C & D
Children's Garden -
12th St. between Aves. B &C
De Colores Community Yard & Garden -
8th St. between Aves. B & C
El Sol Brilliante Garden -
12th St. between Aves. A & B
Gilbert's Sculpture Garden -
8th St. between Aves. C & D
Green Oasis Community Garden -
8th St. between Aves. C & D
Jardin de la Esperanaza Hope Garden -
7th St. between Aves. B & C
Jardin los Amigos Garden -
3rd St. between Aves. B & C
La Plaza Cultural Garden -
9th St. between Aves. B & C
Mendez Mural Garden -
11th St. between Aves. A & B
Miracle Garden -
3rd St. between Aves. A & B
Parque de Tranquilidad Garden -
4th St. between Aves. B & C
-J.H.
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