Author: Cornershop

Fall Foliage Walk

October 19, 2016

For a true taste of autumn in New York, there are few places more spectacular than Prospect Park. Daily visitors will notice the transformation throughout the Park as the canopies turn from lush green to brilliant amber and gold. In preparation for the changing season, we’ve suggested some of our favorite routes through Prospect Park to check out the stunning fall foliage.

Peninsula to Lookout Hill 
While it’s difficult to pinpoint when and where the leaves will begin to change, the horse chestnuts on the Peninsula are typically the first to hint at the start of the season. The woodland paths will guide you through a variety of species, providing some of the most scenic lakeside views in the Park. After winding around the Lake, cross Wellhouse Drive to Lookout Hill, the Park’s highest point, where you will find raspberry bushes with their leaves turning red as well as tulip trees changing to yellow.

Lullwater and Nethermead
Starting at Lullwater Bridge, follow the shoreline toward the Nethermead, where you’ll find some of the earliest signs of the autumnal transition. The watercourse hosts tall maples and London Plane trees that have already begun to change color and drop their leaves.

Ravine to Long Meadow
Walk through the Nethermead Arches and up the slope to the woodland Ravine.  While it might be difficult to see the tops of the towering oak trees, the fruity shrubs, the understory trees will begin to show signs that the fall has arrived.

Grand Army Plaza to Meadowport Arch
One of the most intimate places in Prospect Park is a small oval path just inside its northernmost entrance. Enter the Park at Grand Army Plaza near Prospect Park West, and head toward the Meadowport Arch. You’ll come to a gingko, Nyssa and Japanese Maple. If you catch these trees at the right time, you’ll find them cascading with color from the top down.  From there, the trees begin to change along the Long Meadow like a chain reaction.

To learn more about autumn in Prospect Park, visit both Pop-Up Audubon locations this month, which will feature educational hikes and fun fall foliage activities.

c. Martin Seck

Fall Foliage Unveiled

Fall is in full swing in Prospect Park, and the season is as beautiful as it is fleeting. From the Long Meadow to the Lullwater, the Park’s foliage is a riot of colors, but why does an oak tree blush red while the ginko glows gold? According to Prospect Park Alliance arborists, the answer is in the very leaves themselves.

Most leaves are green in the spring and summer due to the presence of the pigment chlorophyll, a necessary ingredient in photosynthesis. But as autumn approaches, changes occur. “Days are shortening, and winter is coming,” says John Jordan, Director of Landscape Management at the Prospect Park Alliance. “The tree is getting ready to go dormant as a natural part of its lifecycle.” 

As the seasons change, trees respond to the decrease in sunlight by slowing their production of chlorophyll, allowing us to see the other pigments hiding in the leaves. Within a matter of weeks, leaves fade from green into the spectrum of familiar fall colors. Pigments called carotenoids (red, yellow and orange) and anthocyanins (red and blue) take center stage.

“Since chlorophyll has a simpler chemical structure, it degrades more quickly,” says Prospect Park Alliance Arborist Chris Gucciardo, “leaving behind these other pigments, which are responsible for the spectacular fall colors that leave us in wonder.”

So what area should park lovers make sure to visit during this time of year?

“My favorite spot for leaf peeping is along the Park Drive by the lakeshore,” says Jordan. “In that stretch of drive from Park Circle to the LeFrak Center at Lakeside there are many stunning maples with tremendous fall color display each year.”
 
Gucciardo recommends “walking through the Midwood, which perhaps most resembles our native forests in structure, species composition and surely fall color.”

Ready to get out and take in the stunning shades? Read suggestions for four foliage walks through Prospect Park, or stop by PopUp Audubon this month, where Prospect Park Alliance educators will lead fun fall foliage activities for families.

c. Paul Martinka

A Fond Farewell to Lucio Schiavone

“Tanti auguri” is what to say when next you see Lucio Schiavone. The Naples native and beloved Prospect Park Alliance Carousel manager will step down from his post of twenty-six years this coming December. 

Schiavone came to New York in 1963 after marrying his wife, an American. Having attended the Academy of Art in Italy, he pursued a career as a painter and sculptor, and in 1988 was hired by the Prospect Park Alliance to assist in the restoration of the Carousel. The Carousel’s 53 horses, as well as a lion, a giraffe, a deer and two dragon-pulled chariots, were carved in 1912 by Charles Carmel, one of the foremost carousel designers of his era. Shuttered in 1983, the Carousel was in a rough state by the time Lucio was hired. 

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Lucio recounting his first time seeing the ailing Carousel. “One horse didn’t have a head… the giraffe’s back legs were gone.” 

The Carousel restoration, the Alliance’s first capital project in the Park, took 18 months, during which a team including Schiavone reassembled the fifty-one horses and other assorted animals, and fixed the air-pumped Wurlitzer band organ. When the project was completed, Lucio was asked to stay on to run the daily operations of the Carousel, a task that he has relished for decades. “From then up to now, I’ve loved everything I’ve done here, all the kids smiling when they go around. I love the kids, and that’s why I’m still here.”

Because of Lucio’s efforts and meticulous attention to detail, the Prospect Park Carousel continues to be a magical, wonderful amusement for children and adults alike. Lucio’s positive and playful demeanor has brought immeasurable joy to the lives of Prospect Park’s millions of visitors over his career.

Help us kick off Lucio’s retirement on November 5 at 11:45 am at the Carousel! The Prospect Park Alliance will be commemorating Lucio’s significant contributions by naming a favorite horse “Lucio” in his honor, and offering free carousel rides from 12-1 pm. Stop by and to tell Lucio “ci vediamo,” until we meet again. 

RSVP and learn more about Lucio’s November 5 celebration.

Monument to the Unelected

October 5, 2016

NYC Parks, together with the Prospect Park Alliance and Historic House Trust, is pleased to welcome Nina Katchadourian’s Monument to the Unelected to Prospect Park’s Lefferts Historic House. This temporary installation, consisting of 58 signs bearing the names of the losing candidates from every presidential election in American history, will be on view from November 5 through 13, 2016, on the house’s lawn facing Flatbush Avenue. The installation coincides with this year’s presidential election, and once the results are official, it will eventually include a sign with the name of the loser of the 2016 Presidential Election. The Alliance will present a mock election and programming for youth at the house on Election Day.  

Katchadourian was originally commissioned by the Scottsdale Museum of Art to create a new work around the time of the 2008 presidential election and became interested in the plastic election signs sprouting up on front lawns, in vacant lots, and at busy intersections around Scottsdale, Arizona. She points out that “these markers tend to crop up in the weeks leading up to an election, after which they disappear, with some of the names going on to take office and others being largely forgotten.” The signs also struck her as an American tradition of sorts and with an aesthetic all their own.

Working with designer Evan Gaffney, Katchadourian created a series of signs bearing the names of every person who ever ran for president and lost. Each sign was made in a contemporary design vernacular, even if it advertised a candidate from a previous century. None of the signs are designs that were used in the candidates’ actual election campaigns. Many of the signs borrow directly from the designs of signs that she documented in Scottsdale; others were modeled on signs seen in other parts of the country. All the signs are printed on corrugated plastic using similar commercial production methods as common election signage.

This project is supported by the Historic House Trust’s Contemporary Art Partnerships program and the New York State Council on the Arts. 

Get the New Prospect Park App

September 20, 2016

Looking for more ways to better explore and appreciate Brooklyn’s Backyard? Prospect Park Alliance has launched the Park’s first mobile app. The app is available now for iPhone, and Android. Through generous funding from the Brooke Astor Fund for New York City Education in The New York Community Trust, the Alliance was able to create an app that will help visitors better navigate the Park and discover its many destinations and attractions. It is also intended to help visitors expand their knowledge of Park history, wildlife, nature and much more.

The app is focused on an interactive map, which is designed to help visitors make the most of all of the Park’s 585 acres, and features a number of categories of destinations, from family-friendly fun to historic monuments and sites, recreation, natural areas and places to enjoy with dogs. In addition, the Park can be grouped into regions, to better explore and discover new areas, and you can track your progress in the Park through an activity log that tracks how much of the Park you have explored, and the distance covered.

A Learn + Explore section includes fun, interactive games and challenges that test your knowledge of Park history, nature and trivia, as well as exploration of the Park. Visitors can earn badges and prizes as they complete challenges and learn more about the Park.

The app also keeps you up-to-date on all the latest Park news and events, how to get involved as a member or volunteer with the Prospect Park Alliance, and general Park information, including hours, directions, event venues, permits and more.

A special thanks goes to the Rehash Studio team for working to make this app a reality.

The Prospect Park app is available in the Download the new app today on the iTunes store, and on Google Play. It’s free, so download it today and get exploring!

PPA Profiles: Tammy Hall, Storyteller

September 19, 2016

Veteran storyteller Tammy Hall began her career 20 years ago with the Prospect Park Alliance at Lefferts Historic House, and since that time has grown into one of the Brooklyn’s favorite teller of tales. In Prosect Park, she brings to life stories from around the world, as well as those told to the Lefferts grandchildren by matriarch Femmetie in the 18th century. In addition, she celebrates the work of Brooklyn’s own Ezra Jack Keats as part of the Alliance’s summer storytelling series at Imagination Playground. On September 25, the Prospect Park Alliance will celebrate this important milestone with a Storytelling Festival at Lefferts Historic House.

Tammy was born in Tennessee, where she grew up listening to Southern tales told by her father, and in the past 20 years as a storyteller has expanded her repertoire to hundreds of stories. In addition to her work with the Prospect Park Alliance, she teaches Folk Arts at the Dr. Betty Shabazz School in Brooklyn (PS 298) and has performed at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Apollo Theater and Symphony Space.

But Prospect Park is where it all began, according to Tammy. “I was in Prospect Park taking my daughter to the Carousel when I noticed Lefferts Historic House and spied a man telling tales under a large tree. The sight of him with his arms in the air engaging the audience was intoxicating and I thought this is something I have to do.”

Tammy was introduced to former Lefferts director Vivienne Shaffer, and began to volunteer during events, which turned into a professional appointment for Scary Stories of the Past at Halloween, and Summer Songs and Stories, which she performs to this date.

Maria Carrasco, Vice President for Public Programs at the Alliance, describes her work: “When Tammy tells her tales, stories come to life, imaginations soar and we are encouraged to expand our thinking and move beyond just being an observer. Tammy is amazing to work with and we are proud to be able to help her celebrate this wonderful milestone.”

Join us for the Storytelling Festival on September 25, and hear some of Tammy’s most beloved stories. RSVP today.

Enjoy Fall Migration in Prospect Park

With more than 250 species of birds spotted in Prospect Park each year, bird watching is one of the more tranquil ways to enjoy the Park, and this month is the start of the peak season for fall migration. The Park’s location along the Atlantic Flyway led to its destination as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society, and the creation of the Prospect Park Audubon Center, where the Prospect Park Alliance offers bird watching activities throughout the year, including walks led by the Brooklyn Bird Club.

With a pair of binoculars, a bird guide and an adventurous spirit, take a stroll through Prospect Park and try to spot the wide variety of southbound birds, such as the aptly named Yellow-Rumped Warbler (pictured above), which begins to migrate through Prospect Park in mid-September. Download the new Prospect Park App to take our bird watching challenge and see how many birds you can spot throughout the Park.

Alliance Supervising Educator Steven Wong, who organizes activities at the Audubon Center, recommends some of the top spots in the Park for bird watching, including Lookout Hill, the Peninsula, the Ravine and the Lake, and the Alliance visits many of these areas during its free bird watching walks.

“We offer nature walks on Thursdays and Fridays at the Audubon Center until the end of December,” said Wong. “We also offer an introduction to bird watching through out Pop-Up Audubon program, which runs on the weekends until the end of October, and one of themes this month is Radical Raptors. All of our programs are free and we provide binoculars and bird guides.”

Visit the Prospect Park Alliance bird watching page for the latest events, and also a map with top birding locations.

Jordan Rathkopf

Dog Beach Reopens After Renovation

September 13, 2016

Brooklyn’s dogs won’t need to sweat the heat! Dog Beach—a popular swimming area for dogs – has re-opened after two months of restoration and reconstruction.

The renovations included replacing pavement with natural stone slabs from upstate New York, replacing chain link fencing with a less intrusive, underwater fencing that provides a durable barrier separating swimming dogs from wildlife. The project also saw removal of invasive plants and installation of native ones to stabilize the pool edge and foster the health of the Lake’s aquatic habitats. All of this work benefits the Park’s diverse  wildlife populations, from fish and turtles to resident and migratory birds.

Dog Beach was closed to the public in early July to accommodate this work, and was initially scheduled to reopen in early 2017. However, the Alliance worked quickly and efficiently to open the beach ahead of schedule.

“Dog Beach is a treasured community resource, and off-leash hours are a unique resource for Brooklyn’s dogs and their owners,” said Sue Donoghue, Prospect Park Alliance President. “We commend our in-house design staff, whose hard work meant that we were able to improve this amenity and return it to public use quickly.”

“The early reopening of Dog Beach at Long Meadow in Prospect Park is welcome news to families making memories with their furry friends,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “I am proud to have worked with the Prospect Park Alliance and the City Council’s Brooklyn delegation to fund these enhancements to Dog Beach, which, in combination with renovations to the Long Meadow ballfields, will make Brooklyn’s backyard a more welcoming environment for all of its visitors, whether they walk on two legs or four.”

“Even though it’s September, the “dog days” of summer are just beginning in Prospect Park,” said Council Member Brad Lander. “I’m happy that pups and pooches from across Brooklyn can return to a new and improved dog beach, and in time for a few refreshing summer swims. Thank you to the Prospect Park Alliance, [the NYC Parks Department], and my fellow Brooklyn elected officials for supporting this renovation, along with so many other projects currently underway in Prospect Park, and for completing the project nearly a full 6 months ahead of schedule.”

The re-opening was welcomed by the dog-owning community, who flock to the Long Meadow during off-leash hours. Visit our Things To Do With Dogs page for more details on off-leash hours and locations.

Funding for this project was provided by the Brooklyn Borough President’s office, Council Members Brad Lander and Stephen Levin, and the Brooklyn Delegation, as part of the renovation of the adjacent Long Meadow Ballfields.

Art in the Park: Art Slope

August 30, 2016

Prospect Park Alliance is partnering with the Park Slope Civic Council to bring a new multi-arts festival to Park Slope. Taking place over nine days, from September 17 through September 25, Art Slope will unite artists from all over Brooklyn as they display their work, which speaks to issues such as sustainability, politics and social happenings.

In cooperation with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, ten installations will be in Prospect Park. With works ranging from sculpture to painting, film to performance art, live music and sound installations, all kinds of art will be available to interact with and learn from throughout Park Slope.

The festival will kick off with a “Wearable Art Walk” at Washington Park on September 17 at noon. Artist Maria de Los Angeles has created a line of wearable paper dresses reflecting social, historical, and political issues affecting the children of undocumented immigrants, which she will wear and discuss on the catwalk.

Art Slope events are free and open to all ages. Please visit artslope.nyc for more information.

Return of the Goats

August 18, 2016

This week, the Prospect Park Alliance welcomed back the herd of goats that are helping to restore woodlands in the Park’s northeast corner. The goats, which first came this past May, did such a great job chomping and chewing their way through the large number of weeds that had overtaken the area, that the Alliance sent them home to their farm in Rhinebeck, New York, until there was more for them to eat.

The first person to greet their arrival was Mary Keehbauch, the foreperson of the Alliance’s Natural Resources Crew, which oversees woodland restoration in the Park. “It is great to have the goats back to continue their important work,” said Mary. Sadly, the herd is returning a bit smaller, with Raptor and Skittles staying in Rhinebeck. “We will miss them, but their absence just reflects how productive the goats were in removing weeds during their first stay in the Park.”

What is it like to work with goats? According to Mary this earth-friendly approach has been a learning experience. “Each day the crew (which is also performing restoration work), first checks the goats, bringing them fresh water and herding them to the area that needs the most grazing. We secure them in the area having learned the hard way that the goats want to be where ever we happen to be working. They treat us as if we are an extension of their group. It’s sweet, really.” At the end of the day, the goats are returned to their overnight pen with fresh water and enough forage to last until the morning.  

Mary’s history with the Alliance, and the Park, goes back further than the goats. She began working at the Alliance nearly 10 years ago, starting with an internship with the Natural Resources Crew. This blossomed into playing a central role supervising the planting of the new landscape at the LeFrak Center at Lakeside, as well as the White Levy Esplanade and Baier Music Island, which serve as wildlife habitat.

After a brief hiatus from the Park to serve as the horticultural supervisor at Brooklyn Bridge Park, Mary returned this year to lead the charge with the Park’s goats. Mary not only ensures that the goats are well cared for and the invasive plants removed, but also oversees the planting of native plant species to the area, which will create important habitat for wildlife, including the Park’s nearly 250 species of birds.

It’s a major challenge, but between Mary, her crew and the goats, removal of invasive species and the full reintroduction of native plants is an attainable goal. And Mary, who considers herself more of a conservationist than a horticulturalist, gets to live her dream. “I figured out a way to live in New York City but still play in the woods all day.”

Learn more about goats at Prospect Park.