January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day

Squirrel on the court during US Open, Photo courtesy of Sports Illustrated

This blog post is written by Lee Hittner-Cunningham, the Alliance’s Natural Areas Stewardship Coordinator who is serving in partnership with Americorps.

Squirrels are a common sight in New York and across much of the country, in landscapes rural, urban, and suburban. We often forget to appreciate common things–we see them every day, and come to take them for granted. In the case of squirrels, some of us go beyond taking them for granted and simply dislike them. They dig up our gardens, chase beautiful birds off our bird feeders, and are often considered a pest. When I went home for the holidays, my father showed me the series of baffles he had set up around his bird feeders to discourage squirrels, and sighed about how they occasionally managed to outsmart this system and jump onto the feeders from nearby trees. While I could sympathize with his frustration, I also took a moment to look at our backyard, at the distance the squirrels must be leaping to overcome the baffles, and admire the physical ability and mental acuity of these animals. This Squirrel Appreciation Day, I invite you to join me in my admiration.

The long jumps–up to 10 times the length of their body–that the squirrels in my father’s backyard were making to get to his bird feeders is one of their impressive physical abilities. This, paired with the flexibility of their ankles, makes them adept at moving between trees. In watching squirrels overcome bird feeder baffles, we can see their dexterity in combination with their intelligence as they use creative approaches to overcome obstacles. This intelligence is also on display in the strategies squirrels use to protect their buried nuts. Squirrels have been observed pretending to bury nuts while keeping their food in their mouth to throw off other animals that might be watching them. Being clever and nimble has allowed these animals to survive and thrive in a variety of environments.

The presence of squirrels in cities is a fairly recent development, and one caused by human intervention. They were introduced to urban parks in the 1870s, and since then, their population has grown to make them the common city-dwellers they are today. This means that if you’re out and about in the city today–and especially if you’re in a park–you’re likely to see one of these scrappy New Yorkers. If you have a moment to spare, take a moment to watch them, considering the host of skills it takes for them to make it in the city. 

December 5th is World Soil Day!

This blog post is written by Lee Hittner-Cunningham, the Alliance’s Natural Areas Stewardship Coordinator who is serving in partnership with Americorps.

World Soil Day was first celebrated on December 5, 2014, after it was designated by the United Nations as a day to celebrate and raise awareness about the vital role that soil plays in the health of our planet. This year’s theme is Soil and Water: A Source of Life. Plants can’t grow in compacted soil that lacks nutrients, and the loss of plant life goes on to impact the rest of the ecosystem, from the microorganisms that live in soil to animals that rely on plants for food. Compacted soil is also unable to absorb water, making it prone to flooding in extreme weather. As extreme weather conditions become more and more common, it becomes more and more important to tend to our soil.

One way to improve the health of soil is by adding compost to it. Composting is the process that turns food scraps, leaves, and other organic waste into a soil-like substance that can be used as mulch or fertilizer. All biodegradable materials will eventually decompose, but composting creates a hospitable environment for the microorganisms responsible for decomposition, efficiently converting waste into usable compost. The environmental benefits of composting are several: it reduces the amount of waste going to landfills, cuts greenhouse gas emissions, and creates a useful product.

At FMCP, we are using compost to remediate bare, compacted lawn areas. The compost adds nutrients to the soil and welcomes back microorganisms, making the soil healthy enough for plants to grow in it. We have long partnered with the Queens Botanical Garden to compost our fallen leaves, and this year, we are starting our own compost pile. In the future, we'll be able to use the resulting compost in gardening, tree planting, and lawn restoration. 

The transformation of food scraps and leaves into compost is a reminder of how life feeds life, and of the larger ecosystem in which we all belong. Soil sustains us all, and if we’re thoughtful about how we manage waste, we can give back to the soil.

You can be part of that giving back! Composting is becoming more accessible for NYC residents. By October 2024, Curbside Composting will be available to all city residents—and it’s already available throughout Queens! If Curbside Composting isn’t available in your neighborhood yet, you can take your compost to a drop-off site.

World Wildlife Conservation Day 12/4

This blog post is written by Lee Hittner-Cunningham, the Alliance’s Natural Areas Stewardship Coordinator who is serving in partnership with Americorps.

On December 4th we celebrate World Wildlife Conservation Day to raise awareness about endangered flora and fauna. NYC Parks staff are working throughout the city to safeguard a variety of species by monitoring animal populations to mitigate threats and managing habitats to protect the natural areas where they live and reproduce.

The parks themselves are critical urban green spaces that allow species to live alongside humans in the city. You can observe local flora and fauna throughout Flushing Meadows Corona Park, which is host to a variety of ecosystems.

You can also stop by the Queens Zoo, located on the far side of the Hall of Science Bridge near the Unisphere. While it's not connected to FMCP, the Zoo is a great place to visit while you're at the park. You can learn about (and see!) a variety of species from North and South America, including formerly endangered species such as the American bison and the bald eagle. The existence of these formerly endangered species is a testament to the effect of conservation efforts and the importance of continued action. Guided by their motto, “Saving Wildlife and Wild Places,” Queens Zoo is engaged in work to reestablish endangered species such as the New England cottontail and the Puerto Rican crested toad.

Throughout the park, our stewardship work is aimed in part at making FMCP a welcoming habitat for the many species of flora and fauna in New York. Wildlife in the city face many challenges, including pollution (including light and sound pollution), habitat loss and fragmentation, and migration difficulties created by buildings and highways.

Given these challenges, urban green spaces are key to conservation efforts. We invite you to join us in our stewardship of the park at volunteer events throughout the year, where we will undertake projects such as planting a variety of native species, removing invasive ones, and cleaning up litter. This work allows the native flora and fauna to flourish here at FMCP.

National Take a Hike Day 11/17

Happy National Take a Hike Day!

This blog post is written by Lee Hittner-Cunningham, the Alliance’s Natural Areas Stewardship Coordinator who is serving in partnership with Americorps.

This day, established by the American Hiking Society, is observed annually on November 17th to encourage all people to take advantage of America’s trails and raise awareness of the positive impact hiking can have on your mind and the body. 

If you’re looking to take a hike here in Queens, we invite you to walk the Pat Dolan Trail around Willow Lake. It is one of the few natural area trails in New York City; a truly rare luxury in the concrete jungle!

This trail offers a quiet respite from the speed and sound of the city, and is populated by a variety of trees and animals. On your walk, you may spot cottonwood, oak trees, and willows. Keep your ears open for the sounds of bird calls.

Halfway down the trail, there’s a fork leading to Willow Lake, where you can enjoy the view across the water. We ask that you use this trail rather than cutting through the trees to get to the water–let’s respect our wildlife neighbors and not disrupt their habitat!

Willow Lake is home to many waterbirds, including black ducks, mallards, and cormorants. If you look to the sky, you might spot a red tailed hawk. An urban hike is an opportunity to slow down, enjoy the natural world, and remember the many non-human New Yorkers with whom we share the city.

As members of our community and users of the trail, we ask that you help care for it. Here are some simple things you can do to keep the Pat Dolan Trail beautiful and safe for all the living things that share it:

• Not littering, and helping us clean up litter when you can safely do so

• Staying on the trail and leaving

• Appreciating the trees and wildlife from a respectful distance

We also welcome you to trail maintenance and appreciation events we will be holding in the coming months. The work we’re doing includes cleanup, desire line closures, and flood mitigation.

Join our Stewardship Team mailing list or check our calendar to be the first to know when new volunteer opportunities are announced.

Happy Trails! We’ll see you in the park.

Great Blue Herons and Native Habitats in NYC

This blog post comes from AFMCP’s Natural Areas Stewardship Coordinator, Lee Hittner-Cunningham, who is serving our park in partnership with Americorps:

Walking around Meadow Lake, I’ve seen a great blue heron several times standing near the shore. While a single heron is a common sight in the park, you’re unlikely to see more than one at a time. During mating season, herons form pairs and nest in groups, building in secluded areas. Outside of mating season, they are solitary animals. Unlike herons, humans are a highly social species, but I find that the image of a heron, standing still and alone at the edge of the water, reminds me of the rewards of solitude. It can be hard to get time and space to yourself in the city, but one of the joys of a visit to the park is that here, you might get a chance to find a quiet spot to sit or stand by yourself, to decompress, reflect, and enjoy nature, solitary as a heron. 

These wading birds can be found throughout most of North America in wetlands, in coastal areas, and along inland bodies of water. Once threatened by hunting, great blue herons have made a comeback since the early 20th century, with numbers still increasing. But while herons are thriving, the wetlands where many of them live are threatened by water pollution, invasive species, drainage, and more. Once used as a landfill, Meadow Lake is now a protected natural, home to many marsh-dwelling species, including the great blue heron. At the park, you can learn more about protection of wetlands and volunteer to help care for this important habitat.

If you are interested in volunteering at FMCP to help protect and preserve our native habitats for all local wildlife: please email fmcpstewardshipteam@gmail.com or check our calendar, which is regularly updated with public events.