Summer in the city can be especially hot and sticky, because urban heat islands exacerbate the warm weather. Researchers at Berkeley Lab are testing materials that battle that effect, making pavements cooler and safer.
Get ready, summer is around the corner! Our 50-acre old growth Forest is an especially great place to beat the heat, for humans and animals alike. ~AR
(via howstuffworks)
Need to see some magnificent trees closer to home? NYBG is home to the largest remaining tract of the forest that once covered all of New York City. A few of our trees are older than the United States! And we have an great photo exhibition on now showcasing them. And if you need one more reason, here it is: Winter is a phenomenal time to look at the architecture of trees. Free of leaves and stark against the winter sky, it’s possible to truly appreciate the intricacies in this beautiful, helpful, important plants. ~AR
Sierra Club: Six of America’s Coolest Trees
by Allison Montroy
1. The Banyan Tree; Lahaina, Maui.
Planted in 1873, this banyan tree was only eight feet tall. Today it stands 60 feet tall and has 11 more trunks than when it was first brought to Maui from India…
2. The Lone Cypress; Monterey Peninsula, CA.
At 250 years old, this cypress is a landmark for California’s beautiful 17-mile drive on the Monterey Peninsula…
3. “Methuselah” Bristlecone Pine, CA.
This tree has seen it all, and its twisted branches hold stories over 4,800 years old…
4. Pando Aspen Tree Grove; Utah.
Head to this grove of quaking aspen trees in southern Utah and you’ll find yourself face to face with the largest living organism in the world…
5. General Sherman Sequoia; Northern CA.
The Sherman Tree, the biggest tree (by volume) in the world. With a circumference of 102 feet, it would take almost 20 people holding hands to circle its entire trunk…
6. Ancient Angel Oak Tree; Charleston, South Carolina.
The Ancient Angel loves to spread its wings, with a canopy reaching almost 17,000 square feet. Ancient Angel may also be the oldest tree east of the Mississippi at the age of 1,400 years…
(read more: The Sierra Club)
How would you like to lower your blood pressure, stave of depression, cure your lower back pain, and prevent cancer? Guess what: It’s easy. Just go outside!
At least that’s what some of Japan’s leading scientists suggest you do. And they should know: Japan is one stressed-out country. Between long hours at work, extreme societal pressure to succeed in school and life, and the never ending fear of another huge earthquake, the Japanese need copious ways to relax. In the 80s the Japanese government invented the concept of shirin-yoku, aka forest bathing. Since then, the government has invested huge amounts of time and money into preserving forests in which its citizens can hike and relax, and now they’re pushing the country’s scientists to prove empirically that it works. “We have to validate the ideas scientifically, through stress physiology, or we’re still stuck at Walden Pond,” says Alan C. Logan, an American author.
This is such an interesting article, and totally worth a read. And if it just happens to inspire you to get outside and get lost in the woods, might I humbly suggest a stroll amid the centuries-old trees of the Thain Family Forest? But, I’m sure you knew that was coming, didn’t you? ~AR
(via The Nature Cure: The Surprising Health Benefits of the Great Outdoors | Wellness | OutsideOnline.com)
The Wall Street Journal’s Ralph Gardner Jr. stopped by the Garden to visit with Jessica Schuler, Manager of the Thain Family Forest, and Todd Forest, VP for Horticulture and Living Collections, to assess the damage done to this 50-acre old-growth forest by Superstorm Sandy. The storm knocked down or snapped over 100 trees in the forest, but, as Forrest put it, “It’s the perfect time to see dynamic ecology in action.” ~AR
I have tried many times to explain why the Thain Family Forest is so special, why it is one of my favorite places not just at the Garden, but also in New York City; but I don’t think I have ever made the case for it as eloquently as this wonderful essay from the City Atlas. It perfectly captures this magical tract of old growth forest that is, all hyperbole asisde, a living piece of history. Thank you George! I’m bookmarking this one for future use. ~AR
(via A rare bastion for a true “first nature” park in the Bronx | City Atlas)
Thanks to Complex for picking the Thain Family Forest as one of the 25 best Free Things to Do in NYC This Fall. They say of our 50-acre wooded wonderland that “There won’t be a pinch strong enough to remind you that you’re in the Bronx.” It’s true! Grounds-Only admission is free all day Wednesdays and 10-11 a.m. on Saturdays. But for an extra special (though not free) experience, come visit during one of our Fall Forest Weekends in November. It’s the perfect excuse for grabbing your honey, throwing on a cute cardi, and tromping around in some leaves! ~AR
(via Thain Family Forest — 25 Free Things to Do in NYC This Fall | Complex)
More love for Jon Cotner’s “Poem Forest.” “Poem Forest” is a self-guided poetry walk in the Thain Family Forest that was created with the Poetry Society of America as part of the celebratory Forest Dedication Festivals at the Garden. Come enjoy the intersection of poetry and landscape this weekend!
In order to celebrate the Thain Family Forest Dedication, the Botanical Garden will host a symposium this Saturday, November 5th, featuring presentations from internationally recognized scientists and policymakers who will address the essential role that forests play in preserving biodiversity, mitigating human-caused environmental change, promoting research, and connecting people with nature. Get your tickets now!
”Where the Lenape Trod” - Edward Rothstein, The New York Times
Beautiful review of the work that The New York Botanical Garden has undertaken to restore the Thain Family Forest which opens this weekend with a wonderful festival!
What are you doing this weekend? Want to help the Garden recover from last weekend’s historic October storm? You can do that, while having fun, exploring nature, and celebrating one of the largest remnants of New York City’s old-growth Forest.
Spend the afternoon at The New York Botanical Garden in celebration of the Thain Family Forest Dedication. There will be expert-led nature walks, tree-climbing demonstrations and even canoeing!
Jon Cotner has been invited by The Poetry Society of America to design a walk for The New York Botanical Garden’s Thain Family Forest Dedication Festival weekends. These walks are just one part of the fun happening this weekend and next in the Forest.
Sequoias and maples and evergreens, oh my! Rich Pomerantz captures the beauty of the Thain Family Forest in his latest post. Did you know that The Forest is the largest remaining tract of old-growth forest in New York City? -JH
New York Times staff photographer Librado Romero visited the Garden very (very) early this morning to catch this gorgeous photograph for the City Room blog’s “The City Stirs” series.
Have you seen this awesome video for the U.S. Forest Service’s new campaign, Discover the Forest? So grab your friends and family and come visit the Garden’s 50-acre Thain Family Forest. Don’t make us send Justin and Jose, the muskrats, Rose and Vince, or Mrs. Snappy after you!
Artist Philip Haas installation of the Four Seasons in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory Courtyard at the NYBG (New York Botanical Garden)....
Imagined conversations from bygone times
What do we want?
A robust variety of naturally-occurring flora in bloom for campus beauty and...
Botanical Gardens, Bronx, NY.
People just accept that I love the New York Botanical Garden and look at the pictures of the pretty things.
BTW NYBG I love the new Native Plants...
Rosemary (in NYBG pot) and friend
Love you, Mom <3
Happy National Public Gardens Day! A female carpenter bee visiting the pea vines yesterday. She’s California’s largest bee.
