Friday, August 2, 2013

Green Teen Design team visits Central Park

The Green Teens program at Al Oerter is focused on the role of sustainable design in parks and recreational areas by integrating the fields of architecture and landscape architecture. One of the first sites the teens visited was Central Park, a great example of the use of green space in a highly urban place.  Below, Chelsea Fingal describes her experience:

"We were able to visit Central Park's Conservatory Garden, which is separated into three smaller gardens featuring Italian, French, and English style designs. We learned how the arrangements and design of various plants come together in dramatic yet harmonious ways. We also went to the North Woods - one of the most secluded and calming areas in the park. The North Woods allow both people and wildlife to access nature in the midst of a city otherwise filled with concrete and honking cars. Central Park gave us great examples of how plants can create a completely different atmosphere."






Friday, June 28, 2013

Another chance to replant in the Jamaica Bay Marsh Island..


Marsh Island Restoration - Jamaica Bay
 
Join us on July 9th and July 10th, 2013, at 12PM for the Marsh Island Restoration in Jamaica Bay!  Sorrentino Green Teens attended this event back in May. They helped plant the Spartina Grass in the habitat that was negatively affected by Hurricane Sandy. This fast-growing grass will help prevent further erosion on marsh islands like Rulers Bar and Black Wall Marsh Island, and over time will bring back some much needed structure and buffering to the bay.  Email nancy.cordova@parks.nyc.gov  to register.

 Meet us at the Littoral Society Office: 28 West 9th Road, Broad Channel. You can take the subway or the bus:

Bus: Q-52 – LTD or Q53 – LTD to Cross Bay Blvd and Noel Rd.  From Noel Rd, head south on Cross Bay Blvd to W. 9th Rd, then make a right and walk west until you reach Shad Creek Rd.  The office is on the corner of W. 9th & Shad Creek.

Train: A to Broad Channel. When you get off the train, walk down West Rd to Noel Rd. Then make a right, and walk west until you reach Cross Bay Blvd. Turn left on Cross Bay Blvd and walk south to W. 9th Rd, cross the street and follow W. 9th to Shad Creek Rd.

Plan to work for 2-3 hrs.  We recommend volunteers wear tall boots, as the environment is very wet with marsh muck, water, and soft sand.  If it is warm out and people do not mind wet, muddy feet, water shoes are fine – no tennis shoes!  We can also bring extra footwear to change into once we are on the island. Wear something that will protect your feet.

Because of the wet environment, all electronics (cell phones, etc.) should be placed in zip lock bags. Volunteers can bring backpacks, and/or bags with supplies. Definitely bring lunch and a refillable water bottle. You will also want sun screen, a hat, and bug spray.  

There will not be bathroom facilities on the island, but it is just a few minutes trip on the boat back to the dock where there are facilities.



Thank you to all the Green Teens that came out this past Saturday and took part in the city recycling competition at ADVENTURES NYC in Central park! Green Teens from all five boroughs came together and helped NYC be green and clean by helping vendors recycle their trash and also alerting the general public to do the same. This year the Bronx took the win with recycling 57 bags of recyclables and as a whole, all five boroughs recycled a GRAND TOTAL of 113 bags!! GREAT JOB GUYS! YOU ALL ROCK AND WE ARE VERY PROUD OF YOUR HARD WORK! GOOO GREEN TEENS!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Al Oerter Soap Box Derby!

 
 

Above are a few of our Green Teens along with David Deas (Playground Associate at Al Oerter) with their finished product, soap box! "This year's soap box cart project was a revamp of last year's cart.  Using the RRR approach (Reduce, Recycle, Reuse) we were able to keep in the effort of going green with our Green Teens.  The teens took the specifications of this year's rules and applied them to the old cart.  Learning to use tools and recycling old materials gave them a new perspective on the project.  They worked hard at figuring out how to make a brake system that would be safe for participants to use.  Once they applied all their ideas to the cart, a new cart was born. With the help of staff, they improved on the cart and then was able to showcase their work at the annual Street
Games in Manhattan.  The uniqueness of our cart is that it was made from completely reusing materials such as a broken park bench, a broken lawn mower for the wheels, a milk crate, screws and bolts from our Maintenance and Operations division.  A true test of what a soap box was considered from the old days of racing soap boxes in the streets." - David Deas
 
GREAT JOB GREEN TEENS! 

Thursday, June 13, 2013


Attention All Green Teens! Looking for a FREE architect design workshop this summer??
 
Look no further! We are currently seeking some awesome Green Teens to join us this summer for a FREE 6-week design workshop about how to design your own sustainable playground that includes:
 
  • Hands-on Field Studies with a NYC Parks Designer/Architect
  • Create a 3D Playground Model Design 
  • Work in a Team Setting
  • Present YOUR playground design to NYC Parks Officials
 
ELIGIBILITY:
  • Must be a junior high school or high school student
  • No prior experience with engineering or design project is necessary
  • Experience with successfully completing projects or workshops is a MUST

 

Please email all completed applications to Green.teens@parks.nyc.gov and type your home borough in the subject line of your email. Hurry though, there are just a few spots left!! Deadline: June 22nd

 

Don’t forget you can also help out at the following recreation centers during these times this summer:
 
Roy Wilkins: Saturdays 9am – 5pm
Lost Battalion Hall: Mon- Fri 10am – 7pm & Saturdays 10am – 2pm
Sorrentino: Tuesdays 3:30pm – 5pm
Al Oerter: Mon - Fri 2:30pm - 8pm & Saturdays 9am - 4pm
 
 

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Let’s Restore the Jamaica Bay Marshlands!!!!

Calling All Green Teens, Calling all Green Teens!!


 
Thank you to the Green Teens that came out and took part in the restoration of Marsh Island this past May 19th. The marsh islands are disappearing at a rate of 40-50 acres per year. These islands are the lifeblood of the bay, providing habitat to hundreds of species and helping to protect from storm surge and flooding. The marshes are a first line of defense from increasingly violent storm events and help provide protection for the 20 million people that live in the communities around Jamaica Bay. In a post-Super Storm Sandy world, restoring marsh islands is more important and vital than ever. The project is the first ever community-led marsh restoration in a National Park and will serve as a model for future wetland restorations throughout the country.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Weekly Skill-Development Opportunities and Events (1/3/13-1/9/13)


Skill-Development Opportunities

1.       Birding: Eagles (Manhattan)
Location:
Inwood Hill Park
Dates: Jan. 5th  
Time: 8:00 am

2.       Seal Exploration (Bronx)
Location:
Orchard Beach Nature Center in Pelham Bay Park, Section 2 of Orchard Beach
Dates: Jan. 5th  
Time: 10:00 am

3.       Nature Exploration Hike: Croton Aqueduct Trail (Moderate) (Bronx)
Location:
Van Cortlandt Nature Center in Van Cortlandt Park (Enter the park at West 246th Street and Broadway)
Dates: Jan. 6th  
Time: 11:00 am

 
Events

1.       Swamp: Art Exhibition (Bronx)
Location:
Poe Park Visitor Center in Poe Park, 2640 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY
Dates: Jan. 5th and 6th  
Time: 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

2.       Mulchfest 2013 Volunteer Orientation (Manhattan)
Location:
The Arsenal in Central Park, 830 5th Avenue (at 64th Street), 3rd Floor Conference Room
Dates: Jan. 8th
Time: 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
*Please email RSVP@milliontreesnyc.org to register for the orientation*