Tag: Environment

Alliance Launches Junior Volunteer Corps

March 3, 2014

Spring is an ideal time of year for young people to help keep Prospect Park beautiful. This March and April, the Prospect Park Alliance is launching a new program called Junior Volunteer Corps to encourage volunteerism in young people.

Children will learn the importance of giving back to the community while making a meaningful difference in the same Park where they learn, grow and play. “When it comes to raking leaves and clearing small debris, children are some of the Park’s most productive volunteers,” says Veronica Horvath, an Environmental Youth Services Coordinator at the Prospect Park Alliance.

Families and elementary-aged groups are encouraged to participate. To accommodate multiple neighborhoods, Junior Volunteer Corps will take place in different locations throughout Prospect Park on four weekends this March and April. Participants are encouraged to pre-register online.

Planning on taking part in the program? Share your experience with us on Facebook or Instagram.

The Prospect Park Alliance works with over 4,000 volunteers who give approximately 25,000 hours of service annually. The spring season of the volunteer program is just getting started! Learn about the wide range of programs for volunteers of all ages, and also for corporate groups.  Learn more about volunteering in the Park.

 

Making a Green Park Greener

You probably know that the LeFrak Center at Lakeside is a great place to skate, relax and enjoy the scenery; but it’s also environmentally sensitive. The Alliance, working with Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, took careful consideration when designing the project, which was built in accordance with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system.

Sustainability can be found in the project from its design through its construction. More than 84 percent of the construction waste was recycled, preventing more than 420 tons of waste from entering landfills. The LeFrak Center itself incorporates partially recycled and locally sourced materials, as well as paints, sealants, carpets and wood containing zero or very low levels of toxic chemicals. The LeFrak Center’s two green roofs create a natural insulation for the Center, which reduces the amount of energy required to heat and cool the building. To encourage non-automobile transportation, the Center also features a generous amount of bike racks, and will feature bike rentals this spring.

Wastewater is one of the biggest environmental impacts in the operation of a public facility. The LeFrak Center is outfitted with low-flow fixtures that will save over 205,000 gallons of water each year. A cistern recycles rainwater from the Center’s east building green roof, reusing it to water the plants and grass at Lakeside, which reduces runoff in the already overburdened city sewer system. The project also has added three acres of new green space to the Park, while the creation of the White Levy Esplanade and Baier Music Island has introduced new habitats for aquatic species.

c. Paul Martinka

PPA Profiles: Alex Boure

January 31, 2014

If you haven’t seen the Alliance’s Lakeside Maintenance Supervisor Alex Boure making his daily rounds in the Park, you’ve certainly seen his handiwork. Originally from Nigeria, Alex has worked with the Alliance for over four years. He now leads a crew of seven maintenance workers who keep Prospect Park looking its best, and take great pride in protecting the Park’s scenic beauty. His crew cleans litter and reports damage at Lakeside and throughout the east side of the Park. If this sounds like a monumental task, it is. Hundreds of thousands of people visit the Park for relaxation and recreation. All this activity takes a toll on the Park. So, how does such a small team maintain so much public land?

The secret, Alex said, is to talk to people, and to smile and care. Sometimes a nice conversation can be the difference between properly discarded trash and a lawn full of litter. A five minute chat can save hours, he explained, and handing out free garbage bags doesn’t hurt. Over the years, Alex has formed friendships with a number of regulars. By engaging visitors, Alex instills them with a sense of ownership for the Park and a respect for its natural areas. His positive nature is contagious.

Recently, Alex’s crew added the LeFrak Center at Lakeside to their domain. The new skating rink is already a booming success. People from all over New York, and around the world, have come to glide across the ice, sip hot chocolate, and admire the view from the adjacent White Levy Esplanade. Far from viewing the crowds as a challenge to the Park’s upkeep, Alex is thrilled by the area’s popularity. The goal of a park, in his view, is to keep the people coming back. A litter-free park is just as much an attraction as the rolling hills, sweeping views, babbling streams, and unforgettable skating. We have Alex and his crew to thank for that.

c. Elizabeth Keegin Colley

Winter Work in Prospect Park

January 2, 2014

The Prospect Park Alliance’s six-person Natural Resources Crew conserves hundreds of acres of woodlands, lawns, and waterways in the Park. Winter conditions are ideal for some of the important work that is needed to keep the Park’s landscapes looking picturesque.

While tree pruning takes place year round, it becomes a key focus of the Alliance’s work in the winter months because the trees have lost their leaves, providing a clearer view of the trunks and limbs. The Alliance’s tree experts (arborists) have inspected over 13,000 trees in the past year, identifying those that need further care. Hurricane Sandy devastated hundreds of trees throughout the Park, especially in the Ravine and on Lookout Hill. In addition to carefully examining each tree, the Crew replaces those lost in the storm to close significant gaps in the tree canopy.

The Natural Resources Crew also scours the landscape to look for invasive species of trees, such as Norway and Sycamore maples, which can undermine the diversity of the Park’s natural habitats and also affect the overall health of its landscapes by blocking precious sunlight from the plants below. Understory trees, saplings, and herbaceous plants keep the soil compact, which reduces erosion. Without them, the dirt loosens, causing erosion that can take years to correct. The Crew is at work replenishing topsoil and protecting vulnerable areas with wood chips, as well as installing underground supports and burlap matting.

All this work will come to fruition in the spring, when the Park comes to full bloom.