The reservoir's historic structures & ecosystems are an opportunity to create a unique environmental education center for our children & their future.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Highland Park Children's Garden

Just received the following from the good folks at the children's garden:

Highland Park Children's Garden Reader - Early Spring 2009

Welcome to another fruitful and fun year of gardening. April is National Gardening Month. Opening day for the 2009 season is Saturday, April 4, 11:00 - 1:00 P.M., rain or shine! Seeds, starter kits, goodies, registration, and plot assignment. And of course, to start working on your garden. The participation donation is $18. Most gardeners have already contributed.

We expect all volunteers: 1 - monitor garden activity on a regular schedule and 2 - put in a minimum of 2 hours per week to keep your plot growing and looking beautiful. This will improve the overall appearance of the Children's Garden. We ask you to teach your children gardening - to pass your knowledge to the next generation. We ask that you keep the area and path near across from your plot weed-free. Also, remember to allow visitors in the garden for viewing.

Junior Garden Club Some of you were aware of our gardening program for children last spring and fall. The sponsor was Independence Community Bank and Forest/Highland Park Administration. Nancy was the instructor. The program was a success and may return, depending upon funding

We are hoping the Junior Garden Club will have a spring session, May 3rd to June 6, 10 - 12. Registration: April 25, 10 -12. The program consists of a lesson and a hands-on activity. Children with good attendance will receive a participation certificate and gift on the closing session. We hope that gardeners' children will participate. (ages 7 - 12)

The adult Highland Park Garden Club's third season starts on Tuesday, April 7, 10 - 12. The club is FREE to all adults interested in keeping a beautiful garden. (This is not vegetable gardening). All tools and garden accessories will be provided.

Our Third Annual Garden Hoe Down, April 18, 10 -12. Dennis and anyone strong will work on the compost project. Nancy will be supervising clean up and division of sedum, day lilies, etc. as time permits. Some of the Cub and Girl Scouts may be present. We will have a demonstration at 12 on newspaper layering to control weeds and stop soil compaction.

Newspaper Layering will be demonstrated also on April 25 at 12. On both the 18th and 25th we will discuss the future of the Children's Garden under different coordinators. A possibility would be East New York Farms. We have been coordinating for almost 20 years, and will step down in 2011.

PARTNERSHIP FOR PARKS has Volunteer Permits. At this time all returning gardeners should have new permits. If not, please fill in applications and return to Nancy. You must have a volunteer permit to garden! There is no cost for permit. Children 14 & older must have permit.

Upcoming events:

Urban Park Rangers, Tuesday, April 14, 11 -1, Kids learn about nature and have fun in "The Secret Garden." Free. Gardeners please be advised not to garden that day, but come out and enjoy the activities.

• It's My Park Day, Saturday, May 16, 10 - 2, Our 1st Weed & Feed*
• Strawberry Festival, was canceled this year, maybe next year.
• Weed & Feed #2, Saturday, July 4, 10 - 2*
• Weed & Feed #3, Monday, September 7, 10 -2*
• It's My Park Day/Weed & Feed # 4, Saturday, October 17, 10 - 2*
• Harvest Festival, Saturday, October 17, 12 -3, playground area
• Last day for Garden Club: Tuesday, October 27, 10 - 12
• Last day to clean plots and restore to rows: Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 - 12.
Pre-register for 2010.
* Please help at 2 of the 4 "Weed & Feed" dates and bring something to share.

Wishing all a successful gardening year!

Nancy & Dennis Moore,
Coordinators

Our scheduled hours are: Tues., Thurs., Sat., 9:45 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Contact us at the garden, or by email, or 718-277-3705.

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Thursday, March 26, 2009

iLand Symposium

iLand (Interdisciplinary Laboratory for Art, Nature and Dance) is the organization that got me involved with the Ridgewood Reservoir project. On Saturday, March 28th, they are holding their first symposium. I have been asked to do a brief presentation on the Highland Park-Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance's experience with community activism and trying to save this unique habitat.

From the iLand press release:

iLAND will hold its first annual symposium in NYC this Saturday, March 28th. The event is free and all are welcome.

Connecting to the Urban Environment:
Creating embodied and relational approaches to environmental awareness

Saturday, March 28, 2009
9:30am - 1pm (no charge, registration opens at 9am)
Refreshments will be served

Hosted by the Eugene Lang College
The New School for Liberal Arts
6 East 16th Street, New York, NY
Room #D1009 (auditorium)

Connecting to the Urban Environment, iLAND's first annual symposium, will address issues emanating from the creative collaborations of past iLAB residencies. iLAB alumni will be paired with representatives from environmental organizations who are actively designing new relationships to urban space. Presentations will share the results of grappling with the project of finding shared language and processes across the arts and sciences while centering dance and the body as the mediator and resource for experience, imagination and knowing. The symposium will include oral and media presentations, workshops, and small-group discussions.


Schedule:

9-9:30 AM Registration and coffee

9:30-10:10 Opening remarks and introductions - Artistic Director, Jennifer Monson
Presentation on iMAP/Ridgewood Reservoir by Jennifer Monson and Robb Jett, Conservation Chair, Highland Park Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance

10:10-10:30 iLAB 2007 NYC From a Native Plant's Perspective, Choreographer Lise Brenner and BBG Native Flora Curator Uli Lorimer. Collaborators will discuss their residency activities at Floyd Bennett Field and Coney Island.

10:30-10:50 Regional Plan Association and Brooklyn Greenway Initiative: Rob Pirani, RPA's environmental director will discuss plans for the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway and other important projects in the metropolitan area.

10:50-11:10 iLAB 2008 Human Geography and the Practice of Presence: Choreographer Karl Cronin will discuss his residency along the East River and his approach to methodology and creative process.
Break, 10 minutes

11:20-11:40 iLAB 2008 Dead Horse Bay - a movement exploration: Sarah White will lead the audience through the processes she developed on site at Dead Horse Bay and will discuss the relationship of somatic practice to environmental systems.

11:40-12:00 PM Transcriptease- Living Sculpture: Mara Haseltine and James Cervino will discuss New York City's First Solar Powered Oyster Reef, a living artwork growing in the intertidal zone at College Point, MCNEIL PARK, Queens NYC.

12:00-12:40 An open panel on creative cross disciplinary collaboration
With Sarah White, Karl Cronin, Michelle Nagai, Lise Brenner, Uli Lorimer, Gerald Marks, Angel Ayon, Theresa Duhon, Colin Grubel, Mara Haseltine, and James Cervino.

12:40-1:00 Refreshments and small group discussions
3D Photo displays of Dead Horse Bay by Gerald Marks and Paul Johnson


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