Going Wild In Queens

The Queens Tribune has a wonderful article about local naturalist David Burg. Dave and the late Al Ott helped guide the Highland Park-Ridgewood Reservoir Alliance when we were just getting started. If it wasn't for their honest advice and enthusiasm, I'm not certain we would have gotten off the ground:

Going Wild In Queens: Naturalist Works To Encourage Next Generation Of Enthusiasts

By Vladic Ravich

“Do you hear that?” said David Burg as he led two of his interns through a winding trail in Cunningham Park, red hedge clippers in hand. “That sounds like a Woodthrush, which was Thoreau’s favorite bird.” We stopped and listened, waiting for another call to punctuate the dull hum of the Long Island Expressway that carried through the century old trees.

We heard a distant flutelike trill and knew it was the right one when Burg’s eyes lit up with recognition. Then he turned his attention back to the underbrush, resuming his hunt for the invasive Multifloral Rose, Japanese Snotwood, Garlic Mustard and many other species that crowd out the young native plants that make up the ecosystem of these urban islands of wilderness.

You can read the entire article here.

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