Central Park

The Daily Plant : Thursday, November 7, 2002

NRG’S MCFOREST: ALMOST 65,000 SERVED

Various Parkies and partners have been rehabilitating, for the past 12 years, forested parkland degraded by invasive non-native plant species, illegal dumping, arson, and mountain biking. The Natural Resources Group (NRG) Forestry Restoration Team has been leading the charge planting nearly 65,000 trees and shrubs since 1998 in its restorations throughout the City. 3- foot tall container-grown saplings of Red oak (Quercus rubra), Tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), Spicebush (Lindera benzoin), and others are crucial to improving habitat, stabilizing soil, and regenerating and sustaining the City’s forests by ensuring that enough young trees exist to replace the older ones as they die.

On Wednesday October 16, 2002, the inaugural 10,000 Tree Award was presented to Paul A. Kortebein, a Forest Restoration Team Supervisor. Since joining Parks from Duke University in 1998, Paul has played a major role in NRG’s forest restoration and invasive plant control efforts. First as a crew member, and later as supervisor and project manager, Paul has planted 10,000 trees with his own gloved hands in the forests of Alley Pond Park, Inwood Hill Park, and along the Bronx River.

As supervisor of the Queens forest restoration crew, and project manager for the Alley Pond Bond Act restoration, Paul has supervised the planting of 16,000 trees beyond what he himself has planted. Under his guidance, almost 12 acres of forest in Alley Pond Park have been restored. All of NRG salutes his dedication and outstanding effort.

At the 8^th Annual Newmark Real Estate & Company, Inc.’s Great Halloween Party in Central Park held on Saturday, October 26, there were many children that went missing (and were found). At any large event in our parks, this can happen and Parks does its best to ensure a safe and quick reunion between the child and his/her parents.

At the Great Halloween Party, a child had been missing for 90 minutes, an unusually long amount of time. The Parks Enforcement Patrol (PEP), as well as the parents, became quite worried because of the extended time period. Most of the PEP officers on duty at the event had already signed out for the day so PEP decided that the use of a search dog was a necessity. K9 handler Lou and the search dog "Lucy" searched Central Park. When Lucy had lost the child’s scent at the edge of the park, those involved worried the boy may have taken a train or bus. His mother informed Richard Gentles, Director of PEP, that the boy didn't have any money, causing more concern. Every available PEPofficer, including Bob Reeves, Deputy Inspector of Training Academy and Richard Gentles searched the entire park until they heard over the radio that the mother made contact at the residence. It was a relief for PEP, and understandably, for his parents.

Another incident occurred that day where three children became separated from their grandmother and they were quickly reunited. For everyone involved in the search efforts, it is very touching and satisfying to help reunite children with their parents.

(Thursday, November 16, 1989)

During the school year, 1,400 students from 10 New York City high schools and one junior high school participate in the Natural Resources Group’s (NRG) Adopt-A-Park Plant Parenthood program. These young New Yorkers learn to care for their city’s parks by planting native shrubs and wildflowers to help restore eroded parkland.

This summer, 16 youngsters continued their environmental education through the Adopt-A-Park summer program, which was conducted by NRG staffers Irene McDonnell, Christine Seita and Diana Hernandez, with the help of CPW’s Nathan Graber and Ian McGowan in Bronx and Queens parks.

"They paved paradise
And put up a parking lot."

(b. November 7, 1943)

Know Before You Go

Harlem Meer Center (formerly Lasker Rink)

Harlem Meer Center