Prospect Park

The Daily Plant : Tuesday, November 20, 2001

SCREECH OWLS RETURN TO CENTRAL PARK

November 14 was a day to contemplate the vastness of natural life and celebrate a groundbreaking partnership with Fordham University that enables Parks’ Urban Park Rangers to release eastern screech owls, tagged with radio transmitters, back into their native environment. With the guidance of Dr. William (Screech) Giuliano of Fordham University, the Rangers’ Biodiversity Team is restoring the screech owl to Central Park. The owl is one of an array of predators whose presence in New York City has dwindled to dangerously low levels, threatening the bio-diversity of the city. In addition to the release, Dr. Giuliano and his students will monitor wildlife in the parks. Their surveys will provide crucial information, enabling the Rangers to manage wildlife and wildlife habitat. The Urban Park Ranger/Fordham University Partnership will serve as the foundation for future projects designed to increase biodiversity in the parks.

Wednesday’s release was one of the most ambitious projects of the newly minted Biodiversity Team, which oversees wildlife rescue and rehabilitation as well as habitat restoration and species reintroduction. With state-of-the-art telemetry equipment and scientific expertise from Fordham University, the project is poised to succeed. Fordham President Joseph A. (Noah) O’Hare, S.J. joined Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern at the release to announce the new partnership.

Read the press release about this event.

One day before Veteran’s Day, Commissioner Henry J. (StarQuest) Stern joined residents of 50 West 96^th Street to plant a tree in memory of their friend and neighbor, Robert Benney. Benney served as a combat artist during World War II and Vietnam. His work is exhibited at the Museum of the City of New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Naval Aviation Museum, and other institutions that are the keepers of our cultural and military history.

Mr. Benney’s wife and daughter, Celia Benney and Alma Berson, were present at the tree planting along with dozens of neighbors. Children from the building opened the ceremony by offering flowers to Celia Benney. Then the Marine Corps Color Guard presented the flags.

In his remarks, Commissioner Stern observed, "Trees, citizens of the urban forest, enrich our city as people do. This one, as it matures, will shade neighborhood children, cool the air in summertime, green the view out the windows of 50 West, and delight passersby. It will confer these benefits in honor of Robert Benney. His contributions in documenting military history are particular relevant at this moment, as we write the history of a new war." Then he read a letter from Mayor Giuliani. After Celia, Alma, and event organizer Lee (Llama) Llambelis spoke, the group planted a Silver linden tree.

(Tuesday, November 22, 1988)

Strong winds gusted through the treetops in Prospect Park yesterday, rippling across the red, white and blue of miniature French and American flags held by students who joined Mayor Koch and a host of international dignitaries to unveil the newly restored Lafayette Memorial at Ninth Street and Prospect Park West, Brooklyn. The monument was refurbished at a cost of $11,000.

The Mayor was joined by Commissioner Stern; Serge Bellanger, President of the French-American Chamber of Commerce; Eliane de Dampierre, French Consul General Ad-Interim in New York, and other officials and community leaders.

"A purse of gold most resolutely snatched on Monday night
and most dissolutely spent on Tuesday morning."

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)