Congratulations Governor Spitzer

We would like to extend our congratulations to newly elected Governor Spitzer. He is no stranger to gardens, having supported the campaign to stop the auction in the late 90's. It was due to the widespread civil disobedience actions that got the issue on the radar and support from elected officials. That created the space for Trust for Public Land and New York Restoration to give the Giuliani Administration a face saving measure in his defeat. Today over 100 gardens have been preserved from that attempted land-grab, in no small measure beacuse of the Temporary Restraining Order Mr. Spitzer courageously sought in response to city-wide organizing. Here is a picture from that time of our very own Harry discussing the matter with him. We look forward to welcoming Mr. Spitzer to our South Bronx shore and rivers, where we are working to reclaim abandoned State property for use as a park and canoe/kayak launch! And to re-evaluate the 4 NYPA power plants on our waterfront that were permitted as temporary by the NYSEDC years ago.

Mulch Fest 2007

We rang in the new roman year with Mulch Fest 2007 an annual collaboration with the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, who provided the hot chocolate, and the tree mulcher. Some people brought their Christmas trees (or "Solstice Trees", in some cases) to where it came from, the Earth. Others we hunted and gathered from our surrounding neighborhood. Thanks especially to our Head Gardener Danny Chervoni for his dedicated efforts. Once again we scored over 100 trees. Some mulch was taken home by gardeners, one man came from Yankee Stadium area with a handcart! The rest we have the to landscape Brook Park with. We were joined by an excellent crew from Mot Haven Prep who put in a full day on the garden, shoveling and raking and working with the Earth.

First Paddle of 2007 Log

In January, it is still warm, maybe Al Gore was right about global warming/climate change after all!

It was a great day for a paddle, with a local bike/environmental activist, an eco-designer from Berkeley and a writer from Sweden we were an eclectic crew. The trip from the launch to the middle of the Harlem River presented fresh sites, from the crane barge filing the river with small stones for some reason, to the removed 145th Street Bridge, to the bare winter trees of Manhattan, we were rewarded with new vistas!

Here are two testimonials:

"Paddling with Friends of Brook Park in New York gives you a whole new
perspective on the city and its place in the natural world. You paddle
under bridges and past buildings that most people never see from the
unique vantage point of the water. You watch the tides ebb and flow.
People wave at you; tugboat captains shout "Ahoy!" and you feel you have
been let in on one of New York's recreation secrets."
Sam, Oakland, CA

"On the 2nd of January me and 3 friends went out on the Harlem river
between Harlem and Bronx in 2 kayaks and 1 canoe. Some of the first
sunrays of 2007 shone on us and the wind blew against us when we set out.
After passing under a few bridges, a flock of canada geese sat on an island
where apples bloom in the summer and ripen in autumn. A little further down a red
tailed hawk circulated high up in the air over our heads and over the
project houses on the Bronx side. We made a little fire by a cactus garden
on the shore before we went back downstream with the wind."
Robert, Goteborg, Sweden

More pics at: http://www.friendsofbrookpark.org/impressions/ecotoursandpaddles