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Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Trees

2011: The Year of Forests

Posted in Around the Garden on February 2 2011, by Plant Talk

The Native ForestThe 50-acre, old growth  Native Forest is the heart of the Garden. It is one of the reasons Nathaniel Lord Britton settled on this 250-acre plot in the Bronx as the place to build his dream Botanical Garden, it is home to at least one tree that was alive at the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, it is home to some of the Garden’s most fascinating residents, it is a place where scientists can study everything from global warming to genetics, and it is a very fine place to go for a stroll. The Forest is a vital part of not just the New York Botanical Garden, but also of New York City, and the world.

For these reasons, and for so many more, we are delighted that the United Nations has declared 2011 “The International Year of Forests.” The UN says that the year is a “celebration of the vital role that forests play in people’s lives … amid growing recognition of the role that forests managed in a sustainable manner play in everything from mitigating climate change to providing wood, medicines and livelihoods for people around the world.”

We’ll be joining in on recognizing the International Year of Forests with a series of events throughout 2011 (but we’re not ready to announce them just yet). In the meantime, here are some other forest facts from the United Nations:

See the facts below.

Morning Eye Candy: A Funny Little Tree

Posted in Photography on January 8 2011, by Plant Talk

We just love this little conifer, Abies koreana ‘Aurea’, known more commonly as the golden Korean fir. And some of us here see a certain, wise, green character from Star Wars in its silhouette. Do you? Or do you maybe see something different?

Golden Korean Fir

Golden Korean Fir (photo by Ivo M. Vermeulen)

When a Tree Falls in the Forest

Posted in Around the Garden on December 22 2010, by Plant Talk

Ann Rafalko is Director of Online Content.

Cutting the logWhile I cannot tell you whether or not a tree makes a sound when it falls in the forest and no one is around, I can tell you that when a tree falls in the Forest at The New York Botanical Garden, we tend to find a good use for it. Case in point the beauty below, which was felled by one of this past summer’s violent storms.

While fallen trees are an important part of a forest’s ecosystem, they can also be an important part of the enjoyment of the place. Especially when they’re made into a beautiful bench by Bien Hecho for Garden visitors to rest upon.

Check out the great photo essay below by Garden photographer Ivo M. Vermeulen below.