July 19, 2010 Stormwater Capture - Modeling the City of Brotherly Love
The Bronx River Alliance, a member of the S.W.I.M coalition, has pushed for ecological improvements to the Bronx River through best management practices around stormwater capture. Read the article from WNYC for more information about how The Big Apple may be seizing the opportunity to partner and learn from The City of Brotherly Love.
June 30, 2010 The NYTimes recognizes Bronx student
The NYTimes recognizes the work of an aspiring herpetologist, Erik Zeidler of Bronx High School of Science, who has collaborated with the Bronx River Alliance on several events and presentations.
Erik has pursued studying the impacts of the Bronx River's native Snapping Turtles for his high school thesis and has given presentations and attended numerous events to share his wealth of knowledge and love for the native reptiles. At many of these events, Erik often steals the show as his affection and devotion to understanding the ecology of the Bronx River touches everyone that he speaks to -- it also helps that he often carries a 40+ pound ancient creature for display.
June 30, 2010 Green Infrastructure - in your backyard.
The Bronx River Alliance presents an exciting new opportunity to qualified residents or property owners of the Bronx. If you’ve ever wondered how you could have an influential role in the green revolution, now is the time.
The Bronx River Alliance is looking for residents of the Bronx that are interested in hosting a rainwater catchment system. These rainwater catchment systems (or rainbarrels) help to collect water and prevent the overload of NYC’s combined sewer system after rain occurrences; alleviate non-point source pollution that flows into the Bronx River and Long Island Sound; provide free water for washing the car, watering the garden, lawn, and street trees, in addition to other homely tasks. Properties within the following areas may qualify:
Area A – Property that is located to the east of the Bronx River, to the west of White Plains Rd, and south of Nereid Avenue, but north of Allerton Avenue.
Area B – Property that is located to the east of the Bronx River, west of Laconia Avenue/Williamsbridge Avenue, and south of Allerton Ave, but North of I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) – this includes portions of the West Farm community.
Area C – Property that is located to the west of the Bronx River, but to the east of Van Cortlandt Park East, and South of McLean/Nereid Avenue, but North of 233rd Street.
If you believe that your property falls within these delineations, or you are unsure and would like more information, please contact Ecology Director, Robin Kriesberg at robin.kriesberg@parks.nyc.gov or by calling 718-430-4690.
(It is important to note that water provided by the rainwater harvesting systems is absolutely not fit for consumption.)
June 23, 2010 5th Annual Upstream Soiree
The Bronx River Alliance cordially invites you to An Upstream Soirée on Thursday, September 16th, from 6 to 8PM. The Soirée is a convivial evening to benefit the Bronx River Alliance, with music, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and a silent auction, set in the award winning Hunts Point Riverside Park. Our honorees will be Adrian Benepe, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, and Roberto Garcia, Senior Director of Community and Government Relations at Montefiore Medical Center and outgoing chair of the Bronx Community Board 2. This event supports the Bronx River Alliance's mission to protect, improve, and restore the Bronx River and complete the Bronx River Greenway along its length.
Tickets are $100, or $200 for a patron ticket that includes a listing in the program. Click here for a direct link to the online registration page. There are also opportunities for corporate or individual sponsorships.
Hunts Point Riverside Park is located on the Bronx River at the end of Lafayette Avenue at Edgewater Road. Transportation will be available by shuttle van from the #6 Subway Hunts Point Avenue Station, or by reserved trolley from the Parks Department headquarters building, the Arsenal, at Fifth Avenue and 64th Street in Manhattan. Free valet parking will also be available. For further information or directions please call Stephen DeVillo at 718-430-4613, or email development@bronxriver.org.
June 22, 2010 Oyster Monitoring in the Daily News
The Bronx River Alliance and our friends at Friends of Brook Park, were featured in today's NYDaily News for oyster monitoring and the potential benefits for the improvement of water quality in New York City. Read more below.
The Bronx Kill could soon be alive - with oysters.
A South Bronx community group plans to reseed the waterway with oysters and mussels and, in the process, revive the polluted waterway, which separates the Bronx from Randalls Island.
The group - Friends of Brook Park - is waiting for word on a $50,000 grant from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
"This would expose more people to the wonder of our waterways," said Harry Bubbins, who runs the Mott Haven group.
The oysters won't be fit for human consumption, but could help clean the narrow Bronx Kill, which has been devastated by dumping, sewage and landfill.
Because the crusty bivalves are filter feeders - sucking in water and slurping algae and plankton from it - a square foot of oysters can filter 2,000 gallons of water per day. They also form reefs, which shelter fish, crabs and shrimp - more than 70 animal species all together, said Paul Mankiewicz of the Gaia Institute on City Island.
A century ago, oysters were so common that street stands sold them on the half-shell. But overharvesting, toxic waste and disease hit the mollusks hard.
Bubbins said his group was inspired by a Bronx River restoration project. Six years ago, the Bronx River Alliance and the city Parks Department set out to help a small colony of Bronx River oysters near Soundview Park. Like the Bronx Kill, the Bronx River had been ravaged by dumping and neglect.
In 2007 and 2008, volunteers used Long Island clamshells to build a reef for the oysters and gathered baby oysters from the water to boost the colony. In the Bronx Kill, Mankiewicz and Friends of Brook Park will install reef-like ropes made from recycled plastic, then reseed it with baby oysters.
Friends of Brook Park chose the Bronx Kill not only because it borders Mott Haven but also because the waterway is tranquil and too small for motorboat traffic. It would take an enormous oyster colony to rid the larger Bronx River of gunk, but a mollusk-powered Bronx Kill cleanup is doable, said Mankiewicz. Friends of Brook Park plans to work in the Bronx Kill near Lincoln Ave., but could also plant oysters near Mill Pond Park in the Harlem River.
We are happy to announce that the Bronx River Alliance has made the Honor Roll! The Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program has placed the Bronx River Alliance on its Chief Scientist’s Honor Roll for Hydrology.
Since joining the GLOBE database in 2003 and submitting information, the alliance has taken over 4253 data measurements. The extraordinary effort to utilize the river as a living classroom could not have been done without the collaborative efforts of partner organizations and school groups. We thank all that have helped us to receive such a great accomplishment.
June 03, 2010 Bronx River Oil Spill in White Plains
June 4, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Oil Spill Highlights Stormwater Issue in Bronx River
Bronx, NY – An oil spill discovered on the Bronx River in White Plains on June 2, has been determined to be heating oil from a nearby apartment building. The oil entered the river through the storm drain system and has extended for three miles down the river, from South of Main Street in White Plains down to Crane Road in Scarsdale. Officials report that multiple containment booms were put into place as far south on the river as Mount Vernon, but the oil has not reached that far.
The oil was spilled in the basement of the building and flowed into an internal storm sewer which flushed it directly into the Bronx River. Stormwater poses a major threat to the health of the river, discharging untreated polluted runoff directly into the waterway on an ongoing basis. In the fall of 2009, an oil spill from a Con Ed substation in Yonkers resulted in hundreds of gallons of transformer oil flowing into the river. While spills such as these are relatively rare, runoff is a constant input to the ecosystem, with rainwater picking up pollutants as it runs over paved and hardened surfaces, ultimately flowing into storm drains which discharge to the Bronx River. These incidents serve as dramatic reminders of the vulnerability of our local waterways, and how increased coordination and cooperation across political boundaries are needed to protect the entire Bronx River watershed and ecosystem....click here for the complete press release.
If you notice any unusual conditions such as an oily sheen on the water, please let us know by sending an email to: robin.kriesberg@parks.nyc.gov.
If you are intersted in helping to rescue, clean, and release animals from the river contact Loraine J. Izzo, a licensed animal rehabilitator with the state Department of Environmental Conservation at 914-629-8352.
May 27, 2010 Bronx River Festival
The Bronx River Festival, even heralded by NY Daily News as 'the best back to nature festival', will take place on Saturday, June 26th at River Park. Be sure to come and enjoy a beautiful day at the Bronx River. Games, canoe rides, live entertainment, food will be availble at the event. It's sure to be fun for the entire family.
Event begins at 11AM and continues until 3PM at River Park (180th Street at Boston Road, Bronx, NY).
May 24, 2010 'I Am The Bronx River' Video Debut
The Bronx River Alliance has worked extensively with our partners and supporters in the Bronx community as a coordinated voice for the rejuvenation of the river, all while working to reintroduce community members that have long been physically cut off from the beautiful resource of the Bronx River. We’ve worked with Good Eye Video to recapture the spirit of our work, to highlight the tremendous strides, and to reinforce the beauty that is the Bronx and the Bronx River. We hope that you enjoy!
May 19, 2010 Shoelace Park Highlighted in Mind in the Gutter Exhibition
S.W.I.M. (Stormwater Infrastructure Matters) celebrated Earth Day at the exhibit launch and panel discussion for Minds in the Gutter, a project that seeks innovative designs to manage stormwater in the public right-of-way. A standing room only crowd at Museum of the City of New York joined a panel of dreamers and do-ers in the field of stormwater management, moderated by Deborah Marton of Design Trust for Public Space, to re-envision who is at the table when decisions about stormwater and public space are made. Thank you to all who came and made the event so much fun!
The Minds in the Gutter project continues to seek online submissions describing your innovative ideas for managing runoff from roadways within the public right of way. We encourage submissions from a wide variety of disciplines, the public or private sector, and all five boroughs of New York City. If you are a professional engineer, a student, a community leader, a forester, a pedestrian…If you are someone who has an inspired solution for diverting stormwater from roadways before it reaches the sewer, we want to hear from you!
Go to http://mindsinthegutter.org/ to view the creative ideas that were reviewed by a panel of judges and showcased at the event at the Museum of the City of New York. The Bronx River Alliance is particularly excited about the innovative entry by NYC DEP for a stormwater capture project at 224th St. and Bronx Blvd. near Shoelace Park. Check it out at http://mindsinthegutter.org/nyc-dep/
April 12, 2010 The Alewife Herring Returns to the Bronx River!
Bronx, NY – On Sunday, April 11, 2010, staff from the Bronx River Alliance and Queens College netted a 255 mm male alewife on the Bronx River. The capture marks the second year in a row that this species of fish has been observed in the river since the species was reintroduced in four years ago.
“Finding alewife in the river again this spring is evidence of the reintroduction program’s success and a testament to the improvements made by ongoing restoration efforts along the Bronx River,” said Linda Cox, Bronx River Alliance Executive Director/NYC Parks Bronx River Administrator.
In 2006 and 2007, the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation Natural Resources Group (NRG) and the Connecticut Department of Environmental Conservation reintroduced alewife into the river, in partnership with the Bronx Zoo, and in April 2009, the first alewife was netted as it migrated upstream to spawn. Under the direction of NRG, the Bronx River Alliance, and other partner organizations installed a trap in River Park near 180th St. in the Bronx on April 1, 2010, to determine the presence of alewife heading to spawn this year. Now that one has been caught, the trap will be removed, to minimize mortality to other returning fish.
The presence of alewives, together with the appearance of Jose the beaver in 2006, speaks to the remarkable ability of a heavily urbanized waterway to support a diversity of life. It also testifies to the resurgence in the overall health of the river that has occurred as a result of work by community members, local non-profits, and government agencies. The return of the alewife is an example of the positive benefits that occur when this partnership mobilizes.
“These alewives make an extraordinary journey from Nova Scotia, after which they pass combined sewer outfalls, garbage booms, active shoreline construction and a confined culvert on the Bronx River to reach the base of the 182nd St dam.” said Marit Larson, Deputy Director of Wetland and Riparian Restoration at NRG. “Our next step is to assure they have passage over this dam to enable them to reach suitable spawning habitat. NRG and the Bronx River Alliance are continuing...to plan the construction of fish ladders at all three dams in the Bronx. This will open the upper reaches of the river as spawning grounds for even more returning alewife."
March 18, 2010 Farewell to Community Health Advocate Megan Charlop
Yesterday, Wednesday, March 17, 2010, Megan Charlop was killed bicycling in East Tremont in the Bronx. According to media reports, she was avoiding a car door opened in her path when she was struck and killed by a bus.
Meg, an avid biker, was a huge champion of good health in the Bronx, working for healthy foods, exercise, anti-asthma, and lead abatement. She was a founder of Greening for Breathing, which led the movement to plant trees in the South Bronx. Currently, as the Director of the Community Health Division at the Montefiore School Health Program, Megan worked tirelessly to encourage more active, healthy living in neighborhoods with few open spaces or amenities. She was a respected colleague of many community organizations over the years and a warm and passionate person. She will be sorely missed.
This afternoon, some of Meg’s colleagues gathered to mourn her in Williamsbridge Oval, an appropriate outdoor setting for someone who encouraged people to “play outside.” The funeral service will be held tomorrow, Friday March 19, 2010, 9:30 a.m., at the Riverside Nassau North Chapel 55 North Station Plaza, Great Neck, NY; (516) 487-9600.
For close friends and family, the burial will take place at Mount Lebanon Cemetery. The Charlop-Powers family will be sitting shiva. Dates and locations to be announced.
In lieu of condolence packages, the Charlop-Powers family asks that donations be made to a charity which will be announced on Friday.
March 15, 2010 Serrano Hails Major Victory in Battle to Shut NYOFCo
Below is Congressman Serrano's announcement. There is also an article in the New York Times.
For Immediate Release: March 12, 2010
Serrano Hails Major Victory in Battle to Shut NYOFCo
March 12, 2010 - Washington, DC - Today, Congressman José E. Serrano hailed the NYC Department of Environmental Protection's recent decision to end its contract with the New York Organic Fertilizer Company (NYOFCo) to process sewage sludge at the company's Hunts Point location. The NYOFCo facility, which incinerated up to 2/3rds of New York City's dewatered sewage, was the source of persistent odor complaints and safety and public health concerns for more than a decade. Serrano said it was a "major victory for the people of the Bronx, for their health, and for the incredible community effort that made this happen."
"NYOFCo has polluted our community's air for 16 years, and today is the beginning of the end," said Serrano. "It is an end to the burning eyes, the coughs, the missed school days, even the asthma attacks, all conditions triggered by NYOFCo's acrid odors. It is an end to closed windows on hot days and ruined picnics in the park. It is an end to our community enduring odors that no other community in the City has to bear. We applaud the City for taking this action, and at the same time we say to them 'never let this happen in our neighborhood or any other ever again."
"The remarkable thing about the years-long fight against NYOFCo is that it became the tool that our community used to organize itself. We were fighting these battles in our own ways, but when we began to work together in the fight against this awful polluter, we organized in a way that has had a dramatically positive effect on our neighborhoods. The coalitions that formed in this campaign have gone on to fight on behalf of other pressing environmental causes - of which there are far too many in our borough - and have won many of those fights. The work that was begun by the Hunts Point Awareness Committee and was carried forward by Mothers On the Move, The Point Community Development Corporation, and Sustainable South Bronx demonstrates this organizing power.
"The organizing efforts brought about by NYOFCo's longstanding odor problems have changed the face of the Bronx permanently, making it a healthier, more livable place. More importantly, perhaps, they have helped all of us recognize that our community doesn't have to suffer indefinitely under the cruel effects of pollution and poor environmental conditions. Through this organizing work, our community has asserted its right to better conditions, and at the very least, the same right to clean air as New Yorkers in any other borough.
"This is a huge milestone in the Bronx reclaiming its environmental rights. I look forward to more victories like this one, but today's is particularly sweet. The moment when NYOFCo's lights are finally out cannot come too soon, but right now, I just relish the thought of that day in July when the city stops sending its sludge to be incinerated at the expense of our community. The South Bronx is no longer the City's destination for sewage sludge and it never will be again. That is the true victory for our borough."
Congressman José E. Serrano has represented the Bronx in Congress since 1990.
March 09, 2010 Herring fishery could close by 2012 DEC must prove species not declining
Times Herald-Record
By Adam Bosch
Posted: March 08, 2010 - 2:00 AM
An interstate commission has told New York and 14 other states to outlaw herring fishing, a staple of the Hudson River and its tributaries, if they cannot prove the fish population is stable.
Full story in the online Times Herald Record.
For more Alewife information: www.seatuck.org
March 03, 2010 Bronx River Alliance Returns from New Orleans 'Geaux Saints!', Louisiana
The Bronx River Alliance had the opportunity of participating in the 2 day Urban Pathways Initiative to Livable Communities Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The conference boasted of key speakers such as John Robert Smith the former Mayor to Meridian, Mississippi and current President and CEO of Reconnecting America, Keith Laughlin, President, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and Peter Harnik, the co-founder and vice president for Rails-to-Trail who now serves as the director for the Center for City Park Excellence at the Trust for Public Land.
The event included over 100 representatives from non-profits that are all working towards constructing greenways and open spaces to facilitate alternative means of transportation from Compton, CA to Washington, D.C..Rails-to-Trail is a partner organization with the Bronx River Alliance that strives to create a nationwide network of trails to build healthier places for healthier people -- the enhancement and promotion of trails in urban areas being recognized as the most vital to achieving their goal.
February 09, 2010 MINDS IN THE GUTTER call for submissions seeks designs for stormwater management in the public right-of-way for juried exhibition and resource guide.
MINDS IN THE GUTTER call for submissions seeks designs for stormwater management
in the public right-of-way for juried exhibition and resource guide.
Minds in the Gutter - a project of the Stormwater Infrastructure Matters (SWIM) Coalition, NYC Environmental Fund and North Brooklyn Compost Project - is currently accepting submissions for innovative design solutions that manage runoff from roadways within the public right of way (that’s public space, streets and sidewalks).
Submissions must be received before 5pm on February 15, 2010. Details for submitting your project can be found online at www.mindsinthegutter.org.
February 09, 2010 NYC Food and Fitness - Free Teacher Training
Livable Streets Education (LSE) invites you to participate in our FREE training sessions to enliven your classroom this spring! LSE develops inquiry-based lessons that use the streets outside your school as a laboratory and connects these ideas to your Core Curriculum.
Please attend our professional development programs on March 9th, 10th, or 11th. We will provide you with hands-on experience and step-by-step training to make it easy to bring these lessons to life in your classroom this spring. Participants can adapt these lessons to best suit their schedule and learning goals. An additional training session will be held on April 20th to help extend these ideas to service learning projects.
Trainings will be held on March 9th, 10th and 11th at The Open Planning Project, 148 Lafayette Street, Penthouse floor, Manhattan, NY. Free dinner is included at each session.
Tuesday, March 9th, 5-8pm
Elementary School - Projects designed for Kindergarten through Fifth Grade students highlight literacy, math, science and social studies.
• Grades K/1: The Streets Around Us,
• Grades 2/3: Getting Around Town
• Grades 4/5: Green Streets
Wednesday, March 10th, 5-8pm
Middle School - Projects designed for Kindergarten through Fifth Grade students highlight literacy, math, science and social studies.
• Grades 6-8: The Air That I Breathe
• Grades 6-8: Redesign Your Street
Thursday, March 11th, 5-8pm
High School - High School programming focuses on environmental stewardship and the social sciences.
• Grades 9-12: Making a Livable Community
Can’t make a training session?
If you are still interested in teaching a unit this spring but can’t make the training session, please email
rjacobs@streetseducation.org or call 917-388-9038.
Watch this short video to learn more about the work of our friends at desigNYC.
Updated 06/19/2010
February 08, 2010 Going Coastal NYC Book Release - Featuring the Bronx River
Going Coastal NYC 2nd Edition can now be purchased at your local bookstores. The book features information about Bronx River Alliance and the Bronx River including parks and estuaries, launch sites, and our canoe and kayak programs. Going Coastal NYC also includes details of significant historical sites, maps that covers over 500 miles of NYC waterfront, events and happenings, and much more.
The Going Coastal NYC Urban Waterfront Guide was published by Fordham University Press and is sold at a variety of book retailers including Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, and Borders.
February 05, 2010 US Army Corps of Engineers Begins Ecosystem Restoration Project at Soundview Park
The NY City Parks Department is partnering with the Army Corps of Engineers to rebuild a wetland near the mouth of the river in Soundview Park. The Corps will foot most of the bill for the $6.3 million project to restore the 3-acre salt marsh, with the Parks Department providing the remaining 35% of the funding.
The project is in the design phase right now, and work at the site is expected to get underway in the fall.
Herring some good news
Herring made a triumphant return to the Bronx River in April, 300 years after dam-building drove the species out. In 2006, the Parks Department and conservation groups reintroduced alewife herring to the waterway, and this year their hatchings returned to spawn.
Green scene
Some of the borough's old abandoned lots, including Mill Pond Park and Concrete Plant Park, got a green lease on life as official parkland.
As of November 25, Con Ed had finished its clean-up operations and reported that the river looked great. Con Ed will wait two or so weeks to give the river "a rest" before they and staff from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) revisit to see if there are any new indications of oil.
November 19, 2009 Click to support Bronx River Alliance!
JPMorgan Chase and Facebook have partnered to launch a corporate, philanthropic giving initiative for small and local charities. The Bronx River Alliance along with over 500,000 non-profits are eligible for the grand prize winning of $1 million. We are asking for your support, and your vote, to help Bronx River Alliance to make it to the final round.
Click on the hand to cast your vote. It's that easy!
This is such a unique opportunity and with your support, we hope to seize this moment. Please be sure to vote, and then most importantly tell your friends, family, and loved ones about the chance to make the Bronx a healthier and safer place for all of its inhabitants; hairy, feathery and scaly alike.
***Details of contest***
The contest is broken into two rounds. In the first round of the Chase Community Giving initiative Facebook users vote for non-profits that they believe should win a portion of the larger $5 Million dollar pot. On December 15th the top 100 qualified charities will be announced to receive $25,00 each, and then they will move on to the next round.
The second round the top 100 organizations will have the option to submit a "Million Dollar Grant" proposal to Facebook users (of course we need YOU to make it there) detailing the difference that they would make in their local community with the additional funds. Facebook users will then vote again beginning January 15th, and on February 1st the organization that received the most votes will be announced. The next five organizations with the most votes will receive $100,000 each, and the Chase Advisory Board will donate $1 million to the nominated charities of its choice.
November 16, 2009 Con Ed transformer explosion in Yonkers triggers Bronx River clean-up
November 11, 2009 Bronx River Teacher, Nic Vitale, Honored by NYC and Sloan Foundation
Banana Kelly science teaher Nic Vitale was honored recently for his hard work and innovation. Please follow the links for more news of this well deserved praise:
November 05, 2009 Con Edison Substation Fire Causes Oil Spill on the Bronx River
On November 4, 2009 oil from the Con Edison Dunwoodie substation was released during a fire. Con Edison is on the scene of the cleanup with the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Emergency Response Team and the NY City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
Con Edison notified Linda Cox, Executive Director of the Bronx River Alliance and the Bronx River Administrator for the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, on Thursday, Nov 5. Linda immediately notified NYC Parks, and both the Bronx River Conservation Crew and Parks Natural Resource Group staff investigated. Booms placed by Con Edison and DEC to contain and absorb the spill were already in place at several locations along the river. Staff members observed oil slicks and strong petroleum smells along the river, and oil seeping under the booms, heading downriver. The Alliance has been keeping in close contact with Con Edison, Parks and neighboring partners such as the New York Botanical Garden and the Bronx Zoo – all who observed the spill on their sites.
Latest (11/10/09)
The Bronx River Alliance has been advised of the sub-station fire last Wednesday and subsequent oil spill by Con Ed. We are in contact with the agencies involved. Until experts are able to issue their assessment, we are advising the public to refrain from fishing or disturbing the clean-up in the Bronx River.
UPDATE (12/01/09)
As of November 25, Con Ed had finished its clean-up operations and reported that the river looked great. Con Ed will wait two or so weeks to give the river "a rest" before they and staff from the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) revisit to see if there are any new indications of oil.
November 04, 2009 CHOICE VOICED FOR BRONX RIVER
At a convivial reception at Patagonia Soho the evening before Halloween, the Bronx River Alliance achieved a close second place in the Voice Your Choice competition, and received a $1,500 grant from Patagonia. The Alliance was edged out by Just Food, but came in ahead of Hackensack Riverkeeper in a three-way race to garner votes from customers and visitors.This was the second year the Alliance was selected to take part in this event, and it gave it a special opportunity to staff an information table at the Soho store over the course of a weekend, introducing the Alliance’s programs and goals to a broad variety of potential new friends and supporters.The Alliance expresses its gratitude to Patagonia, and extends special thanks to Raissa Dally, Anne-Marie Runfola and Stephen DeVillo for staffing the information table, as well as to all our friends and staff members who came to cast their vote.
November 02, 2009 Ribbon Cut, Concrete Plant Officially Open!
On a beautiful October day, the Bronx River Alliance was thrilled to celebrate the opening of the Concrete Plant Park, the culmination of decade of community activism to claim the site and work by the Parks Dept and the Alliance to turn the abandoned concrete plant into a beautiful waterfront promenade and our newest link on the Bronx River Greenway.
November 02, 2009 Bronx River Conservation Crew Manual for Rainwater Barrel Installations
The Bronx River Conservation Crew has now installed rainwater barrels at five locations, thanks to funding from the Bronx River Watershed Initiative of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Frances Knickmeyer, a member of the Crew, prepared a Rainwater Harvest System Installation summary and how-to manual for others who would like to install a rainwater barrel to water plants and divert pollution from the Bronx River and other NYC waterways.
November 02, 2009 Wholesale Greenmarket at Hunts Point, open through November
Council on the Environment of New York City is now managing the Wholesale Greenmarket at Hunts Point in the Bronx. The market offers local and regional farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, and flowers at wholesale prices and quantities to local retailers, institutions, as well as the general public. There is no charge to shop at the market, and everyone is welcome. Throughout the market season, buyers will have access to over 100 products including vegetables, fruits, flowers, and potted herbs and plants.
The Wholesale Greenmarket is located in the waterfront parking lot of the New Fulton Fish Market at Hunts Point, 800 Food Center Drive, Bronx. The Market is open Mon-Sat from 2am–8am through November. The Market will reopen in March 24, 2010, and will feature locally-grown plants and flowers and early Spring produce. For more information, please contact Kassy Nystrom at (917)-838-2309 or visit www.cenyc.org/wholesale.
November 02, 2009 Paddling on the River in 2009
As the weather gets colder, we close out another successful year with the Canoe Program at the Bronx River Alliance. This year over 1,000 community members paddled the Bronx River, many of them for the first time, often exclaiming in wonder at how beautiful the river is viewed from mid-stream. A notably successful new initiative this year was the introduction of "community paddles," afternoons of short canoe rides for new paddlers that we held at Hunts Point Riverside Park, the new Concrete Plant Park, Ft. Knox, and River Park at 180th Street. Also, this year we hosted our first ever Thriller on the River on Halloween afternoon where we got decked out in costumes and enjoyed the fall foilage during a paddle down the river.
Thank you to everyone who came out this year to help make this year a success!
October 31, 2009 Muskrat Cove Volunteer Day on October 30 in honor of Josie Burke
On Thursday October 30th, Bronx River Alliance and the NYC Park District 14 hosted the Josie Burke Volunteer Day in Muskrat Cove. We had 20 volunteers out, which included 8 students from Bronx Intermediate School 190 from the Crotona Park section of the Bronx. The volunteers did weeding, pruning and racked and packed leaves . The day was created in honor of Josie Burke, a Bronx River hero who has spent countless hours in this park and is currently battling a serious health issue.
October 26, 2009 CNN Podcast: The Bronx - A River Runs Through It
The Bronx River Alliance, Ecology Intern Raissa Dally and the now open Concrete Plant Park are featured in a CNN audio podcast ! Click on the link and scroll to the bottom. If it is not on the blog as they change daily, you can find it here. Listen and enjoy. From the CNN introduction:
"The Bronx has a reputation for being a tough place to live. CNN's Steve Kastenbaum says that image is changing and so are the residents of the Bronx, thanks to the ongoing clean-up of the river that runs through it. "
October 25, 2009 An Opportunity to Text Wildlife on the Bronx River
October 25, 2009 Meeting on NYC Water and Natural Gas Drilling in the Watershed
There is an important issue currently facing NYC drinking water. On September 30, New York State DEC issued a report which could allow gas drilling in the Croton-Deleware watershed. NYC has some of the best quality drinking water in the country, coming down to us from upstate New York . The process used to extract the gas, commonly refered to as fracking, is potentially toxic and can poison drinking water in the upstate area as well as the water that comes to NYC. The DEC says that the watershed will not be jeopardized, but that the drilling cannot be banned because 70% of the land in the area is privately owned. To learn more, read the summary, and consider attending the public information session on November 10 at Stuyvesant High School on 345 Chambers Street. http://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/58705.html
October 13, 2009 Where are Wild Things in NYC? The Bronx River!
It was more like Pedal and Pedal Day on October 3, 2009 as the paddling portion of the trip was rained out. Still, we were thrilled to have the Five Borough Bike Club assist with marshalling the trip - and even more thrilled to start the trip from the newly-opened Concrete Plant Park. Stay tuned for more Bronx River bike opporunities in 2010!
September 28, 2009 Annual Bronx River Gala Honors Journalist Buddy Stein and Artist Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz
The 4th Annual Upstream Soiree was a huge success, with great food, drink, and music. Congratulations to journalist Buddy Stein and artist Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz who were honored at the event and are pictured to the right with Joan Byron, Chair of the Bronx River Allinace; Adrian Benepe, Commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation; and Linda Cox, Executive Director of the Bronx River Alliance.
September 11, 2009 Join Bronx River Expedition for Cricket Crawl
Join the Bronx River Alliance Expedition Team for the citywide Cricket Crawl this Saturday. The rare Common True Katydid was heard in the NY Botanical Garden recently, so we'll listen for that and six more common species just north of NYBG in the Bronx River Forest. Try something new on a Saturday night and enjoy a lovely evening in this beautiful old hardwood forest.
Meet: Sat, September 12, 7:15 pm Place: West side of Bronx Blvd. at Burke Ave. Meet at the top of the steps leading into the park. Map Bring: Weather appropriate gear; good walking shoes; a flashlight or headlamp Contact: Anne-Marie Runfola, 718.430.1846 Cancellation: Will still go in light rain. Call number above if you have questions.
Details: www.discoverlife.org/cricket
This Saturday evening groups of volunteers will fan out across all five boroughs to conduct a cricket and katydid census of New York City. Participants will be listening for the calls of seven species and their data will be processed and posted throughout the night by a team at the American Museum of Natural History.
Seeger chose the [Hunts Point Riverside Park] as the spot to receive the prize because of his bond with Adam Green, the founder of Rocking the Boat, a boatbuilding program for inner-city youngsters based at this waterside gem.
"This park was developed in his vision of grass-roots involvement - it's an example of what he's trying to convince the world," said Green.
"It was an abandoned lot, and Majora Carter [founder of Sustainable South Bronx] turned it into a park."
September 04, 2009 NY AG Cuomo contributes $1.8 million of settlement money to improve Bx River
For a full list of funded projects, see the Environmental News Service's post from August 28, 2009. And, of course, listen to The Point E.D. and Bronx River Greenway Team Co-chair, Kellie Terry Sepulveda on WNYC.
August 25, 2009 Jose the Beaver featured in National Geographic Magazine
The Bronx River's own Jose the beaver is featured in an article in the September issue of National Geographic magazine about Eric Sanderson's Mannahatta project, envisioning the evolution of New York City from wilderness to metropolis.
You can read about it online at http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/09/manhattan/miller-text/2.
August 10, 2009 New York Times highlight return of alewife herring to the Bronx River
Herring return to the City, with Sex in Mind (August 7, 2009 by Joseph Berger) features Marit Larson, a project manager with Parks Natural Resources Group and a co-chair of the Bronx River Ecology Team.
July 24, 2009 Putting the Farm Back in West Farms: Local Gardens Thrive as Interest Blossoms
Drew Gardens is featured in the Bronx News Network!
The garden, a lush, two-acre strip of lawn and community vegetable plots running along the Bronx River on East Tremont Avenue between East 177th Street and West Farms Road, sits behind three bus stops and attracts plenty of attention ...Read More in the Tremont Tribune, part of the Bronx News Network
Article by James Fergusson
July 21, 2009 Mid-summer Greenway Update
Concrete Plant Park
We’re almost there! Final touches on the park include important safety features such as fencing along the Amtrak line, and safety features on the old Concrete Plant towers. We expect that the park will re-open late this summer or early fall. Soundview Park, River Access
Construction is proceeding rapidly at this 9 acre park project at the “elbow” of Soundview Park. Improvements include a formalized path system, an overlook area at the water’s edge, and a boat launch. The project is scheduled to re-open late this summer or early fall. West Farms Rapids
Construction crews have put in new plantings along the waterfront and have been making progress on the amphitheater and plaza at E 180th Street. This project is scheduled to re-open this winter or early spring. 219th StreetEntrance to Shoelace Park
Open! This improved entrance to Shoelace Park features seating around the WWI memorial, new plantings and paths, and stormwater capture.
Download the map above for viewing and printing. Maps shows a current list of parks that are open today, as well as those that are under construction. Note that while the map indicates 211th Street as under construction, the start date has been delayed.
July 21, 2009 Elaine Feliciano, Assistant Crew Leader, featured in Green Job video
A documentary film crew followed Assistant Bronx River Conservation Crew leader Elaine Feliciano during a few typical days of her work to restore the Bronx River. Watch the video! The piece will be used to promote green collar jobs and the role that they can play in rebuilding our economy and natural infrastructure.
July 10, 2009 Bronx River Crossing's Watershed Flows to the South
On Tuesday, August 4th at approximately 7:30 a.m., the massive Bronx River Watershed model constructed by the participants in Bronx River Crossing (BRX) and floated down the Bronx River on July 12th will once again hit the water. The scale watershed representation, which measure 12 feet by 30 feet and is made bouyant by an system of 2 liter soda bottles, will be placed on the river at Hunts Point Riverside Park where it will be escorted out to the East River. From there, a group of BRX paddlers led by Erik Baard of the Long Island City Community Boathouse will guide the assemblage down through Hell's Gate and on to the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge where it will be moored alongside the Water Pod. This endeavor, far beyond a simple art project, also represents the connection between the Bronx River Watershed, the East River, Hudson River and the world of water that surrounds us.
July 08, 2009 Bronx River Park receives Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence
On July 7, 2009 Hunts Point Riverside Park was awarded a Rudy Bruner award for Urban Excellence silver medal. Honorees at the event included (from left to right) Parks landscape architect George Bloomer, Assistant Comissioner Joshua Laird, Parks landscape architect Nancy Prince, Simeon Bruner, Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe, Bronx River Administrator/Bronx River Alliance Executive Director Linda Cox, Bronx River Chair Joan Byron, & Majora Carter, President of the Majora Carter group.
Read more about the award in NYC Park's Daily Plant.
June 25, 2009 A graphic novel based on the Bronx River! The Pollinator's Corridor
The Pollinator's Corridor, published in Philadelphia's City Paper, is the creation of Aaron Birk, former restoration ecologist on the Bronx River.
June 24, 2009 Taking the Bronx River to Baltimore
It’s a long way from the Aquahung, but the Bronx River Alliance made a splash at the 2009 National River Rally in Baltimore, Maryland over the last weekend in May.Conducting a workshop on “Urban Citizen Science”, Education Director Damian Griffin took the workshop out of the hotel and down to the Inner Harbor, where he demonstrated basic water monitoring procedures using the murky waters of Chesapeake Bay.Holding forth before the historic warship the USS Constellation, Damian gathered an interested crowd of curious passersby as workshop participants drew samples from the harbor and tested them for such things as turbidity and salinity.The focus of this year’s three-day River Rally was on urban rivers, and so back in the Hyatt, the participants learned how the Alliance uses the Bronx River as a living laboratory to help urban communities reconnect with their natural environment and how through water monitoring people can engage in real science to bring about positive change.
Earlier that weekend, Development Associate Stephen Paul DeVillo presented the Bronx River Alliance at an “Intensive Workshop” titled “From Drainpipes to Diving Boards: Dreaming Big About Urban Rivers.”“Forget what you think you know about the Bronx,” Stephen told them, “there’ve been a lot of changes, in the Bronx, and the Bronx River Alliance has been a part of that.” Stephen outlined the Alliance’s own big dreams for the river and greenway, and how it is making them a reality through engaging our partner organizations and building upon a history of community activism dating back to 1974.Throughout the weekend Damian and Stephen attended other workshops and interacted with representatives from river organizations across the country, gaining valuable contacts and perspectives from people facing similar challenges.
June 18, 2009 Bronx River Festival is a Daily News Best Bet for Frugal Family Summer Fun
Bronx River Festival. Canoe rides, food, live entertainment and games make up this day of fun in the sun. (Sat., June 27, 11 a.m.-3 p.m.; free. 180th St. and Boston Road.)
June 16, 2009 The New River Voices is Here!
The latest issue of River Network's publicationRiver Voiceshas just hit the newstands and the Bronx River plays a prominent role. Read all about the urban rivers of our nation that are making comebacks, and checkout the submission by our Education Director, Damian Griffin. Yes, that is Rocking the Boat's Tony Archino and former Alliance Recreation Coordinator Michael Hunter on the front cover.
June 16, 2009 Public Comment Period for the Soundview Park Ecosystem Restoration Report & EIS
Ms. Nancy Brighton
Section Chief, Environmental Analysis Unit
USACE – New York District
26 Federal Plaza, Room 2151
New York, NY 10278-0090
The scope of this draft ERR is to document the existing conditions, to identify future without project conditions, to describe the planning process that narrowed the range of restoration measures to the single recommended plan, and to
present potential benefits and impacts associated with implementation of the proposed restoration project.
The Soundview Park study area targeted for ecosystem restoration is approximately a 3.0 acre site (Soundview Lagoons) within the overall 205-acre park within the Bronx River watershed in the Bronx, New York.
June 16, 2009 Fish Parade and the Bronx Times
The Point CDC and Sebco hosted the annual Hunts Point Fish Parade last week, starting at Hunts Point Riverside Park and ending in a party at Baretto Point Park. To find out more, read this news article, and then check out this picture to see if you recognize these parade marchers.
June 11, 2009 Bronx River Alliance Greenway & Communications Director on BronxNet's OPEN
An interview with Maggie Scott Greenway that features a discussion of the Shoelace Master Plan and the public design workshop that the Alliance hosted on Tuesday, June 9. For more information about the Shoelace Park Master Plan, visit www.shoelacepark.bronxriver.org.
The countdown to the 2010 Census has begun, and the U.S. Census Bureau is looking to national, tribal, state and local officials and community leaders to ensure an accurate count. With Census Day in just two short years — April 1, 2010 — the Census Bureau has already launched a critical national effort that affects the apportionment of congressional seats, and how the federal government annually allocates $300 billion in federal assistance to state, local and tribal governments.
Read an Introduction to the 2010 Census for more information and ways to get involved or visit 2010.census.gov/2010census/.
May 27, 2009 Bronx River Alliance Executive Director, Linda Cox, speaks on WFUV's Cityscape
As part of WFUV's new Strike A Chord campaign, the May 23rd edition of Cityscape as it dives into waterfront issues throughout the tri-state area. The program includes a report on how concerned citizens took back a stretch of neglected, trash-strewn waterfront in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, as well as a panel discussion on a host of issues ranging from waterfront access to development. Other panelists are: Roland Lewis (Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance), Phillip Musegaas (Riverkeeper), and Dottie Lewandowski (Queens Commissioner of Parks).
May 15, 2009 Amazing Bronx River Flotilla featured on Bronx News Network
View a fantastic slideshow and article about the Bronx River Flotilla on May 5, 2009.
May 08, 2009 Bronx River Alewives Featured in Beam Reach Blog Post
The return of alewives to the Bronx River was featured in an April 29 blog post by Bronx River Alliance supporter Ken Kostel. In addition to information alewives, their history in the Bronx, and their recent reappearance, the post provides a number of great links, including one to the Bronx River Restoration video created by the American Museum of Natural History that includes footage of the alewife reintroduciton.
May 08, 2009 SWIM Coalition Receives Green Roof Award of Excellence
The SWIM Coaltion has been granted a Green Roof Award of Excellence from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities for its outstanding leadership in the development of a tax abatement measure for green roofs in New York and subsequent lobbying efforts to reduce the administrative burden. For more about SWIM visit www.swimmablenyc.info.
May 08, 2009 Alliance Executive Director Linda Cox Honored with Get Green Award
Get GREEN AWARD 2009 honored folks that live and work to improve the environment. This year's recipient was our very own Linda Cox who has been the Executive Director of the Bronx River Alliance and the Bronx River Administrator for the Parks Department since 2002. Under her direction the Alliance and its Conservation Crew have accomplished wonders in turning the once trashed and polluted Bronx River into the cherished community resource we can all enjoy today.
The award itself was designed in the image of a tree and created by students of the CSI and WIA of South Bronx Overall Economic (Sobro) Development Corporation, from recycled cardboard salvaged from their offices.
April 29, 2009 BCEQ Soliciting Nominations for Annual Environmental Education Award
Once again B.C.E.Q. is soliciting nominations for our annual environmental education award, the Helen C. Reel Keeping it Real Award. This award seeks to honor civic-minded Bronx Citizens who demonstrate concern for posterity by their efforts to preserve the excellent, enhance the good, and upgrade the mediocre in our potentially beautiful borough. You can nominate people in three categories (1 nomination per form, please): School Teacher, Non-Formal Educator and Student. Please send Award Nomination Forms by May 21, 2009 to the address indicated on the form.
If you have questions, please contact Anne-Marie Runfola, BCEQ Education Committee Acting Chair at anne-marie.runfola@parks.nyc.gov or 718.430.1846.
April 29, 2009 CERC Summer Courses on Environmental and Water-related Issues
CERC, a consortium of five world-renowned partnering institutions (Columbia University, the American Museum of Natural History, the New York Botanical Garden, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Wildlife Trust), is pleased to announce an exciting new schedule of summer course offerings open to anyone with a passion for environmental and water-related issues. This unique summer term runs in May and June and covers a variety of topics centered on the themes of Sustainability, Resource Management, and Ecosystem Services. More information
April 29, 2009 New Greenstreet in Bronx River Watershed Receives NRDC Green Apple
A new greenstreet at the corner of White Plains Road, Sagamore and Cruger Avenues earned a green apple from the Natural Resources Defense Council. This triangle of green is designed to receive stormwater from the surrounding streets, reducing Bronx River pollution from CSOs (Combined Sewer Outfalls). It’s one of the first of a new generation of Greenstreet rain gardens being installed by the NYC Parks & Recreation Greenstreets Divison, which combine the typical Greenstreet benefits of enhancing pedestrian safety and greening the urban landscape with improving water quality.
The Bronx River Alliance--as part of its ongoing stormwater capture work in the river's watershed--identified the Greenstreet site, raised funds from the Long Island Sound Futures Fund Bronx River Restoration grant program, and will help Parks and the NYC Soil & Water Conservation District monitor the site.
April 27, 2009 StreetFilms presents: the Bronx River Greenway & South Bronx Greenway
View a wonderful video of the Bronx River Greenway and South Bronx Greenway, including interviews by many of the on-the-ground heroes who are making them a reality!
April 25, 2009 Bronx River Greenway Project Managers and Designers Receive Evergreen Award
As part of NYSDOT's Earth Day commemoration, agency managers and designers managers responsible for 10 projects that fit the agency's two most stringent GreenLITES criteria were presented with awards. The staff who have worked long and hard to design the one-mile stretch of new and improved parkland between Westchester Avenue and East Tremont Avenue, including Roger Weld, Jim Lau, and Regional Director Phillip Eng, received an "Evergreen" award--the highest honor. More
April 22, 2009 At Garrison Park on the Bronx River, Mayor Bloomberg Announces $2 Billion for Green Jobs
On April 8, at Garrison Park on the Bronx River in Hunts Point, Mayor Bloomberg announced a $2 billion grant from the US Department of Agriculture to create green jobs in horticulture and forestry. The funding will be used to hire graduates of the Million TreesNYC training program, who will plant trees in public spaces around the city, including Garrison Park. Read more in the Epoch Times article "$2 Million to NYC Green Jobs," written by Joshua Phillip (April 9, 2009).
April 20, 2009 Herring Return to the Bronx River!
Three years ago, alewife herring were reintroduced to the Bronx River by the Bronx River Alliance and the Wildlife Conservation Society, in hopes that their hatchings would return to the river as adults to spawn. Eariler this month, it was reported that alewife had returned to the river, possibly for the first time since the 1600s. Read more in the Daily News article "Herring make triumphant return" by Bill Egbert (April 14, 2009).
March 20, 2009 $11 Million for Flood Prevention in Westchester, Including Projects in Bronx River Watershed
Westchester County Executive Andy Spano and Congresswoman Nita Lowey have announced the allocation of $11 million to fund a number of local government flood prevention projects. Included in the list of projects is the installation of stormwater management practices at four sites in the Village of Scarsdale, which will help to prevent flooding in Fox Meadow Brook, a tributary of the Bronx River. For more information see $11 Million For Flood Prevention Announced, posted by Westchester.com.
March 12, 2009 Bronx River Alliance Supporter Sonia Manzano Featured in Kiwanis Magazine
Bronx River Alliance supporter Sonia Manzano, Maria from Sesame Street, was featured in the February issue of Kiwanis magazine article, "Role Model: TV's Maria inspires new generations of leaders." In her interview with Kiwanis International CEO Rob Parker, Sonia discussed her volunteer work with the Alliance: "The river connects one of the poorest neighborhoods in America with one of the richest... What ties us together is that we all want to make the river accessible to all. It's beautiful to watch these very different people come together to work toward a common goal. It's the essence of service."
February 11, 2009 Create Jobs through Greenway Development
In this article by Bette Midler and Connie Roosevelt, completion of the New York City's extensive greenway system-including the Bronx River Greenway-is identified as an important step to create jobs and improve the quality of life for future generations of City residents.
February 04, 2009 Intersections: the Grand Concourse Beyond 100
This international ideas competition solicits bold visions from architects, planners, artists, designers, students, area residents, and others, that describe how the Bronx and the Grand Concourse can evolve in coming decades to cope with pressing needs for housing, green space, and transportation.
Winning proposals will be exhibited at The Bronx Museum of the Arts in the exhibition Intersections: Grand Concourse at 100 — Future, opening in November 2009. Honorable mentions will be displayed digitally during the exhibition and also in an online gallery on this website.
Submissions will be accepted from February 2 – May 1, 2009.
January 14, 2009 Oyster Restoration Lecture Series Begins February 19th
NYC Oyster Gardening Program
Oyster Restoration Lecture Series Begins February 19th
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The NYC Oyster Gardening Program announces a series of five lectures on the history, science and restoration of oysters in the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary. These free lectures will be held between February and June of 2009. This series will complement the gathering interest in oyster restoration in the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary and the upcoming conference Restoring the Urban Oyster to be held on Governors Island on April 24th. Specific dates are listed under Calendar of Events. All lectures except the April 2nd Educators' Workshop will be held at Hudson River Park's Pier 84 Classroom.
January 08, 2009 New website feature! Bronx River Database: www.bronxriverdata.org
Check out our new data clearinghouse for the Bronx River: www.bronxriverdata.org. This website provides an easily searchable database of Bronx River data, reports, maps, and other images, with an emphasis on past and current restoration projects and ecological studies on the Bronx River.
We are currently populating the datase so check back soon (and often) for more digitial resources. And if you have a report that you'd like us to include in the database, please email us at bronxriver.info@parks.nyc.gov.
January 05, 2009 Bronx River Alliance/StoryCorps Partnership
StoryCorps facilitator Katherine Brook has posted a message about the beginning of the Alliance/StoryCorps partnership on the StoryCorp Blog. Visit StoryCorps Blog to read what Katie has to say.
December 26, 2008 Four Bronx Institutions Advance Renewal Project
The Four Bronx Institutions Alliance (FBIA), comprised of Fordham University, the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, and Montefiore Medical Center, is advancing plans to revitalize area of the Bronx in which these institutions are located. To learn about the $150 million plan to upgrade the roadways, add greenery, and beautiful this three-and-a-half mile corridor, see "Plan Would Revitalize Roadways Around Fordham," by Chris Gosier, in Inside Fordham Online.
December 26, 2008 NYC Department of Transportation to Host 10th Annual Conference on Walking and Liveable Communities in 2009
The NYC Department of Transportation is proud to be hosting the 10th International Conference on Walking and Liveable Communities. The conference will take place at New York University, from Wednesday October 7th to Friday October 9th 2009. For information and to view the call for papers, see the New York Conference page on the Walk21 website.
December 16, 2008 CIMS Students out to Save the River
From the December CIMS newspaper
Save the Bronx River!
Ashley Brown
On Tuesday November 18, 2008, a few students from the environmental club (EARTH Squared) along with Mr. Barr met with Mr. Damien Griffin, and yes he is in fact our very own Mr. Griffin's younger brother. Mr. Damien Griffin is an educational director in the Bronx River Alliance, where he teaches kids around the city about the problems involving the Bronx River. During his visit, he gave us a PowerPoint presentation in which he informed us of the many ways our river gets polluted. We were taken by surprise by some of those ways which he mentioned. For example, did you know that when it is raining, water from the streets, toilets and roofs get drained into the sewers and then the pipe becomes over flooded and ends up releasing all the waste (including garbage and human feces) into the Bronx River? Over 81 million gallons of untreated waste (raw materials, so to speak) get discharged yearly. Mr. Damien Griffin said there were actual people who witnessed feces floating in the river. Disturbing? Yes…I know. So as Gentiana Shala-Quni said, "Don't flush on a rainy day!" because this could prevent an overflow.
He also mentioned that anything that is put into the sewer gutters ends up in the Bronx River. From roadways and parking lots, things like trash, oil, grease, hydrocarbon products, and road salts fall inside storm drains. Then these pollutants, along with others, enter our sewers and end up in our streams, rivers, lakes, the Bronx River, the Long Island Sound and eventually the ocean. In order to accomplish our goal of a cleaner environment, with the help of Mr. Damien Griffin and Mr. Barr, we have found ways to help make the Bronx River healthy again. The Bronx River Alliance has come up with storm drain decals, which are glued on the sides of gutters therefore people can be reminded not to litter because their garbage will end up in the river.
On Westchester Avenue and Whitlock Avenue under the six train line, volunteers from the Bronx River Alliance build a beautiful park alongside the Bronx River, because the river was very polluted and the area around it was full of garbage. Because of the pollution, the soil was contaminated and could not grow plants. Shredded coconuts husks were placed on top of the contaminated soil; a fertilizer and a neutral agent were added where soil underneath would not affect it and would be able to grow more plants and greenery. The creation of the park was to make a natural place for people to go and a way to put rainwater to good use instead of having a concrete place where the water would just be drained into the river. Now, the rain water could be absorbed in the soil and used to feed the plants.
Here are some ways you can make the Bronx River a healthy river:
DO NOT pour harmful chemicals, detergents, or oils down your sink or storm drains.
Conserve water. You can do this by fixing leaky faucets, installing aerators and water-efficient showerheads which all reduce the amount of water flowing into the storm drains. And do not turn on fire hydrants in the summer or leave the water running (especially when you are brushing your teeth)!!!!
Reduce or capture runoff. Find ways to lead water into gardens or capture it in barrels rather than letting it flow into the street.
Take care of your gardens and lawns naturally don't use any chemical or nitrogen rich fertilizers.
PICK UP YOUR TRASH! Or better yet, DON'T THROW YOUR TRASH ON THE STREET! Please.
December 09, 2008 Bronx River Rising: A Bronx River Alliance - StoryCorps Partnership
The Bronx River Alliance with the support of StoryCorps (www.storycorps.net) has begun an oral history project to capture the oral stories of those that have touched or been touched by the river. To date, six people, including Ruth Anderberg, founder of Bronx River Restoration back in 1974, have shared their stories in the form of a forty minute conversation and more are scheduling themselves to be interviewed at the Foley Square StoryCorps booth. If you have a story to tell, contact Education Director Damian Griffin, at damian.griffin@parks.nyc.gov or (718) 430-4614, for more information and to add on to this incredible story.
Thus far, the following Bronx River folk have contributed as interviewees: Ruth Anderberg, Bob Alpern, Nancy Wallace , Maria Torres, Nessie Payton, Alexie Torres. Stephen Devillo, Teresa Crimmens, Linda Cox, Kellie Terry-Sepulveda, Damian Griffin, and Michelle Williams have also participated as interviewers.
December 09, 2008 Download Gerry Segel’s “Kid by the River” and Support the Alliance
Gerry Segel, a musician from the Bronx, has been accepted as an artist on the E Folk Music website and has posted several of his newest songs on the site. Most of the music Gerry has posted is available at no cost. However, downloading his song about the Bronx River, “Kid by the River,” which he debuted at the Bronx River Festival this past June, costs 98 cents. Gerry is donating proceeds from the song to the Bronx River Alliance! Thanks, Gerry, for your terrific song and for your generosity.
December 09, 2008 EPA President's Environmental Youth Awards Program
If you know of a student or group of students K - 12 who carried out a project to improve the environment in your community during this past year, consider entering it into the annual EPA President's Environmental Youth Awards Program. The deadline this year is December 31. See details at: www.epa.gov/enviroed/peya. Contact Cecilia Echols at Echols.Cecilia@epamail.epa.gov with any questions.
December 01, 2008 Bronx River Rising: a Bronx River Alliance/StoryCorps partnership
The Bronx River Alliance with the support of StoryCorps has begun an oral history project to capture the oral stories of those that have touched or been touched by the river. To date, 6 people, including Ruth Anderberg, founder of Bronx River Restoration back in 1974, have shared their stories in the form of a forty minute conversation and more are scheduling themselves to be interviewed at the Foley Square StoryCorps booth. If you have a story to tell, contact Education Director Damian Griffin for more information and to add on to this incredible story. The following is a list of the interviewees and interviewers that have participated: Interviewees: Ruth Anderberg ,Bob Alpern, Nancy Wallace , Maria Torres, Nessie Payton, Alexie Torres. Interviewers: Stephen Devillo, Teresa Crimmens, Linda Cox, Kellie Terry-Sepulveda, Damian Griffin, Michelle Williams
November 04, 2008 Bronx River Alliance Election Day Workshops
On Tuesday November 4th, approximately 50 NYC teachers gathered at Fannie Lou Hamer Freedom High School in the Bronx for our annual Election Day Educator Workshops. At least 4 boroughs were represented in workshops that ranged from Bronx River fauna to rainforest chocolate. Teachers also learned about storm water runoff and its effect on the rivers as well as how to use GLOBE data in their classrooms. But teachers gave as well as recieved, as is noted by this haiku by Jane Addams teacher Yak Saturen, which pointedly describes the diverse environment that is the Bronx River: cries of a seagull
the rumble of the Bruckner
and a mallard quacks.
Below several educators attending the SWIM workshop dutifully sketch out the areas where storm water runoff may be abated using low tech projects.
October 28, 2008 Bronx River Greenway - Construction Update
Construction has begun at the entrance to Shoelace Park at 211th Street. This project will improve the southernmost entrance to Shoelace Park, by creating a new plaza area with seating and signage, as well as new lanscaped beds and stormwater capture features. The project willalso create a missing link in the greenway path between 211th Street and Magenta Street by utilizing the sidewalk for a shared use path.
Stay tuned for more updates on the Bronx River Greenway!
October 14, 2008 Bronx River mascot Jose the Beaver 'just friends' with muskrat, experts say
BY BILL EGBERT of NY Daily News
Monday, October 13th 2008, 4:15 PM
Jose the Beaver, who became a symbol of the borough's renewal last year as the first of his kind to return to the Bronx River in 200 years, has something in common with those 1970s icons of Manhattan city life - "The Odd Couple."
September 17, 2008 Partners Meet in Westchester to Discuss Greenway Connection
On Tuesday, September 9, greenway partners, public officials, and local residents met in Westchester to to discuss developments along the Bronx River Pathway (the extension of the Bronx River Greenway along the river's northern reaches) and the East Coast Greenway. Westchester County has funding to construct a greenway connection from Palmer Road in Bronxville to McLean Avenue in Yonkers (known as Nereid Avenue in the Bronx), the northern end of the greenway in New York City. Read more at LoHud.com.
September 17, 2008 Bronx River Beaver in the News
The Bronx River Beaver, named José after Congressman Serrano, made news once again, this time in the September 2008 issue of Outside Magazine. "Beaver Fever."
José's spotlight in the press was noted in the West Bronx News Blog on September 11. For more information about what the reappearance of the beaver in the Bronx means, read "Why the Beaver's Important," published in Norwood News on March 7, 2007.
September 05, 2008 Congratulations on five years at the Bronx River Alliance!
This September marks the five-year anniversary of four Bronx River Alliance staff members. Teresa Crimmens, Elaine Feliciano, Penny Matta and Anne-Marie Runfola started with the Alliance in September, 2003. Congratulations to these four of the five most veteran members of the team! The fifth and most veteran Alliance employee? Our Executive Director, Linda Cox, of course! She joined the Alliance shortly after its formation in 2001.
September 04, 2008 Bronx River Greenway - Construction Update
219th Street Entrance to Shoelace Park
Construction teams are now out beginning to prepare for active construction at the 219th St entrance to Shoelace Park. This park improvement project will create a more welcoming entrance to the park, as well as capture stormwater from the upland streets that contributes to erosion in the park.
West Farms Rapids
The construction fence is up, pavement is coming up and work is now actively underway on this project to beautify the parkland along the Bronx River between E Tremont Ave and E 180th Street. Improvements will include a new kayak put-in, an informal amphitheatre, a butterfly garden, signage, and small entryway plazas at E Tremont Ave and E 180th Street.
Soundview River Access This 9-acre site at the elbow of Soundview Park will clear out the invasive mugwort plants and replace them with beachy natives, create a kayak put-in and river access point, and formalize the path system. As you can see from the photo below, the mugwort has already begun to be removed, opening up vistas of the Bronx River and East River waterfront.
August 05, 2008 Number of On-Water Recreation and Education Program Participants Tops 1000
The Bronx River Alliance Recreation Team proudly announces that we provided an on-water recreational/educational opportunity to approximately 1,028 people between Flotilla and the last day of July. In addition to our public calendar, we have introduced many schools and community groups to the river, created and developed new programming and teaching tools, and diversified our population served. The season is far from over and we are hoping to set a big record!
August 05, 2008 Volunteer as a Citizen Scientist with The New York Botanical Garden
The New York Botanical Garden, one of the world’s premier institutions devoted to the conservation and study of plants and their ecosystems, and to the education of the public about nature, is looking for volunteer Citizen Scientists. Participants in this regional undertaking will collect data critical to the understanding of the impact of climate change on plants. Our program is in partnership with the Northeast Regional Phenology Network and Cool Air–Clean Planet, organizations whose renowned expertise in phenology and climate change will contribute to this dynamic effort.
By participating in this program, you will be trained by experts on various aspects of plant biology and ecology, data collection and input, and how science is applied to complex problem-solving. It will take place in the Garden’s own 50-acre, old-growth Forest, a remnant of what once covered much of New York City. The time commitment is one to two hours per week in the spring and fall for at least one to two years.
If you are interested in helping with us in this endeavor, we invite you to attend an open house on Friday, August 22, from 5 to 7 p.m. Becoming a Citizen Scientist will give you all the benefits of being a Garden volunteer, including free admission, free parking, guest passes, and discounts on classes and at Shop in the Garden. For more information, please contact: Jackie Martinez, Director of Volunteer Services, The New York Botanical Garden, (718) 817-8564 or volunteer@nybg.org.
August 05, 2008 First Ever Arts in the Park at Hunts Point Riverside Park
On Thursday, July 31, City Parks foundation and the Bronx River Alliance held the first ever Arts in the Park at Hunts Point Riverside Park. "Cinderella Samba" was a big hit among the children and adults, as they watched Cinderella fall in love to the rhythm of the drums. The samba dance and music moved the audience as they laughed and cheered. We hope to see more performances at Hunts Point Riverside Park in seasons to come!
August 05, 2008 City Council Awards for the Bronx River
Many thanks to our dedicated City Council members for their support of the Bronx River!
This year the Bronx River received the following allocations:
$200,000 from Councilmember Maria del Carmen Arroyo for dock improvements and repairs at Hunts Point Riverside Park.
$250,000 from Councilmember Anabel Palma for Bronx River House in FY 2009.
$300,000 from Councilmember Joel Rivera to improve the connection between the Bronx River Greenway and Pelham Parkway Greenway. Councilmember Joel Rivera also allocated $41,000 to install Bronx River Greenway signage, $440,000 to reconstruct the comfort station at River Park and make it universally accessible, and $15,000 for the Bronx River Alliance.
$5,000 from Councilmember Koppell for the Bronx River Alliance
Bronx River Alliance - One Bronx River Parkway - Bronx - NY 10462 - 718.430.4665 - 718.430.4658 - www.bronxriver.org
The Alliance works in close partnership with the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation and with over one hundred other partners to reclaim the Bronx River. Bronx River Alliance Partners
The Bronx Kill could soon be alive - with oysters.
The presence of alewives, together with the appearance of Jose the beaver in 2006, speaks to the remarkable ability of a heavily urbanized waterway to support a diversity of life. It also testifies to the resurgence in the overall health of the river that has occurred as a result of work by community members, local non-profits, and government agencies. The return of the alewife is an example of the positive benefits that occur when this partnership mobilizes.
organization with the Bronx River Alliance that strives to create a nationwide network of trails to build healthier places for healthier people -- the enhancement and promotion of trails in urban areas being recognized as the most vital to achieving their goal.
On a beautiful October day, the Bronx River Alliance was thrilled to celebrate the opening of the Concrete Plant Park, the culmination of decade of community activism to claim the site and work by the Parks Dept and the Alliance to turn the abandoned concrete plant into a beautiful waterfront promenade and our newest link on the 
The Bronx River Conservation Crew has now installed rainwater barrels at five locations, thanks to funding from the Bronx River Watershed Initiative of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. Frances Knickmeyer, a member of the Crew, prepared a .JPG)
On Thursday October 30th, Bronx River Alliance and the NYC Park District 14 hosted the Josie Burke Volunteer Day in Muskrat Cove. We had 20 volunteers out, which included 8 students from Bronx Intermediate School 190 from the Crotona Park section of the Bronx. The volunteers did weeding, pruning and racked and packed leaves . The day was created in honor of Josie Burke, a Bronx River hero who has spent countless hours in this park and is currently battling a serious health issue..JPG)
It was more like Pedal and Pedal Day on October 3, 2009 as the paddling portion of the trip was rained out. Still, we were thrilled to have the 
The 4th Annual 
Concrete Plant Park
On July 7, 2009 Hunts Point Riverside Park was awarded a 
history project to capture the oral stories of those that have touched or been touched by the river. To date, 6 people, including Ruth Anderberg, founder of Bronx River Restoration back in 1974, have shared their stories in the form of a forty minute conversation and more are scheduling themselves to be interviewed at the Foley Square StoryCorps booth. If you have a story to tell, contact Education Director Damian Griffin for more information and to add on to this incredible story. The following is a list of the interviewees and interviewers that have participated: Interviewees: Ruth Anderberg ,Bob Alpern, Nancy Wallace , Maria Torres, Nessie Payton, Alexie Torres. Interviewers: Stephen Devillo, Teresa Crimmens, Linda Cox, Kellie Terry-Sepulveda, Damian Griffin, Michelle Williams
Construction has begun at the entrance to Shoelace Park at 211th Street. This project will improve the southernmost entrance to Shoelace Park, by creating a new plaza area with seating and signage, as well as new lanscaped beds and stormwater capture features. The project willalso create a missing link in the greenway path between 211th Street and Magenta Street by utilizing the sidewalk for a shared use path.
.jpg)
