NYC Wildflower Week

The United Nations has declared 2010 “International Year of Biodiversity.” This conjures images of unique habitats in exotic locales far from UN headquarters in Manhattan. Certainly New York City is not a repository of species richness and diversity. Or is it? Nearly 25% of NYC’s land mass is real, bona fide nature.

New York has a higher percentage of open space than any major city in the U.S. Its 53,000 acres of parkland is more than Los Angeles and Philadelphia combined. Its natural areas include towering forests, vibrant wetlands and expansive meadows. Undervalued and overlooked, most New Yorkers have no idea that these parks exist, despite being just a subway ride away.

Hunter Island, Pelham Bay Park, Bronx

Start your explorations by participating in the 3rd annual NYC Wildflower Week, May 1–9, 2010. They have events in all 5 boroughs to help you get your nature on, including guided botanical walks in the city’s forests and wetlands, tours of native gardens and green roofs, wildflower giveaways and planting events, and children’s interactive fairs. New York foodies can take an edible natives cooking class or enjoy truly locavore dishes at NYC restaurants.

“As a botanist, and more importantly a mom, I see such a cultural disconnect,” says NYCWW Executive Director and urban botanist, Marielle Anzelone. “Most people think that nature is far away from here, but New York City has more open space than any other city in the country! And with children, it’s easy to get involved since they are fascinated with the living world. NYC Wildflower Week’s mission is to help people reconnect to that sense of wonder by engaging with the nature around them, and celebrating the native biodiversity that makes it possible.”

Children enjoying crafts during NYC Wildflower Week 2008

This juxtaposition of urban and natural is not unique to New York City – it’s a global trend. The world is now a metropolis. More people live in urban settings than rural areas, and NYC is on the vanguard of urban ecology. Despite teeming with 8 million people, more than 40% of New York State's rare and endangered plant species live in the five boroughs. A total of 778 species of native plants still call NYC home, and some even thrive here.

A surprisingly rich palette of native flora still survives in the five boroughs. One such plant is Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria). Its blossoms resemble a pair of pantaloons, hence its funny common name. This unique-looking wildflower has a short above-ground presence — it blooms, sets seed, and dies before trees can leaf out overhead to block sunlight. By June, the plant has utterly disappeared. (In botanical parlance it’s a “spring ephemeral“). And they don’t just spend their time looking pretty - they are an important food source for the early bumblebees that pollinate them. Seeds are ant-dispersed, so these plants can’t travel like the seeds of bird and wind-dispersed plants. This makes slicing and dicing its habitat a major threat to Dutchman’s breeches survival.

For more information: http://nycwildflowerweek.org