Pocket Parks in the City

Today, I met my first little park in the Big Apple – New York City! In a city known for fashion, finance, and late night fun I found a little surprise in the Bario …aka Spanish Harlem.

Walking down 117th and Pleasant street in 14-degree weather I delighted in the sunshine dancing on the brownstones just as the clouds started to sneak in on the skyline. And as I picked up the pace to get inside, I stopped in my tracks at the site of a little open space between two buildings. There it was maybe twenty feet wide and fifty feet deep – a “pocket park.” The path meandered to a little gingerbread cottage where I knew kids would soon come to play. The sign on the gate referenced the community park being a part of the city’s effort to preserve open spaces.

There are many to see throughout the city and you can learn more, and find many, at http://www.pps.org.

New York streets may seem littered to some, but today I smiled with gratitude. New York founded the first national conservancy – known to all as Central Park – and now “pocket parks.” I picked up the pace and looked forward to the warmer weather when I could come back and play.

If we all looked for big opportunities in small spaces the entire country – and world – could pick big carrots from little gardens.

A Salmon Spawning Sunday

The New Year brings more than resolutions about dieting (it’s hard to cut down on the nuts and sweets), it brings new adventures. The December rains get the waterways flowing and that means the salmon can make their way to spawn. We set out today for “Salmon Sunday” in hopes to spot a few jumping at the local fish ladders. While recent years have shown a decrease in salmon populations our hope is that 2010 will shower down and fill the streams and estuaries to help the salmon population grow and thrive.

 It’s also more important than ever to keep our waterways clean as I witnessed on our hike today. While making our way along the fish ladders and then down to the stream where you can sometimes spot salmon laying eggs, we were shocked to discover a loud noise swooshing through the trees was not a bird – but a water bottle thrown by a passenger in a truck crossing the bridge.  A silent moment overcame us as we stood amongst lush foliage, in such a wide variety of greens, and wet rocks sparkling from the sun sneaking through the trees. What a contrast, a contradiction. The salmon spawn in an area known for its conscientious citizens and we wondered how someone “just passing through” could show such a lack of respect; we also wondered if it was a local lacking appreciation for what they had access to each and every day.

 It was only a moment before Avery felt compelled to carefully step rock-to-rock and retrieve the bottle wobbling in a perfect spot for salmon to nest and spawn. She also found a softball, toilet seat, and plastic bag. I was proud, Avery felt empowered.

 We must all feel responsible and care for the environment. Young children are intuitively empathetic so engage and explore the great outdoors with them, and be amazed – inspired – by what they imagine and express.

You can slip and give into the sweets this year but commit to the resolution “just one piece” when it comes to picking up trash in your path each day in 2010.

 Let’s Go Chipper!

Retrieving a bottle littering a stream bed for salmon

    Fish Ladders for Salmon

Stepping into Nature

The best part of exploring the great outdoors with your kids is learning that life takes time and lessons come one step at a time.

For kids under five think five. That’s five minutes for every five steps. What a child can see in those few steps is a world most of us step over. Slow down and get down …to the ground.

Poke in the dirt. Turn over rocks. Be awed. Answer questions. Answer the same questions. Ask questions. Celebrate curiosity. Be curious. Don’t be bugged but get bugs …in your hands. Hold hands.

For a child, one small step in nature is one big moment in their life. It’s just a moment so allow yourself to walk slowly.

Central to the Park

Sometimes what we’re looking for is at the end of our nose, right in front of us, or right outside our front door. So the saying goes. I travel to New York more than a few times a year and, no matter what the occasion; I always take a stroll through Central Park. It amazes me: lush, natural, an island in a sea of sidewalks and skyscrapers; it is the perfect setting from movies to marriages. Even with mountains just beyond my front door in Marin I always think how lucky New Yorkers are for having Central Park. Recently I was presenting the Let’s Go Chipper!™ series during the New York Green Expo and a father mentioned how living in NY keeps his kids from experiencing nature. He happily purchased every product we had on display to the delight of his four year old flipping through the pages of “Out to Sea with Sally,” a recent book release. I mentioned that he had one of the most amazing open spaces in the country and, in fact, Central Park launched the urban parks movement in the mid 1800’s. Oh, the things that make you go “huh.” “Central Park is for the tourists,” he replied. Needless to say I was up on my soap box, momentarily, to confirm with this father: his responsibility to his children including the importance of connecting them with nature. Then I looked down at his daughter and asked her if she wanted to see some turtles. She said “yes.” Then I asked had she ever chased squirrels, climbed sparkly rocks, or chased clouds. A shy “no,” was her reply. Her dad raised a brow and shrugged I was a “tree hugger” but I could tell he was a dad who adored his little daughter. I mentioned that in less than a New York minute he could go to www.centralparknyc.org and see why Central Park is such a landmark in the big apple. But to his daughter I whispered, “Or you could just tug your daddy’s arm when you leave the building and head left just a few blocks.” She giggled, I smiled, and daddy was on his way.