Central Park, NYC (Photo by Oquendo) Being a New Yorker (if not by birth, then at least by choice), I couldn't imagine my life without Central Park. One of the few truly green respites in a seemingly endless sprawl of concrete, steel, and glass, Central Park is where New Yorkers assemble to collectively slow down, relax, replenish, and breathe. If Times Square is the heart of NYC, then Central Park is certainly its lungs -- supplying much-needed oxygen to a bustling body constantly on the go. This weekend we celebrate the birth of the man considered to be "the founder of American landscape architecture and the nation's foremost parkmaker," Frederick Law Olmsted. Olmsted started his career as a journalist, which provided him the opportunity to travel throughout the U.S. and abroad, sparking his interest in public gardens and parks. He partnered with English-born architect Calvert Vaux to enter the Central Park design contest and they were awarded the job in 1858. They followed Central Park with Brooklyn's Prospect Park and continued to work together off and on for the rest of their careers, although Olmsted's larger than life personality and social standing often overshadowed Vaux's contributions. Olmsted's legacy includes (among many others) the Niagara Reservation (the country's oldest state park) in Niagara Falls; the Emerald Necklace in Boston; the Belle Isle Park in Detroit; Washington, Jackson, and Midway Plaisance Parks in Chicago; and Montebello Park in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. His fundamental design principle, born out of his observations of social class structure around the world and his vehement opposition to slavery, was that his parks and gardens should be accessible to all citizens regardless of social standing. This egalitarian ideal, taken somewhat for granted today, was revolutionary in Olmsted's time and helped to plant his reputation as America's preeminent landscape architect. Suggested Sites... National Association of Olmsted Parks - coalition of design and preservation professionals, historic property and park managers, scholars, municipal officials, citizen activists, and representatives of numerous Olmsted organizations around the United States. The Frederick Law Olmsted Society - dedicated to sustaining Olmsted's vision for Riverside for generations to come. Calvert Vaux Preservation Alliance - preservation advocacy group for the architectural and landscape design work of Calvert Vaux. CentralPark.com - features extensive information on NYC's Central Park and The Central Park Zoo. Central Park Conservancy - private, not-for-profit organization founded in 1980 that manages Central Park.

Directory categories: Frederick Law Olmsted, NYC's Central Park , Landscape Architecture, Land Conservation, Parks and Public Lands

Archived under: 19th Century, Architects, Architecture, Biographies, Birthdays, Design, Environment, History, Landscaping, Nature, New York, Outdoors, Parks, Tourist Attractions, Trees

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Fall foliage in Worcester, MA (Photo by Paul Keleher) Leaf peepers of the world unite! The colors of summer have lost their fight. Gone now is the chlorophyll, once oh-so-green, And in autumn, instead, we see on the scene The anthocyanins, so rich, red, and bright, As well as carotenoids, mimicking light. So hop in a car, on a bus, 'board a cruise, But best do it now -- for there's no time to lose! Just check on the timing, and book your first trip; For the views you see here are only the tip Of the visual feast your eyes will soon sight, As the days grow shorter and lengthen the night. Envision yourself on a road paved in gold, Or strolling a forest too rich to behold, Then make yourself part of the wonders you see By making true art with the leaves of a tree. Next heap it up high, in a beautiful pile, And throw yourself in with a satisfied smile. Suggested Sites... The Foliage Network - get the latest foliage updates for the Northeastern, Southeastern, and Midwestern U.S. Flickr: Fall Foliage - Flickr group featuring the best and brightest of fall colors. Science Made Simple: Autumn Leaf Colors - kid-friendly explanation of the science behind the color show.

Directory categories: Fall Foliage, New England Environment and Nature, New England Transportation and Travel, Tree Identification

Archived under: Autumn, Botany, Environment, Nature, Science, Tourist Attractions, Travel, Trees

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Lumberjack World Championships It's time to drop what you're doing and get your axe to Hayward, Wisconsin, for the Lumberjack World Championships. This weekend, brawny folk and sensitive lovers of the great outdoors will be on hand to fight for lumberjack glory. Even if you've never heard of timbersports or don't know the difference between a block chop and an underhand chop, the competition will have you hollering "timber!" before you know it. This is not your garden-variety lumberjack show. These hearty lumberjacks -- some of whom work day jobs as lawyers or school teachers -- mean business. They will be sawing and chopping with dash, climbing with vigor, and spinning like busy beavers. While the competition is fun for the spectators -- especially if you're a fan of watching guys fall off logs -- the purse is serious stuff. With nearly $50,000 in prize money, some lucky logger is going to come away with a few more bucks in their overalls. Just beware of guys running around with chainsaws. Suggested Sites... Lumberjack World Championships - sawing, chopping, and spinning their way to glory. U.S. Log Rolling Association - we dare you to tell them it's not a sport. Stihl Timbersports - these folks wield large chainsaws. American Lumberjack Association - dedicated to getting us all to enjoy timbersports. Lumberjack Water Sports - it's never too late to get into log rolling.

Directory categories: Lumbering, Lumberjack Shows, Logging, Paul Bunyan

Archived under: Entertainment, Events, Lumberjacks, Outdoors, Sports, Trees

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Lacandon jungle burned for agriculture in Chiapas, Mexico (Photo by Jami Dwyer) Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai made her mark with a simple but effective idea: Plant trees to stop erosion and restore the ecology in Kenya. In ‘77, she started the Green Belt Movement, which is credited with planting 30 million trees. The movement brought poverty-stricken Kenyans together to replenish natural resources as a means to boost the local economy. But Professor Maathai, aka The Tree Woman, hasn't stopped there. Now, she's tackling global warming. How? Yup, you guessed it: Plant more trees! Why? Carbon dioxide, the major culprit of global warming, is readily consumed by trees. Because of rapid worldwide deforestation, we can no longer depend on natural forests to take care of our global surplus of CO2. Replacing dwindling forests not only helps to prevent climate change, but also beautifies our expanding cityscapes. So, join Maathai in her newest venture, the United Nation's Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign, and go plant your tree of choice -- for Earth's sake. Suggested Sites... United Nations Environmental Programme: The Billion Tree Campaign - hoping to plant at least one billion trees before 2008. Can you help? The Green Belt Movement - much more than just planting trees. National Geographic News: Global Warming Fast Facts - pictures presenting the consequences of climate change. Union of Concerned Scientists: Global Warming FAQ - direct answers to common global warming questions. Los Angeles Times: A Global Warming Skeptic's Parting Shot - some senators don't believe in global warming.

Directory categories: Deforestation, Global Warming, Carbon Sequestration, Trees, Restoration Ecology

Archived under: Africa, Environment, Nobel Prize, Science, Society and Culture, Trees, United Nations

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(photo by h2okatcher) Fall foliage lures leaf peepers to New England in search of that perfect spot, where a night's frost has turned a hill of trees into a painter's palette of red, umber, and gold. Leaf peeping is big business in the leaf belt. An entire industry has sprung up around the changing pigments, accounting for nearly a quarter of the year's tourism revenue in New Hampshire and other states. Vacationers travel from warmer climates to take scenic backcountry tours; the most adventurous travelers even take to the seas and skies. But how do they know exactly where to go? Thanks to the growth of e-peeping, leaf spotters nationwide only have to log on to their computers to let everyone know the status of their local trees. Timing is everything -- a day too soon and the leaves are still green, a day too late and the colors begin to fade. Predicting just where and when the leaves will reach their elusive peak is a little bit art, a little bit science, and a lot about the fun of the chase. Suggested Sites... Fall Color Cams - take a peek at the live fall color. Yankee Foliage - catch the foliage podcast and gab with other leaf peepers in the forums. Fall Foliage in Vermont - foliage and lodging forecasters to help you plan your autumnal odyssey. GORP's Fall Foliage Guide - visit a Top 10 Fall Forest near you. Maine Foliage - check out the interactive map of current foliage conditions.

Directory categories: Fall Foliage, Regional Guides and Reports, Tree Identification

Archived under: Autumn, Outdoors, Travel, Trees

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