When a group of Queens civic leaders organized the Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Conservancy in 2002, they made promoting the park’s unique environmental features a major priority.
Since then, they’ve been working with Estelle Cooper, the park’s administrator, to improve the second largest park in the city. On Saturday, May 9, the group dedicated their first “bird blind,” an environmental observation post in the park.
The small wood structure was inspired by similar blinds at Gateway and Alley Pond Parks. “The Conservancy is tremendously grateful to the New York City Environmental Fund for funding this very special structure,” said Conservancy founder and former chairman Richard Hellenbrecht.
The structure, and another to be erected at nearby Willow Lake, were designed by Kew Gardens Hills resident Ed Fischer.
The conservancy works with the Urban Parks Rangers on monthly tours of the Willow Lake natural area, numerous model shoreline restorations and an environmental education project at Meadow Lake.
Shown here, conservancy members discuss environmental progress.
– Victor G. Mimoni
