Blue Heron Park Preserve
Encyclopedia
Blue Heron Park Preserve is a nature refuge on Staten Island
, New York which has various natural areas including meadows, kettle ponds, freshwater streams and marshes, and woodlands. The park, maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation was acquired by the city in several parcels between 1974 and 2001, with the official dedication taking place on October 22, 1996.
The extensive wetlands in the park are part of the "Blue Belt" an area of Staten Island which utilizes existing and improved undeveloped areas for stormwater drainage.
There are six ponds located within the park including the 1.75 acres (7,082 m²) Spring Pond and the 1.4 acres (5,665.6 m²) Blue Heron Pond
The park provides habitat to various species of birds including the Blue heron (Ardea herodias) for which it was named as well as various species of mammals such as bats, raccoons, grey squirrels and chipmunks.
The visitors center for the park located off Poillon Ave, is the starting point for three trails which traverse different areas of the park.
), Red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta
) and Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum
) white water lilies (Nymphaea odorata
).
(Procyon lotor)
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
, New York which has various natural areas including meadows, kettle ponds, freshwater streams and marshes, and woodlands. The park, maintained by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation was acquired by the city in several parcels between 1974 and 2001, with the official dedication taking place on October 22, 1996.
The extensive wetlands in the park are part of the "Blue Belt" an area of Staten Island which utilizes existing and improved undeveloped areas for stormwater drainage.
There are six ponds located within the park including the 1.75 acres (7,082 m²) Spring Pond and the 1.4 acres (5,665.6 m²) Blue Heron Pond
The park provides habitat to various species of birds including the Blue heron (Ardea herodias) for which it was named as well as various species of mammals such as bats, raccoons, grey squirrels and chipmunks.
The visitors center for the park located off Poillon Ave, is the starting point for three trails which traverse different areas of the park.
Flora
American Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua), Tulip tree (liriodendron tulipiferaLiriodendron tulipifera
Liriodendron tulipifera, commonly known as the tulip tree, American tulip tree, tuliptree, tulip poplar or yellow poplar, is the Western Hemisphere representative of the two-species genus Liriodendron, and the tallest eastern hardwood...
), Red columbine (Aquilegia canadensis), Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta
Rudbeckia hirta
Rudbeckia hirta, the Black-eyed Susan, with the other common names of: Brown-eyed Susan, Brown Betty, Brown Daisy , Gloriosa Daisy, Golden Jerusalem, Poorland Daisy, Yellow Daisy, and Yellow Ox-eye Daisy. It is a flowering plant in the family Asteraceae...
) and Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum
Arisaema triphyllum
Arisaema triphyllum is a herbaceous perennial plant growing from a corm. It is a highly variable species typically growing from 30 to 65 cm in height with three parted leaves and flowers contained in a spadix that is covered by a hood...
) white water lilies (Nymphaea odorata
Nymphaea odorata
Nymphaea odorata, also known as the Fragrant Water Lily and Beaver Root, is a flower belonging to the genus Nymphaea. It can commonly be found in lake shallows, ponds, and permanent slow moving waters throughout North America where it ranges from Central America to northern Canada...
).
Fauna
Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus), wood duck (Aix sponsa), osprey (Pandion haliaetus), black-crowned night heron (Nycticorax nycticorax), Spring peepers (Pseudacris crucifer), tree frogs (Hylidae), raccoonRaccoon
Procyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
(Procyon lotor)