Roosevelt Island Garden Community
  • Home
    • About RIGC
    • FAQs
  • How to Join
  • Garden Blog
  • Local News
    • Garden Photos
    • News Archive
  • Outdoors on R Island
  • Resources
    • Weeds & Invasives to Remove
    • Healthy Soil
    • General Gardening Tips
    • Go Green!

NYC Pollinator Group Visits Wonderful Roosevelt Island Community Garden To Learn And Share Best Practices On Bees, Native Plants, Composting & More!

10/15/2021

 

Please read  and watch 
this post by The Roosevelt Islander  for much more information. 
We could not have been more excited to host passionate professionals from all around NYC for a visit and seed swap at the gardens on Friday afternoon October 15th:  Parks professionals, Landscapers, National Wildlife educators, Native plant enthusiasts, Arborists, Entomologists and more! Thank you so much Christina Delfico @iDig2Learn for organizing this social gathering for nature!

Picture

Weekends are for Photography and Pollinators

10/3/2021

 
Picture
A visitor  from Manhattan enjoyed some regular weekend visits to RIGC for photography this fall.  He preferred to remain anonymous, but graciously sent some of the pictures he enjoyed capturing in our gardens.  Thank you, NYC neighbor, for this wonderful glimpse of the some of the beauty and life in the gardens. 

Young Raccoon Seen in the Gardens

8/2/2017

 
Raccoon sighting at RIGC! 

With construction for DEP water tunnel work now in full swing, RIGC members have been working and helping with changes for the local island cat colonies. Then suddenly, during the heat wave in mid July, some new local animal life also showed up at our site. Raccoons were apparently chased out of a former home on DEP land. Perhaps they lived in the large trees that were cut down for the water tunnel work.
 
A young raccoon was seen in and around in our cottonwood tree during the very hot week of July 20th.  Board members checked with local wildlife experts to be sure the raccoon was healthy. Rosanna Ceruzzi, president of Wildlife Freedom Foundation also came down to the gardens to check on the animal. Sande and Mitch Elinson double-checked all NYC.gov links such as the following:
  • Wildlife NYC - Raccoons
  • Wildlife Health
  • Biodiversity
Per recommendations for coexisting with wildlife and for protecting biodiversity, please enjoy the raccoon from a distance only.  If seen, leave this animal alone to go about its life and play its unique role in the ecosystem. 

Joyce Short, an RIGC member in the C section reported on her experience in the Roosevelt Islander blog.
Picture
Can you find the raccoon?

A Moment of Zen in the Meditation Garden

6/22/2017

 
At Summer Solstice week 6-22-17  From Rick Leopold  Click here or on the picture to enjoy.
Picture

RIGC hosts Leaf Printing for Fall for Arts Festival 2016

10/30/2016

 
Picture

RIGC Outreach & Publicity was able to host four hours of leaf printing activity at the 2016 Fall for Arts festival! 

After consulting with our resident artist/gardener,Peggy Roalf, printing became a more realistic plan.  Then, thanks to amazing help from Girl Scout ambassadors, Alexandria Soto and Adelina Bracero as well as their troupe leader, Carmen Albino and also the son of one of our garden families, Andrew Bellewine, we gave back nature and art fun to our community on a very beautiful fall afternoon. 

We had toddlers, grandparents, and all ages in between who stopped by to explore leaf shapes and bright paint colors and printing on paper. 

Picture
Picture
Picture

Garden Books: Storytime for Parents Network Members

7/14/2016

 
Picture
On June 22nd, RIGC hosted about 15 children and their parents/caregivers for a story,an exploration walk, and seed planting. We read Jack's Garden by Henry Cole and had a wonderful time.
​
We also discovered that there are some great garden and gardening books for children and grandchildren that you may want to put on hold at NYPL.  Please send us any other ideas that you have and we will make a more complete list to share!

Picture

Eastern Swallowtail, Painted Lady Butterflies, and More!

7/14/2016

 
Picture
Picture
The Monarch Butterfly Corridor Gardens are humming along and attracting all kinds of pollinators.

This Eastern Black Swallowtail is a beautiful female that you may see around the gardens. Ask Christina Delfico for her story!

Many RIGC gardeners have also added to their plots wild bergamot, varied milk weeds, echinacea, other native plants as well as fennel, dill, and curly parsley to attract pollinators and their caterpillars.

Please click on the photo below for more great information about pollinator plantings from the
Xerces Society.

The Monarch Butterfly Corridor Garden spaces were made possible with iDig2Learn funding from The City Gardens Club of NYC, Grow to Learn and Citizens Committee for NYC with partners RIOC, RIGC, Girl Scouts & 217PTA.
Picture

         Art and Community Connections in the Gardens

5/22/2016

 

May 7th, 2016  Saturday morning 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Our Roosevelt Island neighborhood school, P.S. / I.S. 217, won a competitive grant thanks to Ms. Ursula Fokine. The grant allowed children and their parents to enjoy weekend art classes at various local spots including the Noguchi museum, and Four Freedoms Park. Our own RI Community Garden was selected as a must-see part of the program, and iDig2Learn was happy to connect the school to RI Garden leadership to make it happen. On May 7th, Studio in a Schoolartists demonstrated watercolor techniques so that students could unleash their inner artist. Ms. Ursula Fokine, and RIGC leaders, Julia Ferguson and Anthony Longo, enjoyed watching budding young artists create art inspired from beauty of our gardens.  Pictures say much more than words!
Picture

Another Green WIN for Roosevelt Island and Our Future

4/21/2016

 
Picture
Roosevelt Island Receives $1 Million Pledge for Green Roof
P.S. / I.S. 217 Project Soon Heading into Design Stage


New York, NY (April 19, 2016) – City Council Member Ben Kallos today pledged an additional $350,000 to P.S. / I.S. 217’s STEM green roof, bringing his commitment to a total of $1 million for the project. Together with funding committed by the Manhattan Borough President, the greenroof now has sufficient backing to begin the design and bidding phase.

For the second year straight green roofs received top votes and for the second time technology for schools won Participatory Budget ballot. A healthy showing of voters on Roosevelt Island
helped P.S. / I.S 217’s STEM Green Roof project garner $150,000 as the third highest vote getter “Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) continue to be where residents are voting to invest their tax dollars to prepare our children for the future,” said Council Member Ben
Kallos. “Thank you to Participatory Budgeting Delegates for leading the process as well as
residents 14 and over for voting.”

"Due to the strong showing of support for green roofs two years in a row," stated City Council Member Kallos, "We will allocate the full $500,000 for the green roof at P.S. / I.S. 217, which combines last year's allocation of $500,000, and a minimum of $250,000 from Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, to ensure the project will begin scoping."Assembly Member Seawright has also nominated the P.S. / I.S. 217 Green Roof project for an
additional $500,000 in State support. “At a time when New York City schools are fighting to provide excellent education while faced with a challenge of limited space and overcrowding, I am happy to have nominated P.S. / I.S. 217 Roosevelt Island for the New York State Capital Project Funding of $500,000. The school’s proposal to create a green roof, a space for numerous educational opportunities for the students of Roosevelt Island, is remarkable. I am looking forward to seeing this project flourish and offer my support to the principal and school leadership in the process,” said Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright.

Said Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer, “Facilities like this planned green roof make project ­based
STEM education possible, and promote a deeper, more enriching learning experience. At the same time, green roofs reduce the ‘urban heat island’ effect and improve our air quality – a “Thank you to all of the supporters from our community and the city for voting for the P.S. / I.S.217 STEM Green Roof,” stated Principal Mandana Beckman. “This green roof will further enhance the learning opportunities for the students and families of P.S. / I.S. 217 and the residents of Roosevelt Island.”

“We are thrilled to support this project, enabling the children to earn the funds needed to continue an eco­friendly initiative. The green roof will minimize heat output on the island, clean the air, improve our health, and provide a unique classroom, giving the students a tremendous opportunity to directly experience their impact on our environment.” said Susan Rosenthal, Acting President/CEO & General Counsel, Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation.

"Roosevelt Island is full of passionate residents and it is a testament to their ability to come together and support each other," stated Jeffrey Escobar, President Roosevelt Island Residents Association, "congratulations on this commitment to our future."

 Ursula Fokine, Instructional Coach for P.S. / I.S. 217 added that “Students and teachers are planning our open air classroom for STEM and arts enrichment learning. We will create an inspirational space that provides a habitat for native species, captures rainwater runoff, reduces energy consumption, and provides a green space for all. We are also eager to identify and develop STEM projects that support our environment by tapping into the technical expertise of our partner, Cornell Tech.”

“We couldn’t be more excited to share our expertise and passion for this important project,” noted the Roosevelt Island Garden Club’s president, Ali Schwayri, “Engaging children early sets them on a lifelong path of learning and interest in being stewards of our planet.”

"What fantastic news the week of Earth Day, that the green roof project can become a reality for the growing population of young children on Roosevelt Island,” stated Eva Bosbach, founder of the Roosevelt Island Parents’ Network, "With a green roof in the middle of our community, every day can be Earth Day for Roosevelt Island families. Thank you all who teamed up in this Christina Delfico, who helped navigate the green roof project as iDig2Learn’s founder. The cost for P.S./I.S. 217’s 6,750 square­foot green roof has been estimated at $1.5 million. Organizers said that they hope to have the project in full swing by 2018.

###

Groups and individuals involved in this project include New York City Council Member Ben Kallos and his team (including Sushant Harite, Paul Westrick and Josh J. Jamieson ), Manhattan Borough President Gale A. Brewer (including Bodi Du, Debbie C. Timothy, Vladimir Martinez, Jessica Mates and Andrew Goldston), New York State Assembly Member Rebecca A. Seawright (including Katarina Matic), Citizens Committee for New York City, Grow to Learn NYC, GrowNYC, P.S./I.S. 217, Girl Scout Troop 3244 & 3245 of Beacon/Youth Program, Brownies Girl Scout Troop 3001 sponsored by Manhattan Park, 217PTA, designer Nathalie Chetrit, The WIRE, Roosevelt Islander Online, Roosevelt Island Residents Association, Roosevelt Island Community Coalition, Roosevelt Island Garden Club, Sharon Bermon, New York Public Library (Roosevelt Island branch), Roosevelt Island Historical Society, Music Together, Main Street Theatre & Dance Alliance, Roosevelt Island Parents' Network, and iDig2Learn.

If it's Thursday, It Might Be Third Graders!                               PS 217 Classes Return for Fall Visits with iDig2Learn  

11/1/2015

 
Picture
Thanks to our member, Christina Delfico, we continue have many opportunities to host groups from PS 217 and teach the younger generation about gardening.  Last Thursday, third graders came out to the garden.  Rain was avoided and the temperature cooperated at 72 degrees. Students learned about Monarch Butterflies under the cotton wood tree, planted milkweed seeds in the Monarch Corridor project beds outside the garden and had the thrill of composting expertise led by Anthony Longo.  The third graders spotted worms, rolly pollies (wood lice) and even a praying mantis.

Most of the children could not believe they had to leave so quickly and one student said,  "I wish I could just stay here!" Don't we all feel that way sometimes?  Christina was sure to remind them of our public hours on weekends during the May-September open season. 

And next Thursday, 11/5, promises 70 degrees again and another visit. - unbelievably lucky.   Students will harvest the amaranth in the outside butterfly beds and learn more about the amazing Monarchs! What a student friendly environment our beautiful garden is. What a great relationship we all started with the school years ago - and strive to maintain - so 
proud!

These are photos of Anthony Longo in action teaching about composting!   In Earth We Trust as our logo say
s!

Picture
<<Previous

    Categories

    All
    Accessibility
    Art
    Birds
    Children
    Composting
    Education
    Gardeners
    History
    Horticulture
    Infrastructure Upkeep
    Nature
    Outreach
    Poetry
    Pollinators
    Pond
    Roses
    Safety
    Service
    Social Events
    Standards
    Sustainability
    Visitor Appreciation

    Archives by date

    March 2023
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    March 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    May 2014

    RSS Feed

Picture
Email for website submissions 
or comments: 
rigardencluboutreach@gmail.com

Email for general 
concerns:
rigardenclub@gmail.com
Write to us:
RIGC
PO Box 127
NY, NY 10044
Proudly powered by Weebly