A Panorama of the High Line at 23rd Street
I have been to the High Line several times. It is a park created on abandoned railroad tracks, currently stretching from 10th Avenue, West 13th Street to West 34th Street. The idea of a beautiful oasis or Marris’ “rambunctious garden” in the midst of bustling New York City is riveting, making it a hot tourist attraction. The fact that this is all on vintage railways makes it even more fascinating. People and nature come together. Many would enjoy its variety of flora and fauna. I did, but never paid close attention to them at an ecological standpoint. This assignment certainly opened my eyes to the different species of plants and animals on the High Line, and how they interact with one another. I was particularly interested in several species of pollinators.
Me on the High Line at 23rd Street
I went to visit the High Line on September 20th, from 1pm to 3pm. There was evidence that Fall was just around the corner. It was windy with the temperature at mid 70s… Some flora had dried out. There were leaves on the ground and trees were changing color. Hence, it was surprising for me to find various species of bees pollinating flowers. In fact, I found different types of bees pollinating the same flora. Two types of pollinators I observed were the bumble bee and the honey bee. The first honey bee I saw was darker in color. It was pollinating the asteraceae flora. According to Stalter, the asteraceae is one of “largest families of flora” present on the High Line. The second honey bee I saw was more yellow in color, pollinating purple colored flora and rosa multiflora. The bumble bee was pollinating the same flora.
Dark honey bees on asteraceae flora at West 16th Street
Yellow honey bees pollinating rosa multiflora found throughout the High Line
Bumble bees pollinating rosa multiflora found throughout the High Line
A small bird found at 25th Street
This eye-opening visit to the High Line made me acknowledge its great diversity. As I walked through the park, I saw different insects including bees, crickets, pill bugs, flies, and butterflies. I also saw birds frolicking in between the grass. At the same time, there were so many people walking through the High Line. There were also people having lunch on their terraces next to the High Line. After reading Marris’ Rambunctious Garden, I looked at the park with a whole new perspective. Not only is it a pretty place to relax and enjoy the view, it demonstrates an anthropocene. Humans walk through these grasslands. At the same time, they are disturbing ecosystems by “trash deposition, trampling, soil compaction and fire” (Stalter 390). Although these activities are not necessarily good things, they create the High Line we see today – changing habitats that account for diversity. With every visit to the High Line in the future, I will definitely close attention to the variety of flora and fauna in the middle of New York City.
