Nutz4Nature

The different types of flowers in this park on the Upper East Side not only provide an aesthetically pleasing landscape, but also a home, meal, and pollen for themselves and other plants. During the warmer months some insects, birds, and other creatures use them as a main source of food, while others find shade and shelter in their canopies. Most importantly, though, flowers spread their DNA and continue the growth of other greenery through pollination, a vital process in any environment.

 

 

 

Rocks line walkways and create a beautiful terrain in any environment, but also create their own ecosystem!

Under and around rocks, you can find anything from beetles and worms to tiny colonies of fungus and lichens living together in a damp, cool habitat. Humans benefit from rocks in many ways, too; We use them for resting, shaping our terrains, and even fertilizing soil.

Trees are to animals as building are to humans – sources for almost anything! They provide sturdy and strong shelter throughout the year to a plethora of animals, from small birds to deer, and shade the ground to make cool patches in the summer months. Trees are also the main supplier of oxygen, which keeps the whole earth alive and healthy – especially important as our world becomes more polluted.

 

 

In NYC eastern grey squirrels depend on urban forests for shelter, food, reproduction etc. They use trees for nests and sometimes take refuge in tree cavities to raise their young.

 

 

 

 

 

New Yorkers will typically see these rodents scurrying about the city’s parks from one patch of grass to the next, but don’t realize that they contribute to the stability of the urban parks that are dependent on these small mammals.

Squirrels act as seed dispersers by caching, or digging small holes to store tree seeds and cones for later consumption. The forgotten seeds will likely germinate and nourish new trees. In this way squirrels aid with forest renewal, especially with those trees that have seeds too heavy to be dispersed by wind.

The squirrel in this picture (left) could be on his way to cach some of the seeds he collected. Squirrels tend to bury their seeds far from where they found them. This  allows tree species to spread throughout a greater distance despite obstacles such as this concrete paved path that might of otherwise kept a species isolated to one side of the park.

 

Here (right) is a wider look at the site where I found this fella. To the right is the West Side Highway and Hudson River, and to the left is a hill leading up to more walkways and larger green expanses.

 

 

Flowers:

Flowers are often an ecosystem service people take for granted. People generally only see the importance of flowers on holidays and birthdays. But really, flowers are everywhere and can be found in a variety of ecosystems. They have an aesthetic purpose and generally uplift people’s mood. Flowers are an important part of the green spaces in NYC and serve an intrinsic purpose.

 

Trees:

Trees are one of the most important ecosystem services. Urban trees provide a multitude of environmental, economic and social benefits. Trees help counteract global climate change and improve air quality by absorbing and storing pollutants such as carbon dioxide and dust. Studies have found a correlation between the number of trees planted in an urban area and reported health. Furthermore, proximity to green spaces and large street trees is linked to lower crime rates, greater community appeal and increased property values, contributing to the high economic return of planting trees. Million trees NYC, which hopes to increase the city’s canopy cover from the current 21% to 30% by 2030, has quantified the value of these quality-of-life benefits. For more info go to:   http://milliontreesnyc.org/html/home/home.shtml

                             

Union Square Park, Manhattan, NYC

Plants and Shrubs:

Plants are an important ecosystem service in NYC parks. An integral role they play is as oxygen creators. This oxygen in turn is necessary for animal life, including human beings! It is quite easy to miss plants and shrubs when they are quite abundant. However, they are integral to human life. Plants provide food for omnivores and herbivores alike. Furthermore, plants add to the scenery of a park or garden.