Good news about the little island

The little island on west side of the Lake,north of Bow Bridge
View is with Phragmites, before new planting
Photo by Bob Levy









Regular website correspondent Bob Levy writes:

Here’s something even the most observant Central Park birder might have overlooked: the island in Central Park Lake is being replanted. After years of being covered up and looking like the “Island of Black Plastic Sheeting” new growth has appeared. Regina Alvarez, Woodland Manager for the Central Park Conservancy, told me that Pickerelweed, Blueflag iris, and Bulrush specimens are already in place. Unfortunately if not humorously, Regina says that Cattails were supposed to be included in this round of planting, but the nursery forgot to put them on the delivery truck. When they do arrive cattails will be added to the plant mix but this is only the first phase. After the Bank Rock restoration is complete more enhancements will be made to the island. This is good aesthetic news for observers and even better habitat news for the birds and other animals that used to make excellent use of the island in its formerly “vegetative” state even if it was overflowing with the widely disparaged Phragmites (i.e. Common Reed) at the time.