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Nature
As already mentioned, Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the
largest public space in Queens. It’s home to NYC largest lake,
countless forms of wildlife, and several cultural and recreational
gems. But it’s not alone. The borough has many beautiful public
spaces that offer serenity from the hustle-bustle of city life.
The following two lists provide more information. The first one
informs on green areas run by nonprofits. The second list informs
on government-administered spaces.
Abutting Little Neck Bay in Northeast Queens, Alley Pond Park
offers more than 655 acres of trees, water marshes, meadows,
hills, and trails. Because it occupies part of a terminal moraine
that was formed by a glacier roughly 15,000 years ago, it features
kettle ponds formed by melting ice and natural springs. Though
located near the Long Island Expressway, in the spring, pollen
fills the air, and flowers bloom everywhere. In the summer, frogs
and salamanders sun themselves on tree branches and rocks in
the ponds. In the fall, birds of all feathers flock there. And in the
winter, raccoon tracks can be found in the snow.
The Alley Pond Environment Center is a nonprofit that operates
a one-story green building where visitors can learn about the
local wetlands and trails. The center is dedicated to educating
individuals about the environment, protecting and preserving
the park, open spaces and bodies of water, and advocating for
sustainable environmental policies and practices.
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Alley Pond Park