TheMondayGarden.com, Eco-gardening at its best
Special Issue 191 (Winter 2005- Spring 2006),
Also Issues 204 and 207-208 (April -May 2006)
Exploring the Urban Wilderness
The green (and not-so-green) spaces along Stamford's Mill River are some of the most interesting places in town for naturalists of all ages. For me, learning the intimate secrets of one river is a way to appreciate all rivers. I hope that this also true for you.
No matter how urban the childhood, almost everyone has a story about exploring the banks of a local river. So, whether you are from Stamford or Stanford, or any place in between, I hope that this picture story about what has become a sub/urban river also sparks fond memories of "your" river.
The City of Stamford, CT, has had a long standing plan to preserve and enhance the green corridor that runs through the City's heart. An upgraded 25-year plan is now being finalized (late 2005-early 2006). See the City of Stamford's Mill River Corridor Plan (note: this link seems to be no longer working) , the Mill River Park Collaborative (includes an awesome aerial view of the river winding its way through town), The Mill River Playground, and the Army Corps of Engineers Mill Dam project plan.
PICTURE: Gulls in the Cherry Park (a/k/a The Mill River Park) along Stamford, CT's Mill River being interviewed about the updated plan. These are mostly yellow-legged ring-bill gulls but if you look closely you might see the pink legs of a herring gull. Their collective view, by the way, is that anything that brings more humans into the park is a good thing, provided that the humans bring lunch.
Extended issue 191 of TheMondayGarden.com explores what the river looks like today and how its non-human residents view the proposed changes. NOTE: This major on-line work is in progress and is being posted in BETA FORM to allow TheMondayGarden.com readers to watch the work unfold. (This translates into: beware the typos!).
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE PICTURE TOUR . Alternatively, use these links to view each section of the tour individually: North of Town, The Riverwalk at Scalzi Park, Scalzi Park, South of Scalzi Park , The Cherry Tree Park , The Cherry Tree Park (East), The Mill Dam , Greenwich Avenue , and Where The River Meets The Sea
CLICK BELOW TO VIEW NEW MATERIAL:
MEET THE FRIENDS OF THE MILL RIVER
YOU DECIDE: SHOULD WE REPLACE THE "LOVELY" CHERRY TREES?
SEE THE PICTURES: BUILDING THE MILL RIVER PLAYGROUND
View the Mill River Flora:
CLICK HERE for Spring
CLICK HERE for June
CLICK HERE for July
CLICK HERE for August
CLICK HERE for Fall
CLICK HERE for Winter
Photo credits: Sue Sweeney
©Sue Sweeney 2006