The blog I’m Seeing Green offers the following tips for documenting vandalism of street trees in New York City:

1. If you think a street tree is in danger, take a photo of it. This will serve as a “before” photo, a valuable piece of evidence.
2. If you see workers cutting down a tree illegally, don’t call 311. Call the borough’s forestry office … These are Parks Police Officers, they have the power of arrest and will be dispatched to the scene.
3. Write down the name and address of the contractor removing the tree, if available, (it may be on the construction fence or truck) and take a photo of the crime in progress. The officers will use these to track down the offenders if they have left the scene.
4. You may be asked to sign an affidavit of what you saw if the perpetrators were gone upon the officers’ arrival. Your name does not appear on it and you just have to sign your initials. The officers will visit you at home, you won’t even have to go to their headquarters. This will be used in court. You may also be asked to testify in person, but this very rarely happens because the developer doesn’t bother to fight the fine.

– Watch That Street Tree!, via Gowanus Lounge.

For my readers who are not from NYC, a couple of explanations:

• 311 is the general information line for all city services. When you don’t know who to call, that’s the number to call.
• The Department of Parks and Recreation has jurisdiction over street trees in NYC.
• Only people employed by or under contract from Parks can perform any work on a tree.

Residents should read Caring for Street Trees and Greenstreets to learn what they can do to keep their street trees healthy and cared for.

We saw our first installation of these today. We were driving this afternoon from our neighborhood to Park Slope for brunch and some shopping. At the Park Circle entrance are two large geodesic spheres, like ornaments, about 6-8 feet in diameter.

Join us for Prospect Park in Lights, a special one-of-a-kind holiday lighting installation in Brooklyn’s flagship Park. Four of the Park’s entrances – including iconic Grand Army Plaza – will be illuminated with eye-catching lighting arranged by a noted designer. Prospect Park in Lights is funded by a donation from the New York Daily News granted to the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. This magnificent public display gives New Yorkers and visitors one more reason to celebrate winter and the holidays in one of New York’s landmark parks.

Special launch ceremony: November 27 [Monday], 6 p.m., at Grand Army Plaza.

Lights on: November 27 through January 7, 2007
– Prospect Park in Lights

The illuminated displays, which were created by noted Brooklyn-based lighting designer Jim Conti, will decorate the major gateways to the Park: Grand Army Plaza, including the historic Soldier’s and Sailor’s Memorial Arch and the Bailey Fountain; Bartel-Pritchard Circle; Park Circle; and the Parkside and Ocean Avenue entrance. Light emitting diodes (LEDs), energy efficient and long-lasting lights, are being used to transform some of Prospect Park’s most historic architectural elements into a wonderful holiday spectacle. These will include a wave-shaped structure built and covered in lights to create the effect of flowing water at Bailey Fountain and colored lights placed on the Pergola at the Parkside and Ocean entrance, giving the appearance of blooming vines. Many of the lights will change colors and are synchronized with wireless animated controllers.

A series of community celebrations will also take place at different Park entrances in December to enhance the enjoyment of Prospect Park in Lights, organized by the Prospect Park Alliance. On Saturday and Sunday evenings there will be free trolley bus service around the Park for viewing the lights. On New Year’s Eve Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will sponsor a fireworks display over the Park and entertainment at Grand Army Plaza.

– Press release, November 15

Via The Gowanus Lounge.

Update 2010.01.03: Removed all links to the old Gowanus Lounge domain, which has since been appropriated by some parasitic commercial site.

I recently lamented about the backlog of stuff I want to write and post, but for which I just don’t have the time. What holds me up is that I don’t want to just post a lot of “read this” links. I want most of this blog to be my original content, in the form of photos, commentary, opions, experiences, and so on. But I find I’m adding 5 or more “draft” entries to my blog every day. I can’t write that fast. I can barely read that fast. How can I best share that information?

While this blog will not devolve into simply being a list of redirects to other blogs, I want to find a way to share interesting and relevant links, resources, articles, news and other content, without needing to comment on all of it. I think I – and you, dear readers – can tolerate the occasional list of links.

Here’s the first list:

• Resource: Center for the Study of Brooklyn (CSB), via Atlantic Yards Report, via The Gowanus Lounge.
• Resource: National Geographic Map Machine, via Eco-Chick
  
• Brooklyn Blogger: Raeubertranz, via The Gowanus Lounge
• Brooklyn Blogger: Sunset Parker