Nature Preserve

Nature Preserve

The Nature Preserve is a project embraced by citizens who believe in the value of open space within a dense urban area – a setting where students can observe and study natural sciences, and anyone can come to enjoy the simple beauty of nature.

The Village of Bronxville owns the property located at the corner of Archer Place and Crawford Street in the Town of Eastchester. It was sold to the Village of Bronxville by the Town of Eastchester in July 1944 with a covenant that the property would be used for park purposes only.

The Nature Preserve is one of three contiguous open space parcels owned by the Village of Bronxville, but the majority of the land lies within the Town of Eastchester. The Nature Preserve (formerly called The Marsh) and The Forest lie on either end and were purchased concurrently from the Town of Eastchester in 1944; The Meadow -- once known as Alfredo Field for the owner who operated a nursery there -- is in the middle of the three tracts and was not purchased by the Village of Bronxville until September 22, 1971 for $197,000 (see Chronology).

The Alfredo family purchased their property in March 1937. At the time of the 1939/1940 New York World's Fair, Mr. Alfredo won a landscaping contract and used surface soil from the nursery as the base for his plantings in Flushing Meadow. According to residents who lived here at the time, he not only used the soil from his property, but from The Nature Preserve area land, as well. As he excavated this excellent surface soil, he and others filled the excavation area with building debris. Some of that long-ago discarded material can still be found surfacing on the properties today.

After purchasing the site, the Village originally used The Nature Preserve area as a leaf dump area in the fall, which caused opposition from neighboring residents -- the dump emanated strong odors and served as a home for rats. Protesting neighbors, with the help of legal counsel, confirmed that the area was restricted to park purposes thereby forbidding the use of the land as a leaf dump. A “clean up” commenced in 1990 under the stewardship of then-Mayor Sheila Stein, and the Village made the decision to compost leaves at the town-operated facility off California Road. In 2003, a small group of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe residents led by Paulette Castillo (formerly Griggs) and Eastchester Councilwoman Vicki Ford took the opportunity to reclaim the site – no longer a leaf dump, but by then a sorely neglected open space.

The land has experienced a slow but deliberate metamorphosis. Work began in 2002 with mowing and maintaining the property with the financial support of the Murphy Family Foundation. Invasive growth that had disrupted its ecology, including Norway maples, locust trees, poison ivy, and stinging nettles was removed. Dead trees and fallen branches were hauled away; a storm drainage system re-directed stagnant water; the land was churned and mowed and graded. The Nature Preserve was born!

Nature Preserve Plan

History of The Nature Preserve

The Nature Preserve represents one of the largest single open space areas in our communities. All this transpired through the resolve and resources of the residents initiating the project who provided crucial seed money, a boost from the Bronxville Beautification Council, and the encouragement of the Village of Bronxville, passing a formal resolution presented by Paulette Castillo on June 13, 2005, to support the project.

The Village of Bronxville also offered to act as a tax-free repository for these monies and to make payments for the expenses of this project, thus eliminating the need for an IRS 501 (C)3 application (contributions are sent to the Village of Bronxville Nature Preserve).

A significant grant from the OSilas Foundation provided the necessary start-up funding for the project with on-site work beginning in late 2006 with the clearing of ground, proper grading for drainage, top soil, seeding and new fencing. With direction of landscape architects at Peter Gisolfi and Associates, the project entered Phase One: the installation of a split rail fence and stone dust path, and the planting of a canopy of trees and butterfly garden. Future work would bring a central grassy meadow, a profusion of wildflowers, a bird sanctuary, wild grasses, circular paths, and an extensive array of indigenous trees and flowering shrubs.

Late in 2006 and early 2007 more than 130 trees were planted, and in spring 2007, a ribbon-cutting event marked The Nature Preserve’s official opening. Eastchester Town Councilwoman Vicki Ford officiated the ceremony which included Mary Marvin, mayor of Bronxville, along with Westchester County Legislator Vito Pinto, Eastchester Town Board Supervisor Anthony Colavita, Eastchester Town Board member Sheila Marcotte, Clare Gorman from the Tuckahoe Village Board and Judith Blau representing the Eastchester Beautification Foundation – all who shared their support and interest in caring for this valued tract of open space. The Preserve was dedicated to the community and the educational benefit of school children, as plans called for nature studies with students from Bronxville, Tuckahoe, and Eastchester.

Nature Preserve Ribbon Cutting

With the completion of Phase I, Bill Murphy, former mayor of Bronxville (the Preserve’s de facto executive director, and whose family foundation contributed considerably to the project), led the way to install a proper irrigation system before entering Phase II which was the planting of more than a hundred annuals, including additional bushes for the butterfly garden and a number of flowering trees. The irrigation system required engineering drawings and proper permits, new land surveys, tapping into the New Rochelle water supply system, a pumping system, an electrical connection with Con Edison, and trenching for the piping to the proper locations.

Work continued in the fall of 2007, with The Nature Preserve’s Youth Advisory Board and other volunteers planting nearly 1500 daffodils and other flowering bulbs along the The Nature Preserve’s perimeter.

The Nature Preserve Youth Advisory Board, (grades 10-12) and the Nature Preserve Volunteer Corps (grade 9) was created that year by steering committee member and Eastchester resident Judith Blau to give the students from Eastchester, Bronxville, and Tuckahoe High Schools the opportunity to be part of the Preserve. Their input and hands-on participation allows them to see the results of green space preservation in their own community while learning about the need for keeping the community healthy by including plants, trees, and wildlife in an urban environment. In addition to planting daffodil bulbs, the students have also helped plant and provide educational material to community -- How to Attract Butterflies, by Amanda Bastone, and Through The Eyes of Nature, a student art and photography show at Eastchester Public Library.

Olivia’s Butterfly Garden named in honor of Vicki Ford

In June 2011 to recognize her efforts to create a butterfly garden at the Nature Preserve, former Eastchester Councilwoman Vicki Ford was honored with a plaque in the butterfly garden in her name, “Olivia’s Butterfly Garden.” Patrick Gasparro and Lynne Richy of Nature’s Cradle Nursery in Eastchester, enthusiastic supporters of the Preserve, installed new plantings in the garden, including Aster, Moonbeam-type Coriopsis, Liatris, Helianthus Salififolious, Verbena, and Vernonia in addition to the fruit trees, Sweet Woodruff plants and Butavalia bushes already in the area. There are also plans to place stepping stones in the garden to give small children better access to the garden. With vibrant hues of orange, red, and purple, Olivia's Butterfly Garden is attracting both Monarch and Painted Lady butterflies. Eastchester High School, then Cornell University graduate Joseph Blau, one of the first members to serve on The Nature Preserve Youth Advisory Board, created a brochure for the public that included a plant list for Olivia’s Butterfly Garden and a Tree and Garden Guide. He used the original Peter Gisolfi Associates plans for the Preserve, the Rolin K. Link Land Survey, planting information from Bobby Mascotti, Nature Preserve caretaker, and Lynne Richy’s Butterfly Garden list.

Others have helped in different ways, too: Bronxville resident René Atayan, with the help of Girl Scout Troop 2696, added a home for Lady Bugs. Si Ford went out on a limb to hang more than a dozen birdhouses donated by Joe Ciancuilli. The Lazarakis Family gifted park benches in honor of loved ones. And Nancy and Carlo Vittorini designed and donated The Nature Preserve sign.

What’s the buzz for the future?

More blooms for the bees. More wildflowers. More wild grasses. More flowering shrubs! More neighborly spring cleaning. And continuous maintenance -- with the help of funding by appreciative citizens, The Nature Preserve will be cultivated and cared for, and will continue to provide the simple beauty of Mother Nature for all to enjoy.

The Nature Preserve Steering Committee

Vivien and David Barnum
Joseph Blau
Judith H. Blau
Sheila Clarke
Vicki and Si Ford
Ivy and Bill Fredericks
Patrick Gasparro
Caitlin and Pater Greatrex
Donald M. Gray
Pia Marcoccia
Suzi and John Morris
Mary Liz Mulligan
William J. Murphy
Laura and Brian Redican
Gary J. Reetz
Cathy Rodriguez
Jane and Joe Saad
Arleen and Steve Thomas
Nancy and Carlo Vittorini
Mayor Mary Marvin
Ex Officio Vicki Ford, for whom “Olivia’s Butterfly Garden” is named.

Nature Preserve Aerial View

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