New York, U.S.A. — On October 23, John A. Paulson and the Paulson Family Foundation announced a gift of $100 million to the Central Park Conservancy to sustain the fundamental role of Central Park as one of New York City’s leading cultural institutions and the world’s most extraordinary public park.

Mr. Paulson’s donation is the largest gift ever made to the Central Park Conservancy. It is also the largest gift to any public park and one of the largest ever made to a New York City cultural institution. It will sustain and advance the innovation of the Conservancy’s management and maintenance practices and allow for improvements to park-wide infrastructure, Central Park’s 21 playgrounds, 130 acres of woodlands, five visitor centers, and youth and family programming and recreation facilities.

The Conservancy’s management practices will be sustained and developed as a model for public-private partnerships locally and worldwide. Already, the Conservancy’s model has influenced the management of public spaces such as Prospect Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park and Battery Park in New York City.

Mr. Paulson’s gift comes at a time of unprecedented use of Central Park: with more than 40 million annual visitors, Central Park is visited by more people than any other New York City cultural institution.

“Central Park was created by two individuals – Olmsted and Vaux – in 1858. In 1980, a group of individuals banded together to restore it to its long-forgotten glory,” said Doug Blonsky, President and CEO of the Central Park Conservancy. ”Today, John joins these visionaries to sustain Central Park well into the future. This has always been a park designed for and sustained by the people – a celebration of the people’s right to relax, reflect and celebrate. John shares that vision, and thanks to him Central Park’s purpose will endure.”

“It is a great privilege to be able to contribute to the Central Park Conservancy, one of the most important cultural institutions in New York,” said Mr. Paulson. ”The Conservancy is responsible for transforming and sustaining Central Park as the celebration of culture, nature and democracy that it is today. It is my hope that today’s contribution will help it endure and flourish and inspire others to join me in ensuring that the Park continues to receive the support it needs to be this city’s greatest asset.”

“Over the past 33 years, the Central Park Conservancy has led the world’s most significant public park into the longest period of sustained health in its history,” said Thomas L. Kempner, Jr., Chairman of the Central Park Conservancy’s Board of Trustees. ”John’s gift helps ensure that its excellence endures for generations to come and acknowledges its importance to the cultural and economic health of New York City.”

“This generous gift will ensure that the park remains as Frederick Olmsted and Calvert Vaux envisioned it a century and a half ago: a peaceful oasis right in the middle of the busiest city in the world, and a community gathering place that is experienced by all New Yorkers on equal grounds, regardless of background or walk of life,” said Mayor Bloomberg. ”Central Park has an enormous economic impact on our city – 40 million annual visitors generating $1 billion in economic activity – and that’s in large part due to the great work of the Central Park Conservancy, the Parks Department and the New York City Police Department, who have worked together since 1980 to restore Central Park to its glory and take it to new heights.”

“During the past 30 years, Central Park has been transformed into the work of art envisioned by Olmsted and Vaux, thanks to the City’s partnership with the Central Park Conservancy,” said Parks & Recreation Commissioner Veronica M. White. “This exceptionally generous donation from John A. Paulson will help ensure that Central Park flourishes for years to come.”

John Paulson is the President and Portfolio Manager of Paulson & Co., a New York headquartered investment management firm with additional offices in London and Hong Kong. Mr. Paulson serves on the Board of Trustees of New York University; Board of Trustees of the Spence School; the Deans Advisory Board of the Harvard Business School; the Board of Directors of the 92nd Street Y; the Board of the Partnership for New York City; the Board of Trustees of the Central Park Conservancy; and the Chairman’s Circle of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Since 1980, the Central Park Conservancy has managed the investment of nearly $700 million into Central Park, almost $550 million of which was raised by the Conservancy from hundreds of thousands of individuals, corporations and foundations for the Park’s restoration and maintenance. The Conservancy is responsible for the physical management of the Park along with its funding, privately fundraising more than 80 percent of Central Park’s $45.8 million annual budget.

For 153 years, Central Park has been the people’s park. Thanks to the vision and generosity of benefactors like John Paulson, Central Park’s future as the park New York City needs and deserves is secure.

Image Courtesy of David W. Leindecker / Shutterstock.com

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Each year, more than a million birds make a migratory pit stop in New York City’s Central Park – and they don’t go unnoticed. The revealing documentary ‘Birders: The Central Park Effect’ chronicles one year in the life of the extraordinary array of wild birds that grace Manhattan’s celebrated patch of green, and the equally colorful New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of migration, when it debuts Monday, July 16 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), exclusively on HBO. The debut of the Oscar-nominated documentary short “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom,” which shows how nature can be a rejuvenating as well as destructive force, follows at 10:00 p.m.

Other HBO playdates are July 19 (5:00 PM), July 21 (10:00 AM, 5:20 AM), July 24 (11:30 AM, midnight) and July 29 (2:00 PM).

It will also be showed on HBO2 with playdates on July 18 (8:00 PM), July 22 (5:25 AM) and July 26 (8:00 AM).

HBO Documentary Films presents another weekly series this summer, debuting provocative new specials every Monday through July 30. Other July films include: “Hard Times: Lost on Long Island” (July 9); “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom” (July 16); “Vito” (July 23); and “About Face: Supermodels Then and Now” (July 30).

Devoting equal time and affection to birds and birders, first-time filmmaker Jeffrey Kimball explores a distinctly New York phenomenon, telling a story of humanity, nature and the precarious balance between the two. ‘Birders: The Central Park Effect’ captures an astonishing number of species – from hummingbirds and herons to owls and hawks – with stunning HD photography that does justice to the birds’ amazingly diverse patterns, hues and personalities. The film also celebrates devoted NYC birders who find a paradise within the urban chaos, among them author Jonathan Franzen and Starr Saphir, the “matriarch” of Central Park birdwatching.

It’s springtime in New York City, and the city’s biggest park is hosting a community of several hundred birders. As veteran birder Lloyd Spitalnik notes, “If you get tired of looking at the common birds, you might as well just pack it in.” Chris Cooper says his friends don’t see him from April 15 through Memorial Day; if they question his annual obsession, he counters by rattling off his “seven pleasures of birding.” Anya, a 15-year-old birder, wants to protect birds because they are “so alive, active, varied and beautiful.”

As the birders describe their passion, the pleasure they derive from the birds is both contagious and poignant. To a birder, finding a feathered friend is like a celebrity sighting. Scientists call the concentration of birds funneling into this oasis of nature amid a sea of steel and cement the Central Park Effect.

Septuagenarian Starr Saphir, who has been giving bird tours almost daily for 20 years, wasdiagnosed with terminal breast cancer a few years ago. She talks about her heightened joy in birding, which eases her pain, and shares lists of birds she’s seen, which she has kept in journals every day since she was a child, looking at them fondly like a photo album or scrapbook. Jonathan Franzen says that when he began birding, it was like an addiction; a morning without birding gave him a sense of unease that could only be fixed by the first spotting of the day, like a smoker craving a cigarette.

Central Park is a magnet for millions of birds who need a rest stop as they migrate along the Eastern Seaboard twice a year, in spring and fall. While this migration is a dangerous process, during which millions of birds die each year, many survivors remember stopovers in the fall and return to the Park, where devoted birders await them.

By early June, all the migrants have passed through New York City, but a couple of dozen species linger. Birds have adapted to human urbanization, and though Central Park is entirely man-made, it appears no different to birds than most natural parks in the country, which are also managed landscapes. Unfortunately, notes birder Jonathan Rosen, the Effect can lead some to believe that the world and the environment is doing just fine.

In winter, species that tend to migrate north in warmer months often fly south to Central Park. At the annual Christmas bird count, citizen scientists help produce the official “Birds in Decline Report” by going out in teams and counting every bird in the Park. Though a seemingly impossible task, patterns can be found in the results. One depressing statistic for bird lovers is that nearly a quarter of all species have had a 50% decline.

Sitting on a park bench the next spring, Jonathan Rosen says he doesn’t think of his birding as a hobby “any more than raising my children would be considered a hobby.” Perhaps, he concludes, as all sorts of animal populations slowly diminish, people are hungry to touch something that may be slipping away.

A 2012 SXSW selection in Documentary Feature Competition, ‘Birders: The Central Park Effect’ is directed and produced by Jeffrey Kimball; executive produced by Pamela Hogan and Tom Casciato; edited by Daniel Baer; co-produced and co-edited by Nick August-Perna; cinematography by Tony Pagano, Nick August-Perna and Chris Dapkins; bird and nature cinematography by Jeffrey Kimball; music by Paul Damian Hogan.

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Now that the winter season is in full force in New York City, the five boroughs are shining bright with holiday festivities. A walk along the pricey Fifth Avenue stores draws crowds of onlookers at the window holiday displays, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is ornately decorated and shoppers are hurrying around to buy presents.

A perfect winter activity to take part in while wandering the streets of New York City may be somewhat unlikely in between the skyscrapers, ice skating. Lace up your ice skates and head to one of these famous rinks.

Rockefeller Center

The epitome of ice skating in Manhattan is to go a few rounds at The Ice Skating Rink in Rockefellar Center. The winter tradition of turning the outdoor, sunken in space into an ice skating rink draws the attention of visitors and locals alike. Located in the heart of Midtown, ice skating in Rockefellar Center is the perfect way to get into the holiday spirit.

With the majestic Christmas tree twinkling in the background, tourists are drawn to this spot for photo opportunities. Although the lines are often long and the price for admission is steeper than other places in the city, there is no other place in New York City quite like this ice skating rink.

For those who are hesitant to step onto the ice, Rockefellar Center is a optimal spot to watch skaters spin underneath the lights of the Christmas tree. The Ice Skating Rink is open Monday-Thursday from 9am-10:30pm, Friday-Saturday from 8:30am-midnight, and Sunday from 8:30am-10pm.

Central Park

Right in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city sits Central Park. Often considered an oasis for New Yorkers, Central Park gears up for the winter season with not just one, but two ice skating rinks. Located in the southern tip of the park is Wollman Rink, one of the most well-known ice skating rinks in all five boroughs.

Opened in 1950, visitors and locals love to put on a pair of ice skates and make rounds in the rink. With tall trees and a landscape that is anything far from urban, ice skating at Wollman Rink allows people to forget they are in the middle of Manhattan.

Wollman Rink is open on Monday and Tuesday from 10am-2:30pm, Wednesday and Thursday from 10am-10pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am-11pm, and Sunday from 10am-9pm.

Located in the northern section of Central Park is the Trump-Lasker Rink. During the summer, this space is an outdoor pool, but when winter arrives it transforms into a skating wonderland. Still with the beautiful backdrop of the large park, this ice skating rink is a good spot to enjoy the winter sport for those who are located uptown.

Ice hockey teams are a popular attraction at the Trump-Lasker Rink, as many leagues are formed every year. Opened in the 1960s, ice skating at this rink is a tradition and continues to be one in the 2011-2012 season.

The Trump-Lasker Rink is opened on Monday from 10am-3:45pm, Tuesday from 10am-3pm, and reopens from 8-10pm. Wednesday from 10am-3:45pm, Thursday from 10am-3:45pm. Friday from 10am-5:15pm, and reopens from 7-11pm, Saturday from 1-11pm, and Sunday from 12:30-4:30pm.

Bryant Park

One of the most popular ice skating rinks throughout Manhattan is Citi Pond at Bryant Park. Its claim to fame is that admission is free. Ice skaters are more than welcome to bring their own skates, or pay to rent skates on premises. The free admission draws long lines. People wanting skate at Citi Pond need to go with some patience, but the wait is worth it.

Citi Pond at Bryant Park is a unique ice skating experience mainly because Bryant Park fills up with holiday festivities throughout the season. A beautifully decorated Christmas tree stands at one end of the ice skating rink, similar to Rockefeller Center’s tree, just smaller.

The whole park transforms into a market, as small shops in glass buildings open up during winter. People have the opportunity to do some holiday shopping after they’ve tired of skating, or find one of the many tables and chairs to hunker down and watch the skaters twirl.

Citi Pond is open Sunday-Thursday from 8am-10pm and Friday-Saturday from 8am-midnight.

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Although New York City is known internationally as one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, there are many beautiful parks scattered across the city for people to enjoy. In between the soaring skyscrapers and continuous hustle and bustle of the city, New Yorkers are able to find some solace in relaxing parks.

Outdoor spaces can be found throughout all five boroughs of the city and are great places to get away from the city lifestyle. One of the most famous parks in New York City is Central Park. Located in Manhattan, Central Park can be accessed from Midtown, the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side.

The park originally opened in 1857 and has been a main attraction for tourists and residents ever since. More than 30 million people visit Central Park each year but the massive 843 acre park is also one of the best ways to enjoy outdoor space in New York City. Tucked inside the park are a wide variety of recreational activities for all ages to enjoy.

There are miles of trails for joggers, walkers, and bicyclists to explore. Expansive fields stretch across the park where people can play an array of sports, including football, baseball and soccer. During the winter season, two ice skating rinks open in Central Park, a highlight for children and adults.

The famous Central Park Zoo is also an exciting destination within the park to catch glimpses of anything from seals to polar bears. Central Park is New York City’s playground, especially during the summer. The annual Summer Stage is one of the most anticipated outdoor concert series in New York City.

International superstars in music, dance and theater have performed at Summer Stage. Central Park offers an enormous amount of activities and is one of the most beautiful spots throughout New York City. Across the East River in Brooklyn is another famous park. Prospect Park sits at the heart of Brooklyn and is a smaller version of Central Park.

Frederick Law Olmsted created both parks and has given both Manhattan and Brooklyn similar outdoor spaces to enjoy. Built in 1867, Prospect Park is 585 acres of green space where people can relax in isolation from the busy city streets. Located within Prospect Park is the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, a magnificent spot to learn about wild plants and flowers.

Similarly to Central Park, Prospect Park also has a zoo and an ice skating rink inside its boundaries. Horseback riding can be seen on certain paths throughout the park, along with sports enthusiasts enjoying the track and fields spread across the park. A unique outdoor space in Queens is the Socrates Sculpture Garden.

It has been designed specifically to showcase art and sculptures. Located in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens, the Socrates Sculpture Garden is a wonderful spot in New York City to spend time outdoors while taking in some artwork from the city’s talented artists.

The outdoor area was once an abandoned piece of land that has now become a beautiful park. Creativity and expression are the main focus of the park and an artist residency program is now offered. Another park that transforms a former abandoned area into one of the most popular parks in New York City is the High Line.

This park was created on elevated train tracks that are no longer in use. The High Line runs north to south along the west side of Manhattan, cutting through the trendy neighborhoods of the Meat Packing District and Chelsea. The narrow park offers views of the Hudson River and is a distinct outdoor space in New York City.

The High Line is popular for its progressive design and conscious measures to preserve the history of the elevated train tracks. Public art and local food vendors are often seen during a stroll through the High Line. New York City has plenty of unique parks throughout its boroughs. When the city lifestyle gets too hectic, there’s always an outdoor area to relax just around the corner
Marcio Jose Bastos Silva / Shutterstock.com

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