Japan – US Cherry Blossom Centennial Celebration in Delaware Park

Media Release, Photo Opportunity

Japan – US Cherry Blossom Centennial Celebration in Delaware Park

Buffalo, NY

Ambassador Shigeyuki Hiroki, Consul-General of Japan in New York will dedicate 20 cherry blossom trees at the Mirror Lake in the Japanese Garden behind the Erie County Historical Museum on Friday, April 27^th at 10:00am.  The trees are a gift to the City of Buffalo from the Japanese government on the centennial of the gift of cherry blossom trees from Japan to the U.S. in 1912.  President & CEO of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy, Thomas Herrera-Mishler and Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown will speak at the dedication.  Members of the public and media are welcome to attend.

Who: Consul-General of Japan in New York, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, and BOPC president & CEO Thomas Herrera-Mishler

When: Friday, April 27, 2012

Where: Mirror Lake at the Japanese Garden Delaware Park

Time: 10:00am

What: A dedication of a gift of 20 cherry blossom trees from the government of Japan to the City of Buffalo on the centennial of the gift of cherry trees from Japan to the United States of America in 1912

Contact: Sal Sciandra 716.838.1249 ext33 or sal@bfloparks.org

Tree Surgery in the Japanese Garden

Ted Hildibrant and his associate, Elly, of Coldwater Pond Nursery, performed a 4-hour surgery on a rodent damaged Japanese Maple in the Japanese Garden in Delaware Park.  The surgery consisted of “bridge grafting” and “inarch grafting” scions into the tree.

By performing these remediation efforts on the maple, this tree will be able to transport the water and sugars through the bridge and inarch grafted scions.  The tree was heavily damaged by a rodent chewing away the bark and disrupting the flow of nutrients from the leaves to the roots and vice versa.  If left untreated the tree would surely die this summer.  There is no guarantee that the tree will survive but the work performed on the tree was meticulously executed and will give the tree the best chance of survival and due to the trees location and size the work was definitely worth it as the tree is irreplaceable.

Here’s a little bit more on inarching and bridge grafting techniques:

Inarching

Inarching is similar to approach grafting in that both rootstock and scion plants are on their own roots at the time of grafting. It differs in that the top of the new rootstock plant usually does not extend above the point of the graft union as it does in approach grafting. Inarching is used to replace roots damaged by cultivation equipment, rodents, or disease.  It can be used to very good advantage in saving a valuable tree or improving its root system.  Seedlings (or rooted cuttings) planted beside the damaged tree, or suckers arising near its base are grafted into the trunk of the tree to provide a new root system to supplant the damaged roots.

Bridge Grafting

Bridge grafting is another form of repair grafting-used when there is injury to the trunk, such as by cultivation equipment, rodents, disease, or winter injury.  If the damage to the bark is extensive, the tree is almost certain to die, because the roots will be deprived of their carbohydrate supply from the top of the tree.  Trees of some species, such as the elm, cherry, and pecan, can compartmentalize extensively injured areas by the development of a wound periderm of callus tissue.

On-line Golf Passes currently on sale

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy announces that seasonal golf passes are now available for sale online at www.bfloparks.org.  Golf passes will be honored at all three (3) Buffalo Olmsted Golf courses, which include Cazenovia Park, Delaware Park, and South Park.  Please read instructions for special requirements when purchasing online.  Beginning on Sunday, March 25, 2012, BOPC golf season passes will be on sale at all 3 golf courses on special sales days.  These dates for these special sales dates are detailed below:

Date	Time	Location
Sunday, March 25, 2012	10:00am - 2:00pm	All 3 Courses
Sunday, April 1, 2012	10:00am - 2:00pm	All 3 Courses
Saturday, April 7, 2012	10:00am - 2:00pm	All 3 Courses
Saturday, April 14, 2012	10:00am - 2:00pm	All 3 Courses
Saturday, April 28, 2012	7:00am - 7:00pm	All 3 Courses

Additional golf course information for  2012

Golfers wishing to secure their passes must bring proper identification (valid driver’s license), a headshot photograph no larger than 1”x 1”, and payment in the form of cash, checks, or credit card (MasterCard or Visa only).  The 2012 Olmsted Golf Season starts on Saturday, April 28^th (weather permitting).  For detailed pricing structure please visit www.bfloparks.org or www.bfloparks.blogspot.com

SECOND ANNUAL FLURRIOUS! FESTIVAL RETURNS, SAT JAN 21, 2012!

FLURRIOUS!, Western New York’s park-centered winter festival returns for its second year at Buffalo’s Delaware Park on Saturday, January 21^st, 2012!   FLURRIOUS! is a FREE admission outdoor event, presented by the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy that promises to be fun-filled and action packed.  The day’s events begin at 9:00am with the “Flurrious Forecast” fun run and continue until 10:00pm!

“We’re very excited to host FLURRIOUS! for a second year” said BOPC president & CEO, Thomas Herrera-Mishler.  “We invite the Western New York community, of all ages, to come outside and celebrate winter and all that our parks have to offer!”

Activities this year include snow tennis, family skating (weather permitting/bring your own skates), face painting, igloo building, winter science workshop for kids, & cookie decorating, blacksmithing, as well as sleigh rides, cross country skiing, sled pull, snow golf, and much more.  Spectator events include a Quidditch tournament, hockey exhibition (weather permitting), and kickball & softball tournaments. 

FLURRIOUS! will feature food and beverages from Magnolia Catering, Coles Restaurant, and Rolling Joe Café.  Parking for the event can be found in the Buffalo Zoo parking lot on Jewett Parkway off Parkside Avenue, the surrounding neighborhood, and around the ring road after 10:30am.

The Master of Ceremonies for FLURRIOUS! will be WGRZ Channel 2 personality, Andy Parker!  Writers, Artists, Musicians (WAM) will be providing the music for the event, with a wide range of music styles. Event partners and sponsors include Wegmans, National Grid, WGRZ Channel 2, Magnolia Catering, Coles Restaurant, and the City of Buffalo.

For more information and registration information, please visit www.bfloparks.org or call 716-838-1249.  Schedule of events and music can be found below.

Snow Golf Tournament at Flurrious! (Jan.21, 2012)

Delaware Park Meadows Golf Course

FLURRIOUS! SNOW GOLF TOURNAMENT

Saturday, January 21, 2012    10:00AM – 2:00PM

Cost:  $5 per golfer - $10 per team

TO SIGN-UP, Contact Dave Hoover @ 838-1249, x19 or email: dave@bfloparks.org

Snow Golf Rules:  “HAVE FUN!!”

• Game Play
•  4 hole course
• Hole distances will be 110 yards to 220 yards 
• Golfers will play two rounds for an 8 hole total score
• Two player teams using “Best Ball” format to earn one score per hole. (Max. 8 strokes per hole)
• Teams will be paired for honor scoring.

Regular Play

• Only 4 clubs allowed per team.  (Steel shaft recommended due to cold temperatures).  If using a putter as one of your clubs, any shaft is okay.  BOPC Golf will provide a selection of clubs for those who do not wish to use their own.
• Color platform tennis balls (provided by BOPC Golf) will be used.  If lost a $2 replacement fee must be paid for your team to continue. 
• Mark your own ball in an identifiable manner.  Play your own ball.
• Players may create/build a “Tee” (out of snow) on the tee box only.
• Winter rules are in effect.  You may lift, clean and place ball back down.  Ball must be placed within 1 foot of original lie no closer to the hole.

Greens Play

• Poles with flag identifies each green / hole.
• NO Grooving or Trenching of snow to form ball channel is allowed. 
• Holes themselves will be 32” in diameter marked by a hula-hoop. 

Ties

• Final score tie-breaker will be closest to the pin shoot-out once all teams have completed the last hole.
• Each team will select one player.
• All selected players will hit at the same time & closest to the hole wins the tie.

All other standard PGA golfing regulations apply.

In case of any Disagreements, ALL decisions by the BOPC Golf are final.

Final Volunteer Tree Planting of the Season (December 13th, Delaware Park)

The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy has an unexpected late season volunteer tree planting (Over 60 trees) because of a very large Holiday tree donation from a local Nursery!

We have to get these trees in the ground as soon as possible before the weather turns really bad on us.  On Tuesday December 13^th starting at 10am we will be planting within Delaware Park along the 198 Expressway.  We will be meeting at the large spiral bridge at the end of Lincoln Parkway & Nottingham Terrace:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=lincoln+parkway+and+nottingham+terrace&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hnear=Lincoln+Pkwy+%26+Nottingham+Terrace,+Buffalo,+Erie,+New+York+14216&gl=us&t=m&z=16&vpsrc=0

Volunteers are asked to please bring a spade shovel, work clothes, gloves, clippers/scissors/pocket knife, heavy duty wire cutters (if you have them) and be prepared to work in the rain (or snow).  You'll be meeting with Steven for sign-in and instructions.  To register for this tree planting please contact volunteer@bfloparks.org or call 716-838-1249 ext 15.

Tree Lighting Ceremony at MLK Park this Saturday (Dec.3rd, 2011)

On Saturday, December 3rd, the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy and Assemblywoman Crystal Peoples-Stokes will be holding the first annual Community Tree Lighting Ceremony in Martin Luther King, Jr. Park. All members of the community are invited to attend the lighting festivities.  An 13 ft tall Colorado Spruce has been donated to the Conservancy by Schichtel's Nursery for the lighting. The tree is located near the statue of Dr. King in the park. In addition to the tree lighting, the event will include a performance by local choir group, "Men in White" as well as a candlelight vigil led by members of True Bethel and Walls Memorial AME Zion Church. The event begins at 3:00pm.