naturalmente*naturally

Imagination, nature, dialogue, play, poetry: this is the enlivening spirit of naturalmente*naturally, an open window through which is possible to communicate and share experiences and emotions that arise from direct contact with nature. It is designed to be a really colorful and dynamic tour of Gateway National Recreation Area! Each year and especially every summer, Gateway hosts many educational programs for kids, teenagers and families with the goal of creating a strong connection between city-dwellers and nature. The aim of this blog site is not just to document many of the activities occuring within Gateway, but also to create a dialogue between Gateway National Recreation Area visitors of the New York city area and visitors of National Parks in Italy.

Why Italy? Since June 2011 Gateway has been involved into an amazing international program subsidized by the Italian Fondazione CRT- Cassa di Risparmio Torinese which has contacts all over the world and selects students graduated from Piedmontese and Val d'Aosta universities and sponsor them for a year internship experience abroad. The program is called Master dei Talenti Neolaureati (Master of Talented Newly-graduated) and every year sends about 80 young Italian students to different countries for a variety of programs. I am one of those and I just started in June working for Gateway National Recreation Area, specifically for the Interpretation and Education Division. I intend for this blog site to be a source of inspiration for young people interested in sharing their experiences and ideas as they explore nature, culture and creativity in the New York City area, in Italy and across the world.

Please share your thoughts, feelings, ideas, pictures and poems! If you want to post a photograph or a drawing on naturalmente*naturally send it to my email f.simondi@gmail.com and I will publish it and write your name on it!

Enjoy!

Immaginazione, natura, dialogo, gioco, poesia: questo é lo spirito che anima naturalmente*naturally, una finestra aperta attraverso la quale poter comunicare e condividere esperienze ed emozioni che nascono a contatto diretto con la natura. Questa pagina rappresenta un viaggio colorato e dinamico attraverso Gateway National Recreation Area! Ogni anno e in particolar modo ogni estate, Gateway organizza numerosi programmi educativi per bambini, ragazzi e famiglie. La speranza é quella di creare un'intensa interazione tra i cittadini e la natura. Questo sito non vuole solamente documentare molti dei momenti ricreativi che si svolgono a Gateway, l'obiettivo é anche quello di creare un dialogo tra i visitatori del parco Gateway National Recreation Area di New York e i visitatori dei Parchi Nazionali in Italia.

Perché l'Italia? Dal mese di Giugno 2011 Gateway é stato coinvolto in un interessante programma internazionale finanziato dalla Fondazione CRT-Cassa di Risparmio Torinese. Negli anni la Fondazione CRT ha instaurato contatti in tutto il mondo e attraverso questo programma seleziona e finanzia studenti laureati presso gli atenei piemontesi e valdostani per partecipare a un'esperienza annuale di tirocinio all'estero. Attraverso il Master dei Talenti Neolaureati ogni anno circa 80 giovani Italiani partono per raggiungere mete diverse e svolgere nei paesi ospitanti il loro tirocinio. É cosí che dal mese di Giugno sto lavorando come tirocinante presso il Dipartimento Educativo di Gateway. Spero che questo blog possa essere di ispirazione per tutti quei giovani interessati a condividere le loro esperienze e idee nate a contatto con la natura nelle aree di New York City, in Italia e nel resto del mondo.

Condividete i vostri pensieri, sentimenti, idee, foto e poesie! Se desiderate caricare una fotografia o un disegno su naturalmente*naturally potete spedirlo al mio indirizzo email f.simondi@gmail.com, saró felice di pubblicare i vostri lavori e di indicare il vostro nome.

Buon divertimento!

mercoledì, aprile 18, 2012

L'inizio di un dialogo!

The dialogue has started! A week ago I received a totally unexpected email! The sender turned out to be a really nice girl, Arianna Di Francesco. She lives not too far from Torino, in a very gorgeous part of the Piedmont Region, Italy. One of the reasons why Arianna wrote to me was because she was interested in knowing more about Gateway National Recreation Area and she also wanted to share her hiking and adventurous experiences with me and with all Nature Lovers! Arianna has never been to New York but she has been studying Anglo-American language and culture with a specific deepening into the New York City architectural structure, history and litterature. She is very drawn by muticultural environment and she absolutely loves nature! I want to share with you two photographs that she took on a hike on the Moncenisio mountain. I think this two pictures are really charming!

Il dialogo e' iniziato! Circa una settimana fa ho ricevuto una mail del tutto inaspettata! Il mittente, Arianna Di Francesco, e' una ragazza molto simpatica. Arianna vive non troppo lontano da Torino, in una zona incantevole della Regione Piemonte, Italia. Arianna mi ha scritto sia perche' voleva avere maggiori informazioni riguardo al Parco Nazionale Gateway National Recreation Area, ma anche per condividere con me e con tutti gli Amanti della Natura alcune delle sue scalate ed esperienze avventurose! Arianna non e' mai stata a New York ma, durante il suo percorso universitario, ha studiato lingua e cultura anglo-americana, con un approfondimento sulla città di New York, la sua struttura architettonica, la sua storia e la sua letteratura. Arianna e' particolarmente attratta dagli ambienti multiculturali ed e' sicuramente attratta dagli spazi non contaminati! Vorrei condividere con voi due fotografie che Arianna ha scattato durante una scalata sul Moncenisio. Rintengo che le sue foto siano molto belle!

Photo by Arianna Di Francesco

venerdì, aprile 13, 2012

THANK YOU! ...GRAZIE!

Thank you Genie!! Your help has been precious! Working with you on the conception of this scavenger hunt was a real gift! Identifying plants and organizing clues has been much easier and fun with you by my side! You are great! Grazie! Grazie! Grazie!...e mille altre volte grazie!!

Thank you also to Christopher and Ravin, two young volunteers that last Sunday helped me running the program! Christopher took some great pictures...here you can enjoy some of his photos!

Photos by Christopher Carr

Photo by Christopher Carr

Those other pictures were taken by Donna Diblasio one of the mothers that participated to the scavenger hunt with her son Chase. I was really pleased when she told me that after the "Flower Hunt" Chase recognized Wild Garlic in their front lawn and Periwinkle in their yard! Great job Chase!! :-)

Photo by Donna Diblasio

LEARNING!

PLANTS AND WILD FLOWERS THAT THE KIDS DISCOVERED DURING THE SCAVENGER HUNT!

venerdì, aprile 06, 2012

FLOWER HUNT- Great Kills Park, Staten Island

COME TO THE EDUCATION FIELD STATION AT GREAT KILLS PARK FOR A FLOWER HUNT!

APRIL 11TH, 12TH AND 13TH

ONE HOUR WORKSHOP

11 AM UNTIL 12:00 NOON

BRING YOUR KIDS TO EXPLORE BLOOMING PLANTS! CHILDREN WILL PARTICIPATE IN A NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT.

THEY WILL USE CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION AND OBSERVATION SKILLS TO DISCOVER THE WONDERS OF GATEWAY!

giovedì, aprile 05, 2012

FLOWER HUNT - Wildlife Refuge, Jamaica Bay

COME TO THE JAMAICA BAY WILDLIFE REFUGE FOR A FLOWER HUNT!

APRIL 8TH, 9TH AND 10TH

ONE HOUR WORKSHOP

11 AM UNTIL 12:00 NOON

BRING YOUR KIDS TO EXPLORE BLOOMING PLANTS! CHILDREN WILL PARTICIPATE IN A NATURE SCAVENGER HUNT.

THEY WILL USE CREATIVITY, IMAGINATION AND OBSERVATION SKILLS TO DISCOVER THE WONDERS OF GATEWAY!

lunedì, aprile 02, 2012

Gateway National Recreation Area * Interpretation & Education

Interpretation & Education activities that take place in Gateway National Recreation Area

martedì, marzo 20, 2012

LIFTING THE OSPREY PLATFORM AT THE WILDLIFE REFUGE - Photographs by Yevgeniya Gregor

...AND DOCUMENTING THE HARD WORK!

26th Water Resources Art and Poetry Contest

The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is pleased to announce its 26 ^th Water Resources Art and Poetry Contest. Students in grades 2-12 can submit photographs, digital art, and video in addition to other forms of artwork and poetry that creatively expresses and understanding of, an appreciation for, water. All submissions will be accepted from now through April 6 th . We hope that you and your students will participate.

P lease visit www.nyc.gov/dep/artandpoetry to:

• View contest guidelines
• Submit students’ entries online
• See past winners’ art and poetry
• Vote for this years’ contest winners

If you would like additional information, please email educationoffice@dep.nyc.gov .

giovedì, febbraio 23, 2012

Naturalmente New York

A photographic exhibit that explores the relationship of people, urban life and the natural world in Gateway: A study in contrasts. Works by Francesca Simondi and Sebastiano Privitera.

Photography Exhibit: KIDS photographs!

giovedì, febbraio 09, 2012

PHOTO EXHIBIT!

“Naturalmente” New York
Opening, Sat. Feb. 11, 5-7 pm

Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
February 11 – April 29, 2012

A photographic exhibit that explores the relationship of people, urban life and the natural world in Gateway: A study in contrasts. Works by Francesca Simondi and Sebastiano Privitera will be shown at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Meet the artists at the opening. The exhibit will also include photographs taken by the children who participated in a workshop conducted by Ms. Simondi.

http://www.nps.gov/gate/planyourvisit/this-week-at-jbu.htm

giovedì, gennaio 05, 2012

WILDLIFE REFUGE WORKSHOP

This are just some of the pictures taken by the kids.
After February opening I'll post the pictures that will be displayed during the exhibit!

I know...I know...I'm a little bit late! ;) A month already passed since the Photography Workshop at the Wildlife Refuge and I'm just now writing about it! I'm sorry... but better late than never! First of all I want to wish you all a Happy New Year!! February exhibit is getting closer and I want to say that your photos are wonderfull!!

Gateway, Division of Interpretation/Education, was really impressed by your work!

I want to thank Yevgeniya Gregor. She comes often to Gateway with her two kids, Becky and Danko, to participate in different activities. She also helped the park by doing voluntary work at the Marsh Cleanup and she helped during this workshop. She came three times and took really nice pictures of the workshop! Enjoy her pictures!

Lo so... Lo so.... Sono un po' in ritardo!;) E' gia' trascorso un mese da quando si e' svolto il laboratorio fotografico presso il Wildlife Refuge e mi sono limitata a scrivere solamente ora! Scusate.... ma ....meglio tardi che mai! Innanzitutto voglio augurarvi un Felice Anno Nuovo!! L'esposizione fotografica di Febbraio si sta avvicinando e ci tengo a dirvi che le vostre foto sono splendide!!!

Il Dipartimento Educativo di Gateway e' rimasto positivamente colpito dai vostri lavori!

Vorrei ringraziare Yevgeniya Gregor, una donna molto attiva che frequenta spesso Gateway in compagnia dei sue due bambini, Becky e Danko. Yevgeniya ha collaborato come volontaria a diversi progetti come il ripristino di alcune aree del parco e in questa occasione mi ha aiutata durante il workshop. Lei e i suoi figli hanno partecipato al laboratorio ben tre volte e Yevgeniya ha scattato alcune fotografie interessanti! Buone foto!

Taking pictures!!....Shadows!!

Indoor activity!! PAPER FOLDING AND DRAWING!

More photos!!

Becky is really concentrated on her work!!

A cute pink bunny taking pictures at the Wildlife Refuge!

More drawings!

martedì, novembre 22, 2011

ORIGAMI FROG

ORIGAMI FISH

venerdì, novembre 18, 2011

ORIGAMI CRANE

mercoledì, novembre 16, 2011

Lovely Elettra*

Far from here, all the way across the ocean, there is a cute little girl with big brown eyes and a charming smile that dreams cities surrounded by nature and animals! Her name is Elettra, a Pleiades star. She* imagines a different New York, with no streets and no cars, but just a peaceful city layed on a grass carpet. A shining sun, big green trees, a clear sea, and of course her loved cousin Sebastiano... that's her dream!

Lontano da qui, al di la' dell'oceano, c'e' una ragazzina dai grandi occhi castani e un sorriso incantevole che sogna citta' circondate dalla natura e dagli animali! Si chiama Elettra, Stella delle Pleiadi. Lei* fantastica una New York diversa, dove non ci sono ne' strade ne' macchine ma semplicemente un grande tappeto verde su cui si adagia la citta'. Un sole splendente, grandi alberi rigogliosi, un mare limpido e naturalmente il suo amato cugino Sebastiano...questo e' il suo sogno!

New York City drawn by Elettra

Elettra showing her Gateway National Recreation Area Little Birds booklet.

Elettra and her origami crane.