Brooklynites may be sheltering in place to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus, but they can still get in touch with Mother Nature this Earth Day — thanks to the stewards at Prospect Park.
The borough’s backyard has planned a slew of virtual activities to tune into the rhythms of nature from the safety of home, and even help maintain the meadow while observing social distancing.
“Our environmental educators have been working really hard to throw together some great programming that families can do from the comfort of home,” said greenspace spokeswoman Deborah Kirschner.
Among the activities slated for Wednesday, April 22 is backyard bird bingo. Participants can keep an eye on trees near their home and select any winged critters they see on a bingo sheet in hopes of getting five in a row.
“We’re in peak bird migration so there are lots of great species coming through our area,” Kirschner said.
Youngsters can also learn how to make mini home gardens out of food scraps, and paper out of scratch. All the crafts will be doable with everyday household materials, according to Kirschner.
For adults, the park’s forest ecologist Howard Goldstein will host an educational program on climate change and its effects on the park’s woodlands. He’ll also touch on how the greenspace functions as a habitat for various plants and animals.
And if you’re feeling grateful to the park for offering solace in the age of social distancing, you can volunteer to help keep the park clean and green by signing up for a volunteer “Green and Go” kit. The kit — which volunteers can pick up and hold on to for a month — contains trash grabbers, trash bags, and gloves, along with instructions on how to safely volunteer during the pandemic.
“A lot of people, they really appreciate having the park right now,” Kirschner said.
Prospect Park Earth Day Online, April 22 at www.prospectpark.org/earthday
Trees of Prospect Park Virtual Tour, 11 am, free.
“Green and Go” volunteer kits, distributed 10 am-4 pm at the Audobon Center, advance registration required.
