Newtown Creek Nature Walk

This past weekend ZL and I took a stroll on the Newtown Creek Nature Walk. It's an unlikely place for a "nature walk" -- on the shore of a heavily polluted tidal inlet, above the largest underground oil spill in the US. And there's the sewer treatment plant (see photo). But it is surprisingly -- nice. Pleasant. Designed by George Trakas, it has some great views, and some "nature" -- at least in the form of native plants.

The "get-down" into the Newtown Creek is an optimistic design choice -- only crazy people touch that water -- and the intertidal vegetation there seems to feel the same way. Most of it is dead, though there are some grasses and stray goldenrods and asters. I'm curious -- does anyone know if that area was originally planted with salt marsh plants all the way down into the creek? Even the official flyer photo looks pretty sad (upper right).

But overall -- it's worth a visit. The contrast of fall foliage and careful paving patterns surrounded by the sharp industrial colors and textures is refreshing. And the dark polluted water of the creek makes for some nice reflections. More photos here.