Forest Park Centennial Pine Groves

Forest Park Centennial Pine Groves. . , Forest Park features several Eastern White Pine tree groves. The largest and oldest is located off the Myrtle Avenue and Park Lane South entrance to the park. To commemorate the park's centennial, local schools and volunteers planted 100 new trees along Memorial Drive, Park Lane South and Forest Park Drive. The project was funded by the New York City Environmental Fund., The Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus L.) is the largest conifer and most valuable tree of the Northeast and can grow up to 100 feet. The pines were prevalent when the first Europeans arrived in North America. Settlers cut down the trees and shipped them to England to be used as masts., Eastern White Pines provide a refuge and food source for the park's animal residents. Small mammals and songbirds eat the seeds. Cotton tail rabbits and other small mammals browse on the foliage. and bark. These groves also support a rich community of breeding birds. Broken tree tops provide homes for cavity nesting wildlife. During the winter months, look up in the trees for owls or comb the forest floor for owl pellets.