Tahra Khanuja

In the summer they bloom, in the fall they ripen and in the winter you can roast them on an open fire—or at least, hear Nat King Cole sing about them in his 1961 rendition of “The Christmas Song.”  Historically, chestnuts have been an integral part of the holiday season. Though harvested in the fall, their flavor peaks in the wintertime, making for a tasty seasonal treat. During the holiday season, you can find them in midtown on street corners as an annual treat for tourists and New Yorkers alike.  Yet for Michael Goergen, CEO of the American Chestnut Foundation, chestnuts are not just an annual experience, but a daily one. Goergen grew up in a suburb of Buffalo, where he spent much of his time outdoors. He remembers playing games by the chestnut tree on his grandfather’s property and fishing along Lake Erie.  “Water quality was super important to me growing up along Lake Erie,” says Goergen. “So learning about how valuable forests were to water is how I really got involved in forestry and understanding the chestnut.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by The American Chestnut Foundation (@theamericanchestnutfoundation) Now, at the American Chestnut Foundation, Goergen is dedicated to bringing chestnut trees back into their native ecosystems. American chestnut trees used to cover the East Coast, spanning from Georgia all the way to Maine. But in the early 20th century, the landscape of abundant forests changed when a new species of blight that posed

A woman with pigeon earrings waited in line to get her face painted. At a nearby table, children crafted pigeon piñatas and drew on pigeon postcards. Representatives from NYC Bird Alliance and the Wild Bird Fund handed out informational fliers. A line formed in front of carnival-inspired games like Pin the Tail on the Pigeon and Ring-A-Wing in which players tried to land a plastic ring on a pigeon silhouette. These were just some of the booths and activities at Pigeon Fest, a day-long festival on Sunday, June 15 at the High Line, which drew a packed crowd, despite the rainy day. The crowd of eager avian admirers represent the growing love for the city's most misunderstood bird; some of the most ardent attendees even care for pigeons every day. RECOMMENDED: A colossal pigeon sculpture has landed on the High Line. Here’s when and how to see it Overseeing it all was "Dinosaur," a hyper-realistic 16-foot pigeon sculpture perched on the elevated park, which served as the inspiration for the event. Since the sculpture's installation in October 2024, High Line official say they have seen an increase in visitation to the park. Photograph: By Timothy Schenck | Courtesy of the High Line "New Yorkers have opinions about everything, but they seem to really be flocking to this particular sculpture," Alan van Capelle, Executive Director of the High Line said. "And we thought, why not have a festival celebrating all things pigeon?" Sharing van Capelle's enthusiasm is Iván Argote, the Colo