March 28, 2023 - Without the snow and freezing temperatures the soil missed out on its important freeze-thaw cycle. That cycle helps push compacted soil back to the surface and even alerts bugs that it's time to wake up, explains Stephanie Lucas, Madison Square Park Conservancy's director of horticulture and park operations.
Think of it like Nature's clock was fiddled with and nobody told the birds, butterflies, bees, bears, or trees and what the trickle-down effects can be.
The Park's lawns are affected as well.
Park lawns took on more use than usual with the warmer winter, since they were not snow-covered. Wet, unfrozen soil being trodden upon does not maketh happy healthy grass grow.
The staff at Central Park are working diligently and ask for everybody's help by staying on the paths and not hopping fences while they are working to rejuvenate the lawns for public use.