Blue Heron Park and Nature Center

Blue Heron Park and Nature Center is a 222-acre nature preserve in the Annadale section of southern Staten Island, one of the largest and most ecologically significant natural areas in the borough. The park protects a remarkable diversity of habitats including freshwater ponds, streams, swamp forest, meadows, and upland woodland.

The park is named for the great blue heron, a majestic wading bird that can be observed hunting in the park's ponds and wetlands. The park's diverse habitats support a wide range of wildlife including over 150 species of birds, white-tailed deer, box turtles, salamanders, and a rich community of native plants.

The Nature Center provides environmental education programming for schools and community groups, with exhibits, guided walks, and hands-on activities that introduce visitors to the ecology of Staten Island's natural areas. The center serves as a gateway to the park's extensive trail system.

Blue Heron Park's trail network winds through multiple habitat types, offering hikers the experience of passing from open meadow through dense forest to pond-side boardwalks in a single walk. The trails are among the finest nature walks in the city, providing a true wilderness experience within New York's borders.

Blue Heron Park represents the extraordinary natural heritage that distinguishes Staten Island from the other boroughs: a vast, wild landscape of forests, ponds, and wetlands that survives within the city limits, providing habitat for wildlife and nature experiences that most New Yorkers would expect to find only far outside the city.