The Central Park Reservoir is named after Jackie Onassis who once loved to jog around it.
I wonder what she would think if she saw it today?
The beautiful and serene trees, grass and plants that once surrounded the Jackie Onassis Reservoir have all been completely demolished and destroyed over the past year and have since been replaced by all kinds of trash and debris, floating against the barren rocks.
From tennis balls to plastic balloons to bottles, bags, wrappers, shoes and even a toy raft. They all drift aimlessly with the tide, brushing up upon rocks with little notice and fanfare.
They could do so for hundreds of years.
Yesterday, a friend, Laura Taylor, went to the Reservoir and photographed two seemingly desperate Canada geese walking up the rocks and begging people for food. (See photos below.)
The geese are "Hansel and Greta" who have once again returned to the East side of the Reservoir in order to nest and raise babies -- as they have done for the past five years.
But last year, something went horribly wrong.
The five otherwise healthy goslings all perished within five weeks of hatching.
At first, the deaths were a mystery as there are few predators around the Reservoir and Hansel and Greta are experienced and protective parents who successfully raised goslings in the past.
But reality is, that young goslings require plentiful and nutritious grasses and greens in order to grow and thrive. And virtually all plant life had been destroyed around the Reservoir, leaving the vulnerable babies to die from malnutrition.
Another goose pair, John and Mary suffered similar fate with the goslings they attempted to raise last year at the Reservoir. Only one out of four babies eventually survived long enough to fly out with parents.
It's not clear yet if John and Mary have returned to the Reservoir to attempt nesting again. However, Laura did see one goose swimming alone at the North side of Reservoir -- the area John and Mary usually nest. But she did not see Mary.
I don't know if Jackie Onassis cared about or even was aware of Canada geese. But I do know she cared about and presumably contributed generously towards the upkeep and maintenance of the CP Reservoir and the lovely foliage that once surrounded it.
It's hard to imagine she'd be pleased with what it has disintegrated into: Trash, debris and a surrounding rock area that appears as a war zone or the aftermath of great flood, fire or hurricane; a virtual wasteland.
Jackie O is dead. But what about the thousands of runners, tourists, and others who traverse the world famous Reservoir everyday? What about the elite media, centered in New York City, but oblivious to what is happening in local parks?
Do they not notice the degradation, mindless destruction, trashing and ecological damage to aquatic and wildlife in one of the world's most prestigious parks?
Or, do they just not care?
And so, at least two geese have returned once again with the hope and preparation to raise little ones and fly off with them in August.
But will they instead face heartbreak and loss once again?
Few of the living s¿eem to notice or care.
But if one believes in an afterlife, then we might guess that somewhere there is a lone woman looking down in bewilderment and discernment and wondering, what have they done to her song?
She might even want her named removed from what has become an eye sore and barren death trap for small, helpless birds who never got the chance to live beyond a few weeks. -- PCA
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