your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt now lives on as Of the Oak — a six-metre-tall LED installation that presents a 3D model of the tree cycling through the seasons in a 12-minute loop with bursts of pixels animating its surface Created by artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast the work draws on advanced technologies including LiDAR and ground-penetrating radar used in collaboration with Kew’s scientists The installation stands near where the oak originally grew and will be on show from 2 May to 28 September is hosting his annual free Senior Job Fair in Kew Gardens to support older adults who want employment or financial stability The event will take place at the Kew Gardens Community Center at 80-02 Kew Gardens Road on Friday May 30 All job seekers who are 55 years old or older are welcome The entrance for attendees is located at 80th Road Senator Addabbo’s Office is still actively seeking potential employers to be vendors at the fair Those who are interested should contact Senator Addabbo’s Deputy Chief of Staff Sean McCabe at 718-497-1630 or via email at smccabe@nysenate.gov “This platform allows businesses to find dedicated and experienced workers,” Addabbo said “Every individual should have access to work in a workplace that values their abilities and work.” The event costs no money for participants or vendors to attend Job seekers should wear professional attire while bringing multiple copies of their résumés to distribute to potential employers Art collective Marshmallow Laser Feast has designed Of the Oak a 6m-high LED portal which takes visitors on a 12-minute sensory journey exploring oak trees’ vital role in natural ecosystems is hosting an interactive video installation inspired by one of the world’s grandest oak trees experiential artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast’s Of the Oak installation marks Kew’s first outdoor digital art commission The 12-minute installation will take visitors on a visual and auditory journey using real-world data to unveil the hidden interplay of oxygen and carbon dioxide within the Lucombe Oak it will take viewers into the tree's experience of the four seasons revealing the usually unseen processes that take place in its bark and in the soil to sustain the tree Visitors can actively impact the motions of the oak on screen by moving in front of it while online guided breathing meditation sessions will allow audiences to synchronise their breathing with the rhythms of the oak Of the Oak's online field guide will serve as a gateway to the vast web of relationships sustained by Kew's oak trees By scanning QR codes placed throughout the gardens visitors can explore an intricate living network and learn how the ancient trees support thousands of species Marshmallow Laser Feast collaborated with scientists and horticulturists at Kew using LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) scanning to create a 3D model of the tree as well as high-resolution photogrammetry and CT scanning to capture intricate details of branches and leaves Ground-penetrating radar was deployed to map the Lucombe Oak's root system head of visitor programmes and exhibitions at Kew said: “Working with artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast on this unique project science and horticultural ingenuity to create an extraordinary and innovative interactive portrait of Kew’s remarkable Lucombe Oak marking Kew’s first-ever outdoor digital commission will invite visitors to reflect on the delicate connections between the trees that sustain us and the future which we are shaping together through a constantly shifting world.” Sign up for regular updates and get the latest news delivered straight to your inbox You can manage your subscriptions just select the ones you want to receive Sign in or Register a new account to join the discussion By: 6:30 am on March 31 Permits have been filed for a seven-story mixed-use building at 136-05 Kew Gardens Road in Kew Gardens Located between 136th Street and Van Wyck Expressway the lot is near the Jamaica-Van Wyck subway station Wen Zhu is listed as the owner behind the applications The proposed 68-foot-tall development will yield 12,891 square feet with 10,816 square feet designated for residential space and 2,075 square feet for community facility space most likely rentals based on the average unit scope of 676 square feet The steel-based structure will also have a cellar and a 13-foot-long rear yard Tan Architect is listed as the architect of record Demolition permits were filed in late 2024 for the two-story building on the site An estimated completion date has not been announced Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates Like YIMBY on Facebook Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews ga('send', 'event', 'beautyofblock', 'Impression', 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conversations in beautiful surroundings in this unique three-day series of events set against the magnificent backdrop of Kew Gardens In Conversation at Kew Gardens features behind-the-scenes stories and unforgettable TV moments – all brought to life by a stellar line-up of experts and entertainers Bring a picnic and be entertained with a fascinating performance packed with culture and amusement Read on to find out who's taking to the stage for each session Richard Osman joins Radio Times’ Editorial Director Tom Loxley and the magazine’s columnist and podcast host Caroline Frost to talk about his life and career as a presenter to his career as the brains behind such hit game shows as 8 Out of 10 Cats and Richard Osman’s House of Games Richard will relive the highlights of his long and varied television career For the second half of the session Tom and Caroline will interview Richard about his successful career as a novelist specifically his hugely successful Thursday Murder Club series of crime novels the inspiration behind the series and Richard’s life in books in general – the books he loves to read and write – as well as what it takes to get away with murder (in the pages of a book) Session two: Thursday 4 September, 4pm (doors) are introduced to the Radio Times stage to talk to Tom Loxley about TV their relationship both on and off screen and what makes the perfect quiz show For the second half of the session Richard and Alexander will recreate their quiz show magic as they bring the Best Quiz Ever live to the stage You and your friends can join in the fun as Richard and Alexander introduce fiendish brain teasers puzzles and all-round general knowledge quizzing Bring your quizzing A-game and prepare to have your wits tested In Conversation at Kew Gardens brings together the much-loved voices from Radio Times HistoryExtra and BBC Gardeners’ World Live for three days of stories quizzes and TV icons – all brought to life by star speakers in the spectacular surroundings of Kew Gardens on 4 – 6 September 2025 HistoryExtra presents Tom Holland and Mary Beard HistoryExtra presents Tom Holland with Mary Beard to explore ancient Rome's rise and fall From Caesar's power grabs to imperial scandals BBC Gardeners' World Live presents Adam Frost and Frances Tophill BBC Gardeners' World presenters Frances Tophill and Adam Frost join host Nicki Chapman for live gardening tips behind-the-scenes TV stories and candid conversations in this fun and practical show Book your tickets now Subscriber 20% ticket offers valid on Adult/Concession Premium and Standard tickets only. Not valid on Kew Member tickets, Child, Groups or with any other offer. Ends 23:59pm on 30 June 2025. Transaction fee applies. In Conversation at Kew Gardens 2025Explore the world of TV Read on to find out who's taking to the stage for each session In Conversation with Richard Osman – Hosted by Tom Loxley and Caroline FrostSession one: Thursday 4 September, 11.30am (doors)Richard Osman joins Radio Times’ Editorial Director Tom Loxley and the magazine’s columnist and podcast host Caroline Frost to talk about his life and career as a presenter to his career as the brains behind such hit game shows as 8 Out of 10 Cats and Richard Osman’s House of Games Session two: Thursday 4 September, 4pm (doors) HistoryExtra presents Tom Holland and Mary Beard HistoryExtra presents Tom Holland with Mary Beard to explore ancient Rome's rise and fall From Caesar's power grabs to imperial scandals BBC Gardeners' World Live presents Adam Frost and Frances Tophill BBC Gardeners' World presenters Frances Tophill and Adam Frost join host Nicki Chapman for live gardening tips Book your tickets now Subscriber 20% ticket offers valid on Adult/Concession Premium and Standard tickets only you are agreeing to site title privacy policy This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Subscribe to RT!Subscribe to Radio Times magazine and get £10 issues for £10! Could your home unlock your dreams?Releasing equity from your home could help give you the retirement you've been dreaming of? Holiday brochuresNeed inspiration of where to go next Request a free brochure and start your journey I’d had a very tough few years after my father died living on the streets and sleeping with one eye open you have to sleep with one eye open in case people try to steal your things so you end up being on alert 24 hours a day The effect of living like that means you often look for distraction and I soon began spending time with other homeless people who were drinking and using drugs My days all began to look the same: trying to stay warm things became really hard – people were getting ill on the street and it felt sometimes as if we had been abandoned I was relocated to a hotel room in Putney during the lockdowns and while I was there I started working with a housing charity I was finally off the streets and I knew that meant I also had to get clean otherwise my place would become a crack den I detoxed, went to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and came across a charity called Shepherd’s Star which helps vulnerable people connect with the local community I needed something to keep me busy and something to look forward to so I signed up for their six-week course to learn some new skills since I wasn’t sure what people would make of me I walked through the gates and immediately felt as if I was in another world I was taken with the group to the community allotment and met one of the staff who was showing me around the gardens when we passed by a tulip tree the Latin name for the plant came to me: Liriodendron tulipifera My previous life began flooding back to me I remembered how in my first job after leaving college I was a gardener and that my mum had worked in the finance office in Kew more names came to mind and I started to feel calm and safe for the first time in six years Since I had been living day-to-day on the streets I had forgotten my old life because you have no scope to think of anything other than what is in front of you But seeing the majestic 250-year-old tree connected me to my own roots I told Jane what had happened and she encouraged me to come back the following week to help out in the allotment I began to show up every Wednesday to pot plants get rid of weeds and get seedlings ready for the greenhouse and I soon began to really enjoy the act of planting something and seeing it grow knowing it was my care that helped it stay alive I asked if I could become a regular volunteer and it was a great honour to be accepted by Jane and given a Kew uniform to wear my life has changed completely – every week and every other week we work with adults with learning disabilities It’s amazing to see them smile while digging or watering the plants People from all walks of life volunteer alongside me including those who have also been homeless or addicts as well as those with mental health difficulties or family trauma We have formed a close-knit group who all support each other I always told myself that I was down but I wasn’t out; that things would get better I feel so lucky to have found Kew as my therapy and safe space I can see life as it should be now and I just want to take it day by day always trying to be better and to stay fulfilled A West Palm Beach teen is behind bars after a traffic stop led to the discovery of an ounce of marijuana laced with fentanyl (CBS12) — A West Palm Beach teen is behind bars after a traffic stop led to the discovery of an ounce of marijuana laced with fentanyl officers with the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department (PBGPD) reported initiating a traffic stop near Kew Gardens Ave Officers say they pulled over a silver Honda with dark tints that failed to come to a complete stop at a stop sign who officers say was stammering and sweating when they approached his driver's side After telling the officer that he was previously on parole for marijuana charges when he was a minor probable cause was found to search the vehicle officers reported finding various narcotics and drug-related items probable cause was found to book Rosado on counts of possession of fentanyl and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell By: 8:00 am on October 3 Additional renderings have been revealed for Utopia Living, a two-skyscraper residential complex at 71-12 Park Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills Designed by DSM Design Group and developed by Marx Development Center the 1.28-million-square-foot project consists of a pair of 42- and 50-story structures rising from a shared podium and will yield 850 units along with an extensive collection of amenities The property is located along Parsons Boulevard between 71st and 72nd Avenues The new renderings and above figures reflect the confirmed current iteration of the project which has undergone revisions that led to some ambiguity surrounding its scope and design The towers are shown clad in matching façades composed of floor-to-ceiling windows framed by irregular grids of light gray metal paneling This scheme is interrupted at several intervals by sections of sheer glass with black mullions The buildings’ ground floors are connected by a low-rise podium surrounded by a landscaped plaza and the towers culminate in metal-paneled crowns Utopia Living Towers at 71-12 Park Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills Amenities are planned to include indoor and outdoor swimming pools and lobby lounge with complimentary coffee bar There will also be a children’s playroom the building will feature a full floor dedicated to executive offices and collaborative spaces The property also plans to offer residents complementary shuttle service to nearby subway stations Utopia Living is being developed under the EB-5 immigrant investor program which grants foreign nationals permanent stay in the United States in exchange for investment in a U.S The visa was executed through Manhattan Regional Center Both DSM Design Group and Manhattan Regional Center are subsidiary companies of Marx Development Group The project is targeting a completion date in 2028 That’s a lot of density in a location that is quite far from any transit The question is whether they want to attract younger or older residents If younger there will have to be plenty of garage space The proposal isn’t adjacent to rail but there is plenty of bus service Not too shabby of a design and definitely better than solid glass walls like Kushner’s Journal Square towers or the crop of new glass highrises in LIC Because we are in an extreme housing shortage If you have to ask why then maybe this blog isn’t for you Yes but usually this sort of development is paired with transit access is going to flood that part of Queens with even more cars There is a very real affordable housing shortage And if you spew that crap about how building more expensive housing will bring down the overall cost then I’m afraid that you’re beyond stupid There’s out of scale and then there’s this. a bit of the English countryside in the midst of New York City Why on earth would you want to put these there This is nowhere near the Kew Gardens you’re envisioning and separated from this by a few major roads and one major highway (the Grand Central) There’s nothing charming about the immediate neighborhood Kew Gardens certainly isn’t ‘Manhattan’ but these buildings look better than just about anything going up in Manhattan. Except for the RAMSA and some of the SLCE stuff this is the area we used to call the junk yard It was a waste land full of garbage dumped by the city they will have to do a considerable amount of abatement and removal Should be interesting to see it’s progress as they are calling it (Flushing in old money…) isn’t Long Island City… never will be And what about completing the building on Vleigh Place that has been sitting there for years All airports must adhere to specific obstruction clearance criteria that can affect flight operations That criteria spans an area much larger than people would suspect this building at this location might not be approved by the FAA or result in impacting flights from LGA or JFK would change flight paths and noise to communities If that was the case these plans would have never advanced to this stage It’s public knowledge where in Queens heights are subject to FAA-mandated regulations in Flushing and weirdly also LIC (hence we’ll never get an LIC supertall) Definitely an improved design from the previous version But I’m really surprised something this tall is allowed Brooklyn caps highrises at about 13 stories in lowrise neighborhoods If this project is in a special taller zone it makes no sense being so far from a subway station But logic and the NY building departments rarely meet Those archaic height caps are always one rezoning away from being lifted (and already have been in many parts of Brooklyn) Yeah but those neighborhoods have rail access This would be like building a 50 story building in Mill Basin I’m wagering the reason this development is allowed to be this tall is because the interior of the lot is so big Zoning and FAR work on a pretty straight forward formula whereas if the mass of the building is focused on a relatively small footprint inside a relatively large lot it can become quite tall unless there is a blanket height restriction for the area in the zoning code An obvious unfortunate outcome of the same zoning and FAR code is that it encourages this tall shaft/setback empty space outcome And ironically if this tall project was instead wrapped on the sides with contextual and height matching structure that more or less mimicked the neighboring buildings the sheer “out of place” height of the towers coming out of the center of the large lot could go almost unnoticed Another clear reason why the DOB FAR and setback codes need to be modified to allow common sense and aesthetically pleasing solutions Building looks great but whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy is this being built????? Kew Gardens was one of several early 20th century housing projects in Queens along with Forest Hills Gardens and Jackson Heights “Kew Garden Hills” was something of a real estate ploy to use the name of a desirable area The construction site falls outside the aircraft obstruction zone of LGA Downtown Flushing could never have buildings this tall due to its proximity to LGA I think Queens is ready for another high density “downtown” district and the area around Flushing is a great place to do it Public transit expansion must be a part of this Kew Gardens has the Queens Blvd Subways and the LIRR This location doesn’t have anything except for a few bus lines that can be assembled to be a beautiful tall: Thanks Glad I read the comments first and didn’t feel bad for thinking “yeah it looks nice but why would they put it there where it is completely out of context to the surrounding area” I live across from where this will be built and the parking is already horrendous its Not Kew Gardwn Hills; its Flushing south The post office is right across the street from the police station there isn’t a housing shortgage in the area per se..there are still new developements around here This should located along Queens Blvd in Forrest Hills where big apartment buildings are typically placed The facade looks like a big Hodge Podge of mistakes-Too many designs shoved together The infrastructure cannot sustain this enormous about of people How in the hell did it get passed community boards It will add thousands more people to the small neighborhood where parking is already limited environmental issues of thousands of cars driving in and out every day I am not even mentioning the sand and dust from the huge construction pit (already there) now blowing inside our apartments windowsills are covered with it and we breath it in I am fighting with this monster construction since November last year The NYC Building disapproved the plan as of 10/9/24 the builder received permits to do excavating which do not name the future construction of the 50 stories the work is going on full swing with a disapproved plan We need more affordable places and not high price high rent buildings which will increase the rent in the buildings around and will make the life of the community much harder Appeals FOIL Immigration Specialist LEOW Civic Awareness Community Engagement Office of Immigrant Affairs Youth Empowerment Criminal Court Intake and Assessments Rehabilitation Programs and Restorative Services Frauds Housing and Worker Protection Human Trafficking Crime Strategies & Intelligence Bureau Major Economic Crimes Public Corruption Violent Criminal Enterprises Career Criminal/Major Crimes Bureau Forensic Science Hate Crimes Homicide Animal Cruelty Prosecution Unit Domestic Violence Bureau Juvenile Prosecution Unit Special Victims Bureau Felony Operations Felony Trial Bureaus Legal Training Hotlines Bureau Emails and Phone Numbers Press Releases Recent Findings & Reports Upcoming Cases Weekly Newsletters Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that married couple Cristopher Guzman and Yvelisse Guzman Batista were charged with operating a large-scale retail theft and fencing operation The pair sold stolen merchandise including high-end makeup locally and abroad under the name Yvelisse Fashion The Guzmans allegedly directed retail theft crews to steal specific merchandise and then sold the stolen products from their home and a storefront in the Dominican Republic The couple is also alleged to have paid truck drivers to divert products bound for retailers such as Sephora and Ulta Beauty from manufacturer warehouses directly to locations under their control Among the charges brought against the defendants is fostering the sale of stolen goods the first time this newly adopted crime has been charged in New York District Attorney Katz said: “These arrests once again prove that consumers should be extremely careful about buying items on social media or from unfamiliar vendors take great care to know the genesis of the products you are buying the defendants ran a widespread fencing operation that offered stolen merchandise for sale far below retail prices Through locations in Queens County and the Dominican Republic this crew sold more than $2 million in stolen merchandise in a two-year period This marks the first time in New York anyone has been charged for the crime of fostering the sale of stolen goods a new measure passed by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Hochul to stop the sale of stolen goods through both online platforms and brick-and-mortar locations We thank the governor for her leadership on this issue and our partners at the New York State Police and Homeland Security Investigations New York for their work on this ongoing investigation.” Governor Kathy Hochul said: “New Yorkers are sick and tired of the retail theft that has been plaguing our businesses and communities – I promised we would fight it head on and now we are seeing results we gave law enforcement and store owners the tools and support needed to help meet this challenge and today with our partner District Attorney Katz we’re taking down a massive retail theft ring stretching from New York City to Maryland to the Dominican Republic Keeping New Yorkers safe is my number one priority and as we enter the holiday shopping season we will continue focusing our efforts to ensure people feel safe walking into stores and business owners can focus on serving their customers instead of locking up everyday items like toothpaste and deodorant.” New York State Police Superintendent Steven G James said: “Retail theft not only financially impacts a business but also presents peril to business owners I want to thank District Attorney Katz and her staff for her collaboration on this case and Governor Hochul for providing the support and resources necessary to carry out these arrests The State Police remains fully engaged on this issue and will not tolerate the actions of individuals responsible for stealing tens of thousands of dollars in merchandise victimizing both retailers and the public.” HSI New York Special Agent in Charge William S Walker said: “Organized retail theft is far from a victimless crime Estimates show the average American family pays over $500 annually in additional costs due to the impact of organized retail crime The HSI New York Border Enforcement Security Task Force’s Trade Enforcement and Interdiction Group is integrated within the city’s ports and beyond with the unwavering goal of keeping New Yorkers safe from threats seen and unseen Today’s announcement is the result of HSI’s continued collaboration with New York State Police the Queens District Attorney’s Office and serves as a stark reminder that when something seems too good to be true all of 75th Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills; and Johanny Almonte Reyes were arraigned on charges of criminal possession of stolen property in the first degree four counts of criminal possession of stolen property in the second degree three counts of attempted criminal possession of stolen property in the third degree criminal possession of stolen property in the fourth degree and four counts of fostering the sale of stolen goods The defendants are due back in court on January 15 and face up to 8 1/3 years to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top charge Guzman is additionally charged with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree is charged with criminal possession of stolen property in the first degree three counts of grand larceny in the fourth degree and petit larceny and faces up to 8 1/3 years to 25 years in prison if convicted of the top charge that according to the charges and investigation Cristopher Guzman and Yvelisse Guzman Batista purchased large quantities of stolen retail cosmetic goods designer clothing and accessories from numerous theft crews that stole from retailers up and down the East Coast They also organized the large-scale theft of merchandise directly from manufactures before it was distributed to retail outlets Johanny Almonte Reyes and Tiffany Leon Fuentes assisted in the operation The defendants received approximately $50,000 worth of stolen goods per week for which they paid the theft crews approximately 10 to 15% of retail value The goods were then catalogued and sold in New York through online advertisements as well as from a brick-and-mortar boutique called Yvelisse Fashion in Santiago New York State Police and Homeland Security Investigations New York launched an investigation Members of the law enforcement team conducted an undercover operation into the defendants’ activities at their home and an apartment in Fresh Meadows Undercover investigators conducted three controlled sales of purported stolen goods to the couple including beauty products and perfume They sold a total of $22,926 in merchandise and were paid $3,711 or 16% of the retail value during those operations the Guzmans made numerous requests of the undercover investigators to steal certain products based on the high demand from their buyers An undercover operative also allegedly made a controlled purchase of merchandise from the Guzmans after contacting them through a social media page The operative was directed to the Guzmans’ residence and then sent to the basement which was set up as a retail store with shelves of merchandise Among the items purchased by the undercover operative was perfume which had been sold to the couple by the first undercover operatives for $20 combined with information provided by retail partners was observed on video stealing from retail establishments and then arriving at the alleged fencing location in Fresh Meadows to sell those stolen goods to the Guzmans with the assistance of Santana and Reyes removing $1,600 worth of makeup concealer and other products from Ulta Beauty in Chester she was seen carrying a large bag into the Guzmans’ alleged fencing location Fuentes was allegedly seen on video removing $1,718 worth of cosmetics from Ulta Beauty in Towson she was seen taking a large bag to the Guzmans’ fencing location a large quantity of products with a retail value of more than $795,000 was taken from the warehouse of Sol de Janeiro by delivery trucks that were destined for retailers Ulta Beauty and Sephora The products never arrived at their intended destinations The Guzmans are alleged to have paid the delivery drivers to bring the products directly to them the Guzmans made 279 payments to 51 different individuals totaling $230,041.98 The payees were designated as “vendedora,” a Spanish term meaning female seller or vendor a term that the Guzmans are alleged to have used to refer to the theft crew members Ledgers and other notebooks recovered at the search warrant locations further showed hundreds of other similar payments dating back to at least 2021 The operation is estimated to have taken in $2 million in sales two years in order to ship the stolen merchandise to the Dominican Republic storefront video surveillance showed large blue plastic barrels being delivered and then picked up from the Guzmans’ Fresh Meadows location which had bills of lading noting that they contained “cosmetics and makeup” and were destined for the Dominican Republic were stopped at the Red Hook port on November 6 by Homeland Security Investigations New York Two additional barrels also containing cosmetics and makeup were stopped on November 13 A court-authorized search warrant executed at the Guzmans’ home and a third location in Briarwood on November 22 resulted in the seizure of: The investigation was conducted by the New York State Police Special Investigations Unit including members of the Governor’s Retail Theft Task Force under the supervision of Major Samuel P Spezio along with members of the Queens District Attorney’s Detective Bureau under the supervision of Sergeant David Moore and under the overall supervision of the Chief Investigator of the Detective Bureau Robert LaPollo as well as personnel from the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York Border Enforcement Security Task Force’s Trade Enforcement and Interdiction Group and Customs and Border Protection American Eagle and Victoria’s Secret assisted in the investigation Chief of the District Attorney’s Crime Strategies and Intelligence Bureau are prosecuting the case with the assistance of Intelligence Analysts Bushra Ahmed and Senior Intelligence Analyst Victoria Filipe under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney of Investigations Gerard A **Criminal complaints and indictments are accusations A defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty To learn more about the full range of services available to you, visit the resources section Disclaimer To learn more about the QCDA Website Accessibility Statement, visit the accessibility page An early rendering of what is planned to be a nearly 50-story apartment complex in the residential Kew Gardens Hills neighborhood.  Photo via Atria Builders LLC  A major developer has plans to build two nearly 50-story towers in the middle of a residential neighborhood in Central Queens – but locals want no part of it Marx Development Group aims to construct a two-tower complex which will be as high as 47-stories – or 572-feet tall – between Parsons Boulevard and Park Avenue in the generally low-density suburban-eque community of Kew Gardens Hills While the project is still missing some needed permits according to Department of Buildings documents the dual-tower skyscraper is an as-of-right project and can be constructed without a potentially lengthy rezoning process locals and elected officials in the neighborhood nonetheless want the project halted The lot for the building is nestled amongst several low-density blocks characterized by two- to three-story apartment buildings It is directly between an assisted living facility which the developer also owns; an office building which houses the office of Assemblymember Sam Berger; and the NYPD’s 107th Precinct The majority of the area is listed as an R6 zone according to the Department of City planning would not require the developer to undergo any kind of rezoning process a potentially lengthy procedure that would require approval from the local community board The lot has long been owned by MDG subsidiary Atria Builders LLC and the company has been working to file permits for the building since 2019 the tower’s construction is not fully approved the application is missing what is called a zoning diagram a document that proves the builders plan to use the building solely for its allowed zoning use – in this case the developer has approved permits to do preliminary ground work at the site Negative community response to the building began to pick up when housing outlet New York YIMBY published an article on Oct reporting that the owners are beginning the development process New York YIMBY also reported that the structure would bring 800 units over the property’s 1.1 million square feet and around 27,000 square feet for community facility space It is currently unclear if – or how much – affordable housing the building would include “It will be a disaster,” said Sorolle Idels a local Jewish leader and community board member making it unbelievably more congested…This is a big fat mess.” Idels said that even though the developers were not required to come before the community board to pitch the project she believes they should have at least given them a heads up giving the project’s size and scale “This absolutely went under the radar with no input from the community board or the community,” she said How do you build a skyscraper and not get the community input?” City Councilmember Jim Gennaro said that while the project is still in its preliminary stages he wants to work with the developer to make sure community concerns are addressed “My job is to bring the community and the developer together to work out common sense accommodations work on people's concerns and expect some consideration and some acquiescence to the community's concern,” Gennaro told the Eagle “I think it's in the developer's best interest to be neighborly and be attentive to community concerns,” he added “Nothing has been approved by the DOB as of this date We're going to get out there and we're going to mix it up.” The block in Kew Gardens Hill where a developer wants to put two towers higher than 500 feet.  Screenshot via Google Maps neighbors are already complaining about the limited work the developers are doing now at the site many about the construction causing the shaking of neighboring homes “Excavation is causing the entire building to shake like an earthquake,” a complaint filed in September said pictures are falling off the wall and cracks are appearing around the windows One recent complaint – related to a safety manager not being on site – led to a stop work order at the site that lasted six days All but one of the complaints are considered resolved by DOB The developer did not respond to a request for comment the developer’s representative listed on their DOB filings declined to comment when contacted by the Eagle Home / Law / Crime / Politics / Communities / Voices / All Stories / Who We Are / Terms and Conditions By: 7:30 am on October 2 Work is set to begin on a new mixed-use skyscraper complex at 71-12 Park Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills the project will comprise two towers rising from a shared podium and could potentially span over 1.1 million square feet According to the developer’s website the structures will stand 47 stories and yield 800 apartments permits filed in 2019 detail a 50-story tower designed by DSM Design Group that rises 572 feet and comprises 853 units and 26,946 square feet of community facility space Situated on a vacant lot adjacent to the New York Police Department 107th Precinct the mid-block site is bordered by Parsons Boulevard to the west and Park Avenue to the east Recent permits were filed for ground work to begin Image of building according the poster placed on the work site Renderings on the developer’s site depict a glassy tower made up of multiple volumes stacked at alternating angles over a glass cube podium the rendering on the construction board shows two L-shaped towers Their façades are composed of floor-to-ceiling glass framed with an irregular grid of paneling It’s unclear which design will be built Site of 71-12 Park Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills 71-12 Park Avenue is expected to be completed in 2028 The patterned towers make the podium look painfully plain There are many high density areas in NYC that aren’t adjacent to rail This should hopefully please all the size queens But that base really is terrible and a complete affront to the neighborhood And apparently NYC needs 623 more dirty cars on the streets Queens and Brooklyn are determined to become parking lots Good for Kew Gardens!..These buildings look more like Manhattan ‘trophy towers’..Go Queens Note: this is technically Kew Gardens Hills It will be a few blocks away from Queens College It fits right in more luxury apartments and how many rent stabilized What’s getting built is the updated design on the construction fence and it looks great Fingers crossed the design on the construction fence is the one we will see built Probably could use 100+ more parking spaces and project really needs a commercial overlay along Parsons Blvd so they can have some active ground floor uses These buildings do not fit in with the general character of Kew Gardens They are much too tall and their architecture is very jagged I would not like to have these buildings here Is this really going to fit in with this neighborhood Great views from the apartment cs but a real middle finger to the neighbors The “Manhattanization” of central Queens begins Zero subway access at or near this location ! ALREADY OVERCROWDED BUS stops and routes by this location No road capacity for the the hundreds of cars this skyscraper with add to neighborhood streets No space on the street for the delivery trucks coming to this location making money for the developer (and politicians who approved this neighborhood-busting green-destroying vanity project) Or are the developers counting on getting lucrative “emergency” contracts from city government to house prisoners there An “emergency” homeless shelter there if this is genuinely planned as residential housing it would be a disaster for its residents and for current residents on neighboring blocks This skyscraper has already OVER capacity buses nearby scaled buildings with none of the subway access Why does new housing send some into nervous breakdowns residential neighborhood with a mix of apartment buildings The area is known for its peaceful environment making it a desirable place for families and individuals looking for a quieter part of New York City modern skyscraper like 71-12 Park Avenue could bring a fresh While the new development is a departure from the traditional architecture in the area it could inspire further growth and modernization potentially attracting new businesses and amenities This could enhance the local economy and provide more opportunities for residents it’s essential to balance this growth with the community’s existing charm and character ensuring that the neighborhood’s unique qualities are preserved The stacked showing its height on separation it’s been a glassy tower but podium looked pale at this moment: Thanks Only about 20 stories higher than the permitted zoning for Kew Gardens The City should have never approved this project The new skyscraper complex at 71-12 Park Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills combines beauty with sustainability modern design elements such as clean lines and energy-efficient systems ensure sustainability and smart building technologies contribute to its eco-friendly credentials With ample public spaces and elegant design this development promises to be both an architectural and environmental beacon in Queens What part of this development excites you the most Long Island City and Brooklyn have been buzzing with development and innovation With ambitious projects like the one at 71-12 Park Avenue in Kew Gardens Hills setting the bar high these areas are bound to keep pushing the envelope in modern architecture and sustainability It’s an exciting time for the NYC skyline to evolve with such vibrant and eco-friendly buildings The future looks bright for these boroughs Didn’t know about it and I’m just down the street Someone in zoning got paid off really well The stacked box look for skyscrapers is becoming trite and uninspired The first couple of “stacked” buildings that are going up across the world are enough Crazy parking ratios on these buildings–.over 0.7 spaces per unit This really doesn’t fit in with the character of the neighborhood What would really be nice is a nice big park and maybe a community garden/greenhouse I don’t like how developers or officials keep changing the name of areas to suit them Experiential artist collective Marshmallow Laser Feast has created Of the Oak Kew’s first ever outdoor digital art commission The six-metre interactive video installation celebrates the oak tree as a hub of biodiversity by showcasing the inner workings of the Lucombe oak and highlighting the web of 2,300 species sustained in its ecosystem using real-world data captured by Kew’s scientists and horticulturalists The piece takes you on a sensory journey through the oak’s transformation across the seasons where you can impact its motions on screen by moving in front of it synchronise your breathing with its rhythms through a guided meditation and see the way it sequesters carbon dioxide and releases oxygen You’ll also be able to find out the more about the future of trees and how Kew is working to protect them as part of the experience Kew Gardens has unveiled plans for a new ‘Carbon Garden’ at its world-famous botanical site in London the permanent garden will tell “the story of carbon” through a unique design illustrating the deep connections between plants and climate change The Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG) at Kew welcomes around 2.5 million visitors every year to its vast grounds which are home to over 50,000 living plant species “The Carbon Garden offers a unique opportunity to showcase our ongoing research combining scientific insight with thoughtful design and beautiful planting to highlight the role of carbon in our lives,” says Richard Wilford “We hope the Carbon Garden inspires visitors to act and join us in shaping a more sustainable resilient future for life on our planet.” Here’s what you can expect to find this summer Eye-catching plans released today feature abundant colour and a fungi-like centrepiece which appears to have sprouted from the garden The tapestry of plants is made up of herbaceous perennials, chosen to illustrate the dramatic rise in global average temperatures over recent years. They are inspired by the famous climate stripes Visitors are then greeted by a rocky outcrop and an unusual sight: an exposed coal seam showing fossilised plants Soil is normally kept hidden in gardens, but the whole point of Kew’s Carbon Garden is to “reveal the invisible”, highlighting the hidden world of carbon beneath our feet We’re used to hearing about carbon in a negative context. The emissions from burning carbon-based fuels are the biggest contributor to the climate crisis and its assorted disasters But Kew is telling a deeper story about this ‘stardust’ found in all living things - an element that exists in the air Around 99 per cent of carbon on Earth is stored underground Through burning fossil fuels and other activities humans have released around 2,500 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere since 1850 Plants and fungi are our natural allies in climate repair holding the power to capture carbon and restore balance The central pavilion, designed by Mizzi Studio, is inspired by the symbiotic relationship between the plant and fungal kingdoms and is created using low-carbon The sheltered space will support school visits and community activities while a forward-tilted canopy directs rainwater into a rain garden This mini garden and bioswale - a vegetated channel designed to funnel stormwater runoff - will demonstrate ways to manage water flow and grow moisture-tolerant plants that support soil stability and carbon storage On the other side of the climate coin, a dry garden will exhibit drought-tolerant and Mediterranean plants from hotter climates This “startling contrast” to the herbaceous planting will hold plants we might look to for London gardens in 30 years as temperatures rise At least 26 new trees will also be planted selected for their resilience to future climate conditions And areas of wildflower meadows and native hedgerows will boost biodiversity as biodiverse habitats are more resilient and better at storing carbon than monocultures Kew horticulturists and arboriculturists know this from their work at the London site and at Wakehurst Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex - where a research programme aims to inform conservation strategies in the UK As a way to help seniors who may want to work or need financial stability senior-only job fair in Kew Gardens this week residents aged 55 and older are invited to visit the Kew Gardens Community Center to apply for jobs with companies that are specifically looking to hire senior workers Attendees are asked to please use the 80th Road entrance “With the cost of living in New York City continuing to rise many people over the age of 55 are finding that they are having a difficult time meeting their financial needs and have to re-join the workforce to make ends meet Other seniors may still want to continue participating in the workforce,” Addabbo said “That is why I am hosting this Senior Job Fair so residents aged 55 and older can come and look for jobs in companies that are looking to hire Seniors are a valuable part of our population and we need to ensure that they have the necessary tools to find the work they may need or want in order to sustain independent and healthy lives.” Addabbo has invited businesses and organizations from a wide range of career fields Vendors include the New York State Department of Civil Service Representatives from each company will accept resumes and meet with potential job candidates to discuss openings within their organizations Greenwich House and the New York City Department for the Aging will have resource tables and interested jobseekers are asked to dress professionally and bring several copies of their résumés to hand out to companies they would like to apply to has for the first time swapped its plants for poltergeists in a Halloween-themed light trail 'carnivorous' trees and actors posing as scary characters lurking in dark corners will be there to spook but not terrify visitors Head of event operations Dáire Basra said the team took inspiration from the natural landscape at Kew props and actors to enhance landscapes in a way people have not seen before The trail took around two weeks to pull together Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 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Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Español Português This partnership represents a historic step forward combining Kew Gardens’ world-leading scientific research with CAF’s strong network and financial backing to empower Latin American and Caribbean countries in their quest for sustainable development In an ambitious move to boost biodiversity protection and sustainable urban development in Latin America and the Caribbean CAF and Kew Gardens have signed a strategic alliance to leverage the combined expertise of both institutions to tackle some of the region’s most pressing environmental challenges with impactful "We face a big challenge with climate change in our tropical region and we need scientific support to create quality programs that help communities survive these consequences and governors to prepare for climate change and restore nature’s balance This partnership will strengthen cities and states across Latin America and the Caribbean We’re excited to launch an action plan and begin making progress in 2025." CAF and Kew Gardens will explore and drive joint projects in key areas of shared mission establishing new botanical gardens in the region strengthening CAF’s BiodiverCities Network innovating sustainable coffee conservation and exploring new biodiversity and carbon finance opportunities "Our new partnership with CAF is crucial for us at Kew as Latin America and the Caribbean are home to some of the world’s richest plant diversity there is real urgency to bring our knowledge and expertise to develop and deliver solutions together." This partnership will be driven by knowledge-sharing and technical expertise creating a robust platform for regional environmental leadership ensuring a focused and effective approach to each initiative info@caf.com Tlf. +58 (212) 209-2111 In 2024 horticulturalists made single biggest introduction of rare seeds to collection in the past decade The Codonopsis clematidea smells like a skunk elongated bulb and the Fritillaria imperialis is exceptionally tall But to the horticulturalists who journeyed to remote alpine meadows and forests to find these rare flowers growing in the wild this year they are nothing less than the “jewels of the earth” Now, the seeds from these and hundreds of other wild plants that were collected in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan have entered the living collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew After sending its horticulturalists on plant-collecting expeditions abroad, where they collaborated with local botanists to locate and sustainably harvest native flora, London’s Kew Gardens has managed to add more than 300 seeds for rare wild plants to its living collections this year It is the single biggest introduction of wild plants to Kew’s living collections in the past decade “Having living specimens in the collection is really important,” said Dr Ilia Leitch “Many of the analyses to identify plants with new bioactive compounds that can be used as medicines can only be done on living plants because some chemicals in plants are not particularly stable when you dry them out So living plants enable you to pick up on things you might miss in dried specimens.” A Fritillaria imperialis in bloom one of hundreds of rare plants in Kew Gardens’ collection Photograph: Tom Meaker/AlamyKew’s plant specialists are still working to identify all the different rare species collected in Kyrgyzstan – this process is likely to take years since some plants must be fully grown to be classified As many as 10 to 15 could belong to new species not yet known to western scientists you just don’t know what new treasures they hold for science adding that biochemical analysis of living plants can reveal properties which may be of medicinal value for sufferers of inflammation “Plants produce different chemicals in different parts of the plant the plant might produce a chemical to stop the leaf being eaten it produces a scent and different colours,” Leitch said Kew is already running a project which aims to use AI to predict which plant species contain molecules with  pharmaceutical potential for malaria The desire to find such “new treasures for science” is one of the reasons why botanic gardens like Kew are looking to expand their living collections by funding plant collecting expeditions The DNA of a living plant can also be extracted “in the most perfect way” to sequence its genome and look at its evolution and the genes underpinning metabolic pathways “We can’t do top quality sequencing except by harvesting material from a living plant.” There are also pressing conservation reasons to carry out plant-collecting expeditions alpine plants – which need cooler climates to thrive – are facing decline like the wild tulips which grow on the mountains of Kyrgyzstan “Many of the species we’ve collected may already be at risk of extinction – but by being able to collect seeds and then grow the plants at Kew and other botanic gardens And so is their long term future survival,” said Leitch Living plant collections are important not only for conservationists and scientists today but for future generations who may be able to use the plants to make a scientific breakthrough that is unimaginable right now she said: “We don’t know what new techniques for studying plants are just around the corner.” Botanical horticulturist Millie Woodley collected 209 of the new seeds that have entered Kew’s living collection on a month-long expedition to Kyrgyzstan which was led by a team from Cambridge Botanic Gardens we set up a new camp at the base of mountains that we would climb the next day – and woke to incredible views,” the 22-year-old said adding that the trip was the toughest thing she had ever done Horticulturalist Millie Woodley on a plant-collecting expedition in Kyrgyzstan ‘It was so exciting not knowing what we were going to come across.’ Photograph: RBG KewAbout 93% of Kyrgyzstan lies 1,000m above sea level “What makes these mountainous regions so exciting is the way the habitats and the plants change You go from semi-desert to a juniper forest to a high alpine meadow It felt like we were crossing into different worlds every population of plants was different,” she said She compared collecting seeds to finding the jewels of the earth “It was so exciting not knowing what we were going to come across.” Now, she is on tenterhooks to see what will grow from everything she brought back. The first bloom of the Tulipa toktogulica, an extremely rare wild tulip species which Cambridge scientists officially described for the first time in 2022 “The goal is eventually to have some of them actually planted in the garden and on display to the public.” This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025 The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media including some picked by the naturalist and biologist Charles Darwin The biggest project ever undertaken at the west London attraction it is designed to preserve plant life for future generations and make the information accessible to as many people around the world as possible Scientists are about three quarters of the way through digitising the archive but are calling on the public's help to carry on their work Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hellobbclondon@bbc.co.uk. Great-grandmother toasts 95th birthday with ZumbaMary Marson went to her first session in 2017 and now attends three times a week. EastEnders star was 'asked for a selfie' at funeralTameka Empson reveals strange places she's been approached by fans - and being starstruck herself. Deaf actress brings sign language to ShakespeareSophie Stone, known for her roles in Doctor Who and Casualty, is making Shakespeare more inclusive. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org Inside one of the seasonal markets that appear in Jewish neighborhoods in New York City ahead of Sukkot My longtime friend Toby and I have a cherished post-Yom Kippur tradition: Every year we hop in my car and head to Kew Gardens Hills — the Queens neighborhood not too far from where I grew up in Forest Hills — to do some extremely seasonal shopping on Main Street No, we’re not getting ready for Halloween, nor are we stocking up ahead of Thanksgiving. Instead, we’re heading to one of the most unique, temporary Jewish spaces in the city: a pop-up market that sells etrogs, the citrus fruit that is one of the four species that Jews hold and shake during the weeklong harvest holiday of Sukkot Such temporary etrog markets pop up in select Jewish neighborhoods across the city including in Borough Park and Williamsburg in Brooklyn While many Jews who purchase etrogs do so through their synagogues selecting an etrog at these pop-ups is a time-honored tradition Of the four species needed for the holiday — which also includes a lulav (palm) branch flanked by three myrtle and two willow branches — the etrog is the star of the show and its perceived value constitutes the cost of the complete set rectangular tables lining the sidewalk in front of Seasons Kosher Supermarket The heart of the action is just a few blocks away each containing a single etrog nestled in foam with prices ranging from $25 for small damaged etrogs meant for children’s play to larger specimens that can cost hundreds of dollars there were almost 20 — are typically staffed by yeshiva students mostly teens but some as young as 11 or 12 The students clearly have their strokes down singing out to prospective customers: “Do you need an etrog Come see what I have!” Wandering from table to table it’s easy to forget for a moment that it’s actually 2024 when anyone can purchase almost anything online (including lulav and etrog sets from Amazon almost like we’re visiting a bazaar in an Old World shtetl Toby and I proceed from one seller to the next in search of the best deal Toby is my “Brooklyn muscle” — she won’t hesitate to bargain with merchants of any age or size I find myself gravitating towards the etrogs in the $60 to $75 range; they’re plumper and smoother than the least expensive offerings It doesn’t take long before the eager young sellers ask me my price range to move the sale along we all know each other,” a seller named David Mirzayev who was working alongside two young nephews told the New York Jewish Week’s Lily Lester Although some tables are set up before Yom Kippur, the high season for the etrog hunt is between Yom Kippur and the first night of Sukkot the kids are behind the tables every day except Shabbat “Most — 85% —are off from [school] Yom Kippur through Sukkot,” Daniel Izhakov a 17-year-old student at the Jewish Institute of Queens tells me explaining the youth involvement in the market A post shared by The New York Jewish Week (@nyjewishweek) proudly shares that he earns 15% to 20% of each sale — plus a bonus — while his 14-year-old brother Daniel tells me that children as young as 9 or 10 sell etrogs at markets elsewhere in the city Hiski Mierov runs Sukkah & Esrog Empire with a partner out of a vacant storefront they rent on Main Street He tells me that the kids who manage his tables do so for “chesed hours” (community service) and tips “The parents drop them off — they have no school; this is better than playing video games,” he said treat them like a wholesaler and they owe me a certain amount over cost And they get a free lunch at my restaurant Meirov claims to be the only seller offering “free pitom insurance,” promising to replace any etrog whose small tip protrusion is broken off before the holiday rendering it not kosher to perform the mitzvah of waving the etrog in the sukkah Much like diamond shoppers look out for “the 4cs” to determine quality discerning etrog customers have specific characteristics and standards they seek detailing what shoppers should keep in mind But Izahahkov also spoke of “teami,” meaning “to my taste” — meaning that finding the “perfect” etrog is a personal decision “You know if you have a Michelin [restaurant] and you pay a lot There is a purity concern for more discriminating customers who look for certifications of kashrut from rabbis they trust and require their etrogs to be “Chazon Ish” — a reference to an early 20th-century rabbi who once proclaimed upon spotting a perfect specimen “This is an etrog.” The term today describes an etrog that is free from suspicion of graft implanting or cross-breeding “Chazon Ish ones are from Yemen or Morocco — the seeds are not mixed with other citrus,” explains a 16-year-old seller named Jacob $450 etrog about the size of a football — he calls it “the big one from Yemen.” He explains that the Moroccan ones he sells “are just raised in a different environment.” Both countries of origin have experienced complications in the last year. Yemen has been embroiled in the regional war against Israel through the Houthis, an Islamist group based there. And Morocco experienced a devastating earthquake just before the etrog harvest last year which has had ramifications for this year’s crop The consensus at the tables is that green etrogs are acceptable I’ve never seen a synagogue use a green etrog during Sukkot it will 100% ripen by yontiff,” using the Yiddish word for holiday While some of the etrog sellers temporarily rent vacant commercial space As I looked down the tables at the hundreds of etrogs on offer, I couldn’t help but wonder what happens to the unsold ones. Jacob says that about 10% go back to the original seller, and the rest are thrown out. Mierov, however, sells the leftovers for a dollar each to those who want to make etrog jam or tea “The best thing after [the holiday] is my mom’s jam,” a 12-year-old seller named Jonathan tells me Toby and I had been wandering among the tables for about 20 minutes I had considered a decent prospect at one table Another one had caught my eye but it wasn’t fragrant enough Our search finally ends when Toby motions me toward a table featuring a four-inch radiant yellow etrog that felt smooth on top She gently rubs the rind to release its citrusy aroma and passes it to me delighting in how it fits perfectly in my hand The seller quickly counters with $35 — a deal He and his partner compile the accompanying pieces which include a holder and ties made from palm branches which are placed around the lulav to stop its fronds from flaring out wildly especially when the owner is shaking it as part of the prayer ritual The kids invite me to select the lulav of my choice which fits snugly in a foam cut-out etrog-shaped space inside its cardboard box “Thank you and chag sameach,” the sellers say We then make our way down the street back to the car and we’re already looking forward to returning next year The New York Jewish Week brings you the stories behind the headlines, keeping you connected to Jewish life in New York. Help sustain the reporting you trust by donating today I accept the Privacy Policy Scotland’s botanic gardens suffer ‘unimaginable’ loss of rare specimens For more than a century, whenever winter came to Scotland, they stood tall against the wind and rain and snow. But last month, battered by Storm Éowyn hundreds of rare and historic trees in the living collection of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh were lost The charity has four sites in Scotland. Its tallest tree in Edinburgh while Benmore Botanic Garden on the west coast has suffered “unimaginable” devastation About 300 trees in Benmore’s 48-hectare (120-acre) mountainside site in Argyll have been destroyed ­including a giant redwood – a 50-metre ­specimen planted in 1863 – that was almost snapped in half At least 50 trees were lost at Dawyck Botanic Garden in the Scottish Borders Photograph: Royal Botanic Garden EdinburghMany of the trees that fell crashed on to other rare and threatened species and Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh estimates that more than 700 plants were damaged during the storm including rare rhododendrons and a treasured collection of star magnolias that came from each of the four places in the world where they still grow in the wild the charity’s 26-hectare site on the Scottish Borders at least 50 trees are known to have been lost during the storm forcing the garden – which is home to some of the oldest and tallest trees in Britain – to remain closed for safety reasons This week, the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew in London is preparing to send a team of four highly skilled arborists to Scotland to help the clean-up operation assess ­damaged trees and remove dangerous hanging branches and fallen trunks from Benmore and Dawyck The charity expects that repairing the “devastating” damage of the storm could cost as much as £1m and has launched a public appeal for donations curator of the ­living collection at the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh said: “The scale and the extent of the damage at Benmore – unless you see it – is quite ­unimaginable Knott said Éowyn was the worst storm in living memory to hit Benmore He has no doubt such extreme weather is linked to the ­climate emergency driest and warmest records in the last 15 years.” The longer-term challenge for botanic gardens is how to become more resilient to such extreme weather while continuing to conserve plants in the wild that are endangered by the warming planet Sarah Kirkton and David Gray begin the clear-up at Benmore on the west coast Photograph: Eilidh Cameron/Royal Botanic Garden EdinburghNew trees at Benmore may have to be planted in more sheltered locations and the historic non-native conifers that fell may be replaced with a more resilient native species like sessile oaks which “were quite adept at shedding branches rather than whole trees being blown out” which thrive in southern England but have struggled in Edinburgh “We’re expecting to have a climate quite similar to London by 2050 to 2080.” Tom Fry, arboricultural supervisor at Kew Gardens has also been planting new tree species which will cope with a hotter climate “We recently made a collection trip to Georgia and the Caucasus because their climate aligns with Kew’s predictions about our climate in the future.” Quercus macranthera and field maple were among the species collected for planting at Kew Fry is among the arborists ­heading to Scotland where he is hoping to learn lessons he can bring back to Kew about how to prevent storm damage The London garden’s 11,000 trees were regularly inspected and assessed for structural weaknesses but high winds were becoming more frequent forcing it to close more often than it used to for safety reasons “We’ve had some pretty large ­failures of trees in recent winds – though nothing on the scale of what they’ve had in Scotland So when something as devastating as this happens I feel grateful I’ve got the opportunity to help.” Knott said he was looking forward to the arrival of the Kew arborists and getting to work on repairing the damage “When people rally around you in adversity it gives you resilience and it gives you hope And we need that when we look to the future.” CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE TDN FOR FREE! Remember Ben with a gift to Thoroughbred aftercare Subscribe for FREE to the Daily PDF or the News Alerts Home » Archive » Top News Europe » Aclaim Classic sire and Group 1 winner Aclaim (Ire) has moved to Batsford Stud where he will stand for £3,000 The sire of G1 1000 Guineas heroine Cachet (Ire) retired to The National Stud in 2018 The son of Acclamation (GB) is joined by fellow new resident and Classic winner Kew Gardens (Ire) whose first foals will be 3-year-olds next year He was previously under the Coolmore banner at Castle Hyde Stud from 2021-2024 the sire of Grade 1 winners Strong Leader (GB) and Dashel Drasher (GB) The roster is rounded out by Invincible Spirit (Ire)'s Swiss Spirit (GB) at £1,000 Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts. Copy Article Link Editor / News Stories:editor@thetdn.com Advertising:advertising@thetdn.com Customer Service:customerservice@thetdn.com Click Here to sign up for a free subscription horticulturists at the Royal Botanic Gardens have been waiting for this “spectacular” plant commonly known as the Gabon false hydrosme head of glasshouses at Kew Gardens in southwest London It smells like old socks.”"},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"In the plant’s natural habitat the lowland forests"},"children":[]}]}]},"summary({\"maxCharCount\":200})":{"type":"json","json":[{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"It is bright yellow grows to almost half a metre and smells of old socks which helps it survive in the 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horn of a gramophone and stinks of “old socks” Now the Pseudohydrosme gabunensis — a rare and endangered plant that blooms for only 48 hours and grows to almost half a metre — is about to flower in public in the UK for the first time to bloom after spotting a flower bud growing from its tuber TIMES PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD POHLETom Pickering Foreign secretary’s stirring words on climate are welcome change from Sunak era That speech set the tone for a successful Cop26 summit in Glasgow three months later a high water mark of global climate diplomacy and the last time the world looked unified in trying to contain the climate crisis within the relatively safe limit of a 1.5C temperature rise The coalitions of countries that produced such progress have rapidly fallen apart since, and the 1.5C limit looks all but certain to be breached Lammy’s mission on Tuesday was to recreate that coalition and put the UK at the centre of global efforts to repair the damage done to the planet from greenhouse gas emissions and the destruction of the natural world He vowed that tackling the climate and nature crises would be “central to all the Foreign Office does” The Temperate House at Kew Gardens Photograph: Alicia Canter/The Guardian“[These crises are] not some discrete policy area “The threat may not feel as urgent as a terrorist or an imperialist autocrat Lammy presented the climate crisis as the existential threat of our time he warned: “These are not random events delivered from the heavens of regulation and of international cooperation These failures pour fuel into existing conflicts and regional rivalries And it would be a further failure of imagination to hope that they will stay far from our shores.” Read moreAnd over at the Natural History Museum on Monday night declaring: “Nature and climate change are inter-related and integral to security and economic stability The UK is back on the international stage on nature.” The message could not be clearer: this government wants to tackle the climate and ecological crises head-on reinvigorate green diplomacy and forge a global coalition for action before it is too late The contrast with the previous government could scarcely be greater made a U-turn on green policy and waged a “culture war” on the climate Reed invited the president of the UN biodiversity summit and next year the UK will hold a global conference on energy security Tone is important in international diplomacy and Labour’s stance impressed developing country observers global engagement director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative predicts vulnerable nations will respond positively “Building on its long history of supporting developing nations the UK must deepen its commitment to helping them build resilience and tackle the harsh realities of climate change paving the way for true global climate justice The UK should align itself with vulnerable island nations like Vanuatu and Tuvalu as well as fossil fuel dependent countries like Colombia in their call for international cooperation on a just transition [away from coal the director of the Power Shift Africa thinktank said: “What we need is for a country like the UK to really push for greater urgency to show the energy transition can and must happen much faster and that support for the victims of climate change can’t be ignored If the UK can do that it will go a long way to earning the admiration and respect of people around the world.” Free weekly newsletterThe planet's most important stories Get all the week's environment news - the good The UK could also fill a vacuum in climate leadership among major developed nations with countries such as France and Germany distracted by domestic political upheavals a lecturer at American University in Washington and a former White House climate official said: “Far more aggressive UK climate leadership under the new Labour government will have a tremendously positive influence globally and will specifically be crucial to emboldening US policy should Kamala Harris be elected this November.” But for all the enthusiasm that has greeted the change of government at home and overseas Labour will have to do more than make stirring speeches and hold cosy meetings with allies to make a real impression campaigners have said that more muscle is needed at home as well as abroad how far will the UK cut its emissions by 2035 Given that the UK is off track to meet its current 2030 emissions-cutting target setting one that is more stringent but still credible will require a cross-government effort Miliband has pledged to honour the UK’s current commitment of £11.6bn in climate finance by 2026 including more detail on how to make the transition just is urging Miliband to join the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance a network of countries that are ending fossil fuel exploration and exploitation “That would mark a positive step change in the UK’s global standing.” says there are other major decisions the UK could make quickly that would be “relatively easy wins” such as leading negotiations over a new global treaty to cut plastic pollution ratifying the global oceans treaty and pushing to curb deep sea mining “Major global summits in the autumn will be the first true testing ground of whether the Labour government can re-establish the UK as a progressive actor on the world stage … The key to success lies in ministers’ willingness to stand up to polluting industries while showing solidarity with key allies especially in the global south,” she said “The Labour government has already started to set the record straight through its bold policy to end new oil and gas licences It must now build on this at Cop29 to push for more taxes on oil and gas giants to support climate-impacted communities at home and abroad and advance a global fossil fuel phase-out.” How Labour responds to these multiple challenges will determine whether the UK’s return to the world stage on ecological diplomacy marks a true new beginning or another false start but in the gardens leaves were starting to fall To assist seniors seeking employment opportunities hosted a job fair exclusively for seniors age 55+ at the Kew Gardens Community Center on July 26 visited employers who tabled at the event and were actively seeking to hire older workers This is an important event for Senator Addabbo because he understands that with rising costs in New York City many people are choosing to re-join the workforce to meet their financial obligations while others wish to remain engaged in meaningful work "The Senior Job Fair provides older adults with the opportunity to explore employment options with companies eager to hire,” Addabbo said “Seniors constitute a valuable segment of our society and it is imperative that we equip them with the necessary resources to secure employment that supports their independence and well-being Addabbo extended invitations to businesses and organizations spanning various industries Participating vendors included the New York State Department of Civil Service Representatives from each organization accepted resumes and engaged with potential job applicants to discuss available opportunities within their respective companies Senator Addabbo’s Office is currently working on it’s Fall Job Fair Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Visual: Jesse Bauer/Unsplash It’s hard to miss the headliners at Kew Gardens The botanical collection in London is home to towering redwoods and giant Amazonian water lilies capable of holding up a small child its huge greenhouses pop with the Technicolor displays of multiple orchid species Tucked underneath a laboratory at the garden’s eastern edge is the fungarium: the largest collection of fungi anywhere in the world Nestled inside a series of green cardboard boxes are some 1.3 million specimens of fruiting bodies — the parts of the fungi that appear above ground and release spores “This is basically a library of fungi,” says Lee Davies, curator of the Kew fungarium. “What this allows us to do is to come up with a reference of fungal biodiversity — what fungi are out there in the world where you can find them.” Archivists — wearing mushroom hats for some reason — float between the shelves which includes around half of all the species known to science In the hierarchy of environmental causes, fungi have traditionally ranked somewhere close to the bottom He himself was brought to the fungarium against his will Davies was working with tropical plants when a staffing reshuffle brought him to the temperature-controlled environs of the fungarium Davies’ own epiphany echoes a wider awakening of appreciation for these overlooked organisms. In 2020, mycologist Merlin Sheldrake’s book “Entangled Life: How Fungi Make Our Worlds, Change Our Minds, and Shape Our Futures” was a surprise bestseller. In the video game and HBO series “The Last of Us,” it’s a fictional brain-eating fungus from the genus Cordyceps that sends the world into an apocalyptic spiral (The Kew collection includes a tarantula infected with Cordyceps — fungal tendrils reach out from the soft gaps between the dead arachnid’s limbs.) While the wider world is waking up to these fascinating organisms, scientists are getting to grips with the crucial role they play in ecosystems. In a laboratory just above the Kew fungarium, mycologist Laura Martinez-Suz studies how fungi help sequester carbon in the soil and why some places seem much better at storing soil carbon than others not plant matter fallen from above the ground fungi have traditionally ranked somewhere close to the bottom Martinez-Suz’s research focuses on mycorrhizal fungi — a large group of fungi that coexist with plant root systems The mycorrhizal fungi form networks that can go around and sometimes inside plant roots transferring nutrients and water to the plants in exchange for carbon Around 90 percent of plant species are known to make these symbiotic trade networks with different species of fungi They are small but they are everywhere,” says Martinez-Suz This has serious implications for tree-planting schemes. Planting new forests is a major hope for carbon sequestration, but there is increasing evidence that the mycorrhizal networks might be crucial to the success of these attempts. One replanting study found that a forest of birch and pine trees planted onto heath moorland in northern Scotland did not increase soil carbon stocks even after nearly 40 years in the ground The researchers who carried out the study think that it might be because the influx of new trees upset the delicate moorland mycorrhizal networks already present “Replacing the complete set of fungi with other fungi has implications for long-term carbon sequestration in soil and biodiversity,” says Martinez-Suz Her current project involves comparing samples from forests in low-pollution sites like northern Finland with those in heavily polluted regions like Belgium and the Netherlands The fungi in polluted regions are less diverse and this might have a knock-on effect on how well those forests store carbon The major culprit here is nitrogen pollution which enters soils through burning fossil fuels for electricity and transport An excess of nitrogen changes the composition of soil fungi so that the fungi that are the best at retaining nutrients and pumping carbon into the soil decrease But there is some hope that forests can turn things around One study in the Netherlands found that when nitrogen pollution reduced beneficial fungi species started to return to the forests is that if ecosystems are pushed too far then there might not be any fungal spores remaining to boost populations If we’re to better understand how these fungi influence critical ecosystems then we need to get to grips with all of these species Mycologists think that nearly 90 percent of the world’s fungi species are still to be discovered and the archivists at Kew are only halfway through the long process of digitizing their collection so that researchers can easily know where and when a species was found Around 5,000 extra specimens enter the fungarium each year and the shelves are crammed with samples waiting to be dehydrated and stored are sent by amateur mycologists who are fascinated by the world of fungi “People in academic institutions like this will send them stuff to work on and do identifications because they are world experts even though they have no formal training Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" acclaimed ceramic artist Felicity Aylieff brings a major solo exhibition of porcelain vessels to the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art at Kew Gardens One of the UK’s leading artists working in clay Aylieff is renowned for her longstanding collaboration with the porcelain production workshops and artisan craftspeople of Jingdezhen where she has continued her extensive research and produced works on a monumental scale are a towering testament to the centuries-old traditions which established Jingdezhen as the “Porcelain Capital” of the world This new exhibition will encompass a selection of works including incredible five-metre-tall vases painted using a vibrant range of cobalt blue oxides in a technique known as Qing Hua Transporting visitors to the workshops of Jingdezhen the exhibition will also incorporate source materials sketch books and works in progress to tell the story of Aylieff’s work and the close collaborative relationship she has maintained with the craftspeople of the province for nearly 20 years a specially commissioned film will further immerse visitors in Aylieff’s artistic process and the creative life of this remarkable city showcasing the artistic traditions with which it has become synonymous over many centuries Alongside Aylieff’s ‘new Ming’ vases will be a selection of Fencai enamel vessels hand-painted with stylized designs depicting an array of plants found in China and across the world Additional works in this series draw inspiration from botanical illustrations in the Shirley Sherwood Collection which will be on display concurrently in Gallery Six depicting a series of vibrant plants including tulips Felicity Aylieff says: “Having once lived just across the river from Kew Gardens I’ve always sought inspiration from this incredible place its historic glasshouses and its world-renowned plant collection This new exhibition is by far the most challenging project I’ve worked on to date exploring the limits of what can be achieved with the ‘magical’ Jingdezhen porcelain it’s been wonderful to have the opportunity to study the botanical illustrations in Kew’s archive and I’m thrilled to be presenting a selection of new works which draw on the rich traditions of the past in all aspects of their creation.” Galleries and Exhibition Leader at RBG Kew adds: “This exhibition at the Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art promises to be a wonderful opportunity for visitors to Kew Gardens to explore Felicity Aylieff’s remarkable work and extraordinary techniques drawing from centuries of artisan tradition we also mark the gallery’s inaugural embrace of ceramic artistry further expanding the horizons of art within the unique setting of Kew Gardens.” This exhibition has been made possible through close collaboration with Adrian Sassoon the UK’s leading gallery for international www.adriansassoon.com An accompanying book will be published by Kew Publishing Expressions in Blue: Monumental Porcelain by Felicity Aylieff26th October 2024 – 23rd March 2025Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical ArtKew Gardens, Richmond, London, TW9 3AEkew.org See also: David Drebin Photos at Iconic Images Gallery © 2024 Arts & Collections - All Rights Reserved