Bunker Ponds natural area

Hylan Blvd., Chester Ave., Arbutus Ave., Huguenot Ave.

The kettle pond that gave this Park its namesake was formed over 15,000 years ago as the last glacier receded from Staten Island, dragging debris across the ground and creating shallow depressions. As glacial ice melted, runoff filled the newly formed hole with water, making a pond. The land was incorporated into NYC Parks in 1994 to preserve its natural beauty.

Today, the 25-acre natural area's forests contain a diverse community of native trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants, including red maples (Acer rubrum), sweet gums (Liquidambar styraciflua), pin oaks (Quercus palustris), white ash (Fraxinus americana), scarlet oaks (Quercus coccinea), white oaks (Quercus alba), black birch (Betula lenta), and several species of hickories (Carya spp.). Yellow pond lilies (Nuphar advena) thrive in the pond itself. Many bird species can also be spotted in the pond habitat, including mallards (Anas platyrhyncos), wood ducks (Aix sponsa) and great blue herons (Ardea herodias).