Green cities. By Clara GRAMMATICO & Yseult DEPOORTER

Town in Nature

Nature in town

The first photo, “Town in nature”, was taken near Pont-du-Château on September the 24th 2015 in the morning with no effects. I was going to high school, it was about 8 o'clock. There was a little bit of wind. It was a sunny day but not really warm. The air was pure. I think I was happy. In the background we can see the "Chaîne des Puys" mountain range. The sky was really blue and there were a few clouds. In the foreground there are corn fields, and on the right we can see the shadow of a car. There is a real contrast of colors between the blue of the sky and the yellow of the corn fields. Pont-du-Château is a dormitory town; most people work in the regional capital Clermont-Ferrand about twenty minutes away by car. It is a nice quiet place, a town surrounded by the countryside.

The second photo, “Nature in town”, was taken in Central Park in New-York City on the 25th October 2015. I chose this photo format because it offers a very beautiful view on New York City and its famous urban cityscape from Central Park. The buildings in front are not tall but still really impressive. And the water reflects them like a giant mirror. This is one of the most beautiful cityscapes that I have ever seen. I was amazed because the contrast between the city and the “nature” is very interesting. It was my first time in the U.S.A. The trees in autumn are so beautiful with their orange and brown leaves. I could hear the cars, taxis and buses, but near me I could hear the birds and the squeak of the squirrels running about. The water was very nice and clear. I wasn't cold, which is strange for autumn, but seasons are not the same in the U.S.A. as in France. The sun was out and the sky was clear. I was cycling with my family all around Central Park on rented bikes. We decided to stop a moment to take some pictures. The title of this photo is "The mirror of Central Park". I chose this title because the buildings are seen reflected in the lake. The city and the nature are together in the same place, and this is just wonderful to see. Central Park was established in 1857 in the center of Manhattan. Construction continued during the American Civil War period and was expanded to 341 ha (843 acres) in 1873. Today, it is an urban park of 315 ha (778 acres) where people can walk, run, bicycle, or ride horses all year. It has about 37 million visits annually according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation. The buildings are some of the offices and shops of Manhattan. My picture shows how important it is for people to include Nature within the urban setting, especially in a place the size of NYC.