Restoration of the Ramble

Central Park co-designer Frederick Law Olmsted described the 36-acre Ramble as a “wild garden” intended to evoke a sense of intricacy and mystery. Winding and interlacing paths traversed the rugged topography and dense vegetation; rustic shelters provided shade and places to rest and take in the scenery; the Gill—a human-made watercourse—meandered downhill, traversed by several rustic bridges before ending in a small cascade and spilling into the Lake. For much of the 20th century, the Ramble suffered from management neglect resulting in landscape erosion, silting in the Gill, overgrowth with self-seeding and invasive species, and deterioration of paths, infrastructure, and rustic features. More recently, a number of severe weather events dramatically impacted the landscape.

The Conservancy restored the Ramble as part of a comprehensive, multi-year effort to renew and sustain the Park’s woodlands. Our approach to this restoration embraced two equally important and mutually reinforcing elements: the ecological value of the woodlands as a wildlife habitat and the cultural value of the Park as a scenic landmark.

The completed work included rebuilding aging paths and infrastructure to support continued stewardship and increasing use. The horticultural and ecological restoration in connection with this work focused on improving soils, removing invasive species, and re-establishing native plant communities. We also completed a restoration of the Gill, which involved deepening the watercourse by removing accumulated sediments, but varying its depth and planting aquatics to improve habitat complexity; rustic bridges and overlooks along the length of the Gill have also been restored.

The next phase of our work to restore the Ramble will be the reconstruction of two open-air shelters that once existed at high points in the landscape.