Hello from New York

Hello from New York
23-01-2008

Glad to find this place for zoo fans! Quick intro: my name is Rob Halpern. Former Curator of Horticulture at the Bronx Zoo, former Horticulturist at the Cincinnati Zoo....now a zoo exhibit landscape designer. Looking forward to chatting with you all!

Rob

23-01-2008

Welcome on the forum!
Nice job you have !

__________________
www.zooantwerpen.be & www.planckendael.be
www.zoocrew.eu

24-01-2008

Welcome Rob! Do you have a list of your favourite zoo exhibits? There is constant debate on this forum as to which enclosures are the best in specific zoos, and so to have someone who is a landscape designer join ZooBeat could be highly beneficial.

24-01-2008

Thank-you both!
As others have posted, our perspectives are personal and may not be shared.

I think Bronx Zoo's JungleWorld is spectacular because, in part, each section is more complex than the last until the visitor is in a large forest where gibbons appear from deep in the forest and perhaps there's a fleeting glimpse of a Provost squirrel far away. (there are obvious problems such as Tapir-in-a-pit exhibit!)

I have long enjoyed Woodland Park Zoo's (Seattle) African plains for its weedy dusty openness. But the newer Northern Trails exhibit is captivating. There's nothing so successful as recreating a habitat in a region where it doesn't look out of place!

The coral reef tank at Point Defiance is perfect. (no landsape funnily enough)

As I think of others, I am reminded of how many exhibits look fantastic in the few years after opening and then degrade. Zoos often miss the fact that a good exhibit must be regularly re-invented. The landscape re-thought and partially re-planted. New diversions for the animals. They are treated like buildings that simply require maintenance when in fact they are gardens that grow and change and need to be re-envisioned.

My exposure to European and Asian zoos is sadly lacking. Seeing them through the eyes of this Forum's members is quite an attraction for me.

24-01-2008

@Zooplantman: I'm a massive fan of Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, and even though it's two and a half hours away it is still my "home" zoo. The African Plains was built in 1980 and yet holds up remarkably well, and as you point out the Northern Trail section is as good as it can get for grizzly bears, otters, rocky mountain goats, roosevelt elk, etc. Probably about 80% of the zoo exhibits there are of a high quality, but the remaining 20% are in need of improvement.

24-01-2008

Welcome to the forum! sounds like an ideal job to have! hope you enjoy the forum!

24-01-2008

Thanks Al
It was quite a transformation for me to go from zoo employee (cursing about the designers and their stupidity) to zoo designer (and seeing how all the great plans degenerate into typical zoo exhibit). And now with this group, I'll see what the fans really like!

24-01-2008

Hi Rob,

I've visited your website on numerous occasions before and have been enchanted by the shrewd display of horticulture and landscape design demonstrated in the Congo Gorilla Forest, and Nashville elephant exhibit. Unfortunately, I haven't seen either of these projects in person.

I'm a huge advocate of landscape design and integration of plants into zoological exhibits, but often find myself extremely disappointed by the "architectural" designs that North American zoos are so fond of. Of course, it doesn't help that some zoos hire companies that have virtually no experience or education in horticulture and landscape design to create displays that are supposed to be landscape representations!

Welcome
24-01-2008

Howdy , and welcome to Zoobeat .
I am a fan of zoo design and what I call "zoochitecture ' .
I look forward to reading your posts and discussing bits n pieces with you

Nigel

24-01-2008

Welcome Rob, Looking forward to your input and views

24-01-2008

Thank-you all.

There is one firm in the US that seems in love with splashy architecture...although others will do it as well, Not my favorite look: zoo as anthropological theme park. Still, they couldn't build them if the zoo director and Board weren't sold on it. More's the pity.

My career has been all about bringing botanical/biological appropriateness (ok, that phrase will never be my logo!) to zoo design. Some get it and some don't.

25-01-2008

Hello!

I like very much well-planted, natural exhibits, too! If you are the person who "did" Bronx zoo's exhibits, many are amazing job.

25-01-2008

Yes, thanks (again) I led the landscape design of that zoo from 1993-2000.
Of course, the director, Bill Conway, was a great believer in quality exhibits. We only wish there were more staff to care for it all! But of course the people who will donate to build a new exhibit rarely donate to cover up-keep (JungleWorld was an exception..it was closed annually for refurbishing )

25-01-2008

Welcome!

Could I be rather rude and ask You two questions:

1. Do You happen to know the current status of species in the "World of darkness" Nocturnal house?
2. Can You think of any plants typical of North Africa's desert/semi-desert region that would be interesting in including into a North African theme exhibition?
Thanks in advance.

25-01-2008

Sorry, don't know what they have. I see it is not listed in the Annual Report.

Second question is, of course, what I do. Depends on:
indoor or out
climate
availability of plants
do animals have access
exact species or "look alike"

If you'd like to email me about it, do. I shouldn't like the Forum to become bogged down.