Binghamton Zoo seeks volunteers and donations for Imagination Forest project

BINGHAMTON, N.Y. — Binghamton’s Ross Park Zoo is partnering with Fairy Doors of Broome County to transform an underutilized area of the zoo into a magical forest filled with gnome homes, dragon lairs, hairy houses, hobbit holes, and more.

“I’m excited to be partnering with the zoo to bring a little magic to our hometown zoo,” Traci Pena, of Fairy Doors of Broome County, said in a news release.

Pena, who worked with the zoo in the past to house fairy doors as part of the annual Fairy Door project, approached the zoo with her idea to create a magical forest at the zoo.

Organizers are currently seeking donations for the proposed area, which will feature tactile, interactive, and imagination-provoking aspects. They are looking for fan blades, paint, large bowls, condiment bottles, tile pieces and broken china, wooden spools, plywood, and about a dozen stumps that are about 18 inches tall and 12 inches in diameter. They are also seeking volunteers to help with painting and planting.

“We really want this to be a community project,” Pena said. “People can get involved in a variety of ways from donating items, volunteering, or making a cash contribution.”

“This project is designed to inspire visitors’ imagination and help them connect with the natural world around them,” Zoo Director Phillip Ginter said. “Through the Imagination Forest, we will be able to advance our mission of promoting awareness and stewardship of our natural world, in our community and globally, through education, conservation, and community engagement by giving visitors a magical place to connect directly with nature.”

The zoo has several large wooden spools and is seeking ideas from the community on how to transform them into magical homes. People can submit their drawings to marketing@rossparkzoo.org through May 10. Public voting on the finalists will take place later in May with the winning designs announced June 1.

The zoo will also host several special events in the coming months to support the project, including the upcoming Rock Painting FUNShops on May 21 and June 4.

More information about the project is available on the zoo’s website at www.rossparkzoo.org.

Opened in 1875, the 65-acre Ross Park Zoo is home to a range of wildlife, a vintage wooden carousel, the Discovery Center of the Southern Tier, and more than 30 acres of wooded trails.