Approximately 30 interviews were carried out with key informants (KIIs), such as conservancy managers, committee members and tourism operators, to understand how conservancies operate and are managed.
Jane Sturtevant, a member of the conservancy's tree committee, said her group was interested only in taking care of Tompkins Square Park, not in taking it over.
"There's a real sense of immersion when you view these images on the wide screen," said Alan Leib, chairman of the conservancy's Modern committee.
They're from the conservancy's women's committee, which organizes the park's premier social and fund-raising event, the annual spring luncheon, which was held Wednesday.
Through local committees, the conservancy picks the best gardens in their regions according to unity and harmony of design; innovative use of the site and plantings; and diverse mixture of colors, textures and plants.
Gillian Miniter, President, Women's Committee, Central Park Conservancy Thomas L. Kempner, Jr., Chairman, Board of Trustees, Central Park Conservancy Douglas Blonsky, President, Central Park Conservancy and Central Park Administrator.
Patricia de Bary, who volunteers with Ms. Hilson on the women's committee of the Central Park Conservancy, confirmed this.
That planning began about three years ago when Ms. Landau, a longtime fan of Ms. Stockholder's work, mentioned her name to the committee that advises the conservancy's art program, Mad.
The personalized messages are part of an adopt-a-bench program started in 1986 by the volunteer women's committee of the Central Park Conservancy, a nonprofit group that manages the park under a contract with the city.
Thomas L. Kempner, Jr. Chairman, Board of Trustees Central Park Conservancy Anne Harrison, President Women's Committee, Central Park Conservancy Douglas Blonsky, President Central Park Conservancy and Central Park Administrator.
