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Post Office Box 050328
Staten Island, NY 10305
718-873-4291
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Fall 2014
Executive Director
Ida Sanoff
CAWD
Recording Secretary
Daniel Ingellis
NRPA
Treasurer
Membership
Newsletter
Richard Chan
NRPA
East Shore Coordinator:
Dominic Cenatiempo
NRPA
Trustees
Executive Trustee
Jim Scarcella
NRPA
Friends of Clearwater
John Malizia
S. I. Yacht Club,
S. I. Tuna Club, FCA
Cindy Zipf
Clean Ocean Action
Charles Perry
Protectors of Pine Oak
Woods
Tony Rose
Staten Island Sport Divers
Andrew Willner
NY/NJ Baykeeper
(
Ret)
Dr. John T. Tancredi
Molloy College
Dr. Martin Schreibman
Brooklyn College AREAC
/
Ŷ ƚŚŝƐ ĚŝƟŽŶ
Bring Ecotourism to NYC!
By Ida Sanoff
There is always talk about stimulating local
economies.
But that frequently brings
congestion, air pollution or other undesirable
consequences to communities. But what if
there was an industry that could bring year
round, skilled and unskilled jobs, would not
require new construction and would
encourage the preservation and protection
of natural areas? Such a dream does exist
and it is called ecotourism.
It’s hard to believe that New York City is
ignoring this amazing opportunity.
Ecotourism appeals not only to nature
lovers but to anyone who is looking for a
travel experience that is more than just
touring local museums and historic sites.
Millions of people fly in and out of New
York’s three major airports every day and
they could easily add an Eco tour to their
itinerary. Even if you only have a short
layover between flights at JFK Airport, you
could take advantage of a quick trip to the
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve.
But NYCgo.com, which is “NYC’s official
marketing,
tourism and partnership
organization” doesn’t even mention Jamaica
Bay! And if you want to find the Staten
Island Green Belt, you have to know enough
to look for a link to “All Staten Island
Neighborhoods”, where the Green Belt is
described primarily as a hiking trail, with just
a few sentences about birds. Coney Island
is mentioned as a place to go to for the
rides, but there is no mention that on the
bay side of Coney Island, there is some of
the best birding around.
Birding alone can be a huge moneymaker
for local economies. Periodically, the U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service issues a report
called “Birding in the United Sates: A
Demographic and Economic Analysis”. The
latest report, from 2011 is an eye opener. In
the United States alone, there are 47 million
birders. The Report says that, “Trip-related
and equipment-related expenditures
associated with birding generated nearly
$107 billion in total industry output, 666,000
jobs, and $13 billion in local, state, and
federal tax revenue.
This impact was
distributed across local, state and national
economies.”
So what can that mean for NYC? Just think
of all of the jobs that ecotourism can create,
starting from the people who do the
advertising and marketing and going all the
way down to local tour guides. Along the
way are stays in local hotel rooms, meals in
local restaurants and stores that would
provide binoculars, field guides, hats,
sunscreen and dozens of other items.
Scientists and naturalists could assay the
best features of each area and come up
with ways to maximize ecological diversity.
Photographers, artists and writers would be
needed to compile brochures and souvenir
books.
Bike, canoe and kayak rentals
would zoom as would jobs for people to staff
the rental sites. Imagine getting on a fishing
or party boat in early spring to watch the
harbor seals and cormorants congregating
at the base of harbor lights or Hoffman and
Swinburne Islands. Imagine going to Floyd
Bennett Field, or Blue Heron Park, or the
new Penn and Fountain Parks in Brooklyn
for spectacular views of marshes and
wildflowers.
Page 1
Bring Ecotourism to NYC!
Page 2
Ghost Voices The Forgotten Fleet of Arthur Kill
Page 2
Nature in Great Kills Harbor
Page 3
Heritage Park
Page 4
Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal
Cleanup
Page 5
Don’t Blink Or You’ll Miss It: The Little Park
That Never Was
Page 5
Fox Beach Walk
Page 6
The Port Ambrose LNG Terminal
Page 6
In Memory of Edward “Kerry” Sullivan
Join or renew your NRPA
membership today
See page 6