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SPRING 2015
NATURAL RESOURCES PROTECTIVE ASSOCIATION
New York City’s trash.
The Brooklyn landfills were closed in
the early 1980’s and residents fought
for years to get them sealed and
transformed into parkland. Along the
way, a nonprofit organization called
Friends of Penn and Fountain Parks
was formed and NRPA is proud to
say that we have been working with
them for many years.
The two new parks are not open to
the general public yet because the
vegetation needs to be protected.
They can only be accessed by going
on a guided tour. The parks boast
incredible views, beautiful natural
landscaping (including cactus!) and
loads of birds and butterflies.
Friends of Penn and Fountain Parks,
in conjunction with the National
Parks Service, will be doing two ter-
rific tours this June.
You MUST call
718-338-3799 to reserve your
place in the tour.
Space is limited,
so call as soon as you can. Details
are below:
Saturday, June 13, 2015, from 10
AM to 12:30 PM, Meet at Canarsie
Pier in Brooklyn
HIKE TO PENN PARK
National Parks Service Rangers will
lead this 3 mile hike (about 1 ½ miles
each way) from Canarsie Pier to the
top of Penn Park. The hike begins
along a flat paved path that borders
Jamaica Bay and continues up grav-
el paths to the top of the park, which
is over 100 feet high. This hike is
suitable for older teens and adults
who are physically fit. Bring sun-
screen, water and a snack.
Call 718
-338-3799 NOW to reserve your
place!
Monday, June 15, 2015, from 5 PM
to 7 PM, Meet at Canarsie Pier in
Brooklyn
CRESCENT BEACH NORTH
CLEANUP
By Jim Scarcella
On Saturday April 18 NRPA and
friends cleaned up Crescent Beach
North at Wiman Ave and Tennyson
Drive, Great Kills Harbor. The
weather was great, sunny and 65
degrees. The dunes installed by
NYC Parks Department are holding
up well, the dune grass planted in
2014 looks to be growing strong.
The area was once home to the Cat-
tle Barge, a dilapidated vessel that
hundreds of kids used to fish and
crab off of, next to Shoals Dock and
Restaurant. Also on this block was
the infamous Joeys Showboat Bar,
and train you. You are shown how
to measure off your survey area, a
200’ stretch of shoreline, and you are
given a calendar showing the high
and low tides, as well as data sheets
to fill out. Then you walk along your
survey area and record any debris
items that you see on your special
data sheet. You don’t have to touch
anything or pick it up, just fill in your
data sheet. Each week, when you
finish your survey, you fax it or email
it in.
Survey participants serve an even
more important function: They are
the first line of defense for their
shoreline. If they see anything
unusual such as medical waste, or
fish kills, they have a procedure for
alerting the proper authorities.
Last year, over 40 areas throughout
the city were surveyed. NRPA
members have been involved with
this project since its inception and
we are looking forward to starting our
surveys next month.
For more info about this really easy,
enjoyable way to help the
environment, contact Robert Gans,
the DEP Program Manager at
.
Taking part in a beach
cleanup is one way to
keep the oceans healthy
for generations to come.
Join us at our next
beach cleanup!
UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR
A NEW PARK
By Ida Sanoff
Before there was a Fresh Kills land-
fill, there were two huge landfills on
the Brooklyn shore of Jamaica Bay –
the Pennsylvania Avenue and Foun-
tain Avenue landfills.
Today we know that wetlands are
among the most important habitats
on earth and they also play an im-
portant role in controlling flooding.
But years ago, wetlands were called
swamps and they were just a con-
venient place to dump anything that
you wanted to get rid of, including
BEGINNER’S KAYAK PADDLE TO
PENN PARK
Join Certified Kayak Instructors and
National Parks Service Rangers for
this late afternoon, after school pad-
dle along the shoreline of Jamaica
Bay to the beach of Penn Fountain
Park. Walk to the top of Penn Foun-
tain Park to enjoy the scenery, then
paddle back to Canarsie Pier. This
trip is suitable for adults and children
ages 6 and up. All equipment includ-
ing kayaks and floatation vests will
be provided as well as kayak instruc-
tion. If you’ve never been in a kayak
before, this is your chance to see
what it’s all about! Bring sunscreen,
water and a snack and “dress to get
wet”.
Call 718-338-3799 NOW to
reserve your place!
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