ANNOUNCEMENTS
Meet Our 2025 Wetlands Fellows
The Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship is an annual program run by Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy to train young adults between the ages of 18 to 25 years old on how to be the next generation of wetland managers. This capacity-building program works to train fellows on wetlands maintenance, monitoring, restoration, stakeholder relationships, and nature-based solutions — with the goal of preparing youth for the workforce.
Meet the 2025 Wetlands Fellows below.
Añes Yamin
Añes is a 24-year-old graduate from New School who was born in Mexico. Being a Wetlands Fellow taught Añes how to take precautionary measures in outdoor stewardship work, including always wearing sunscreen. Her favorite thing about the fellowship is being able to connect with the other Wetlands Fellows and the overall JBRPC team. A fun fact about her is that she loves to pull mugwort.
Blair Chase
Blair is a recent graduate from Amherst College who studied Philosophy and Psychology. He spends his free time playing or coaching volleyball. In the future, he aspires to become an attorney. The fellowship taught him how vital it is to ensure regular maintenance and stewardship of parklands, even at relatively low-need locations. His favorite thing about the program is the friendships he has made with coworkers throughout this experience, along with the exposure to new parks he had never been to. A fun fact about him is that he loves to juggle.
Brendan Routledge
Brendan is currently studying Computer Science, and states that what drew him to this fellowship is his love for the intersection between natural science and computer science. Combining ecology and technology is his ideal response to the growing demands and concerns of the industry and environment. This fellowship opportunity allowed him to explore this intersection. He believes that this experience was invaluable to his interests and career development, teaching him that grassroots local workforce development programs should be more valued and supported.
Chiara Roman
Chiara Roman loves cooking, baking, and basketball. Her favorite thing about the fellowship was the opportunity to explore the intricacies behind garbage cleanup and stewardship. She learned about different native and invasive plants through this experience, giving her a deeper understanding of biodiversity.
Danielle Roesch
Danielle Roesch saw this fellowship as an educational opportunity to learn more about stewardship. One of her favorite things to do is an ocean cold plunge. Her favorite aspect of being a Wetlands Fellow was the ability to work outside everyday. This experience gave her an appreciation for local parks and an awareness of the natural areas that are accessible and available in New York City.
Devin Johnson
Devin describes himself as a machete planted firmly in the ground, grown from a seed of love. He sees himself as a long, rough and sharp remover of obstacles, forged by fire and the hands that came before him. By grace and faith, he seeks to clear a path into the winding woods on this path of life, aiming for the trail he leaves behind to be an easier journey for those who walk it. A fun fact about him is that he is working on a night life film and digital archival work. He is also a bedroom DJ. His favorite thing about being a Wetlands Fellow is the opportunity to be connected with different community members and organizations, exposing him to the diverse recreational opportunities available to his right in his metaphorical backyard. This experience taught him the power of large scale, cross-community mobilization, as well as giving him insight to the logistics of how much of an undertaking it can be.
Fadwa Yousef
Fadwa Yousef is an early career ecologist specializing in urban and coastal ecology. Their work includes an award winning thesis on the floristic quality of the Marine Park Preserve. They also have previous experience as a field monitor for NYC Parks' decennial Forest Ecological Assessment. They hope to continue to contribute to coastal resiliency projects, particularly through nature-based solutions. A fun fact about them is that their favorite video game is Disco Elysium. Their favorite thing about being a Wetlands Fellow is stewarding Jamaica Bay and visiting natural areas that they otherwise wouldn't know about. Being in the field has familiarized them with ongoing projects throughout the New York City waterfront.
Kaylie Wong
Kaylie Wong is 23 and living in Richmond Hill, Queens. She majored in psychology and her main passion is marine biology and wildlife. She is also a very creative person and does crafts/art in her free time. A fun fact about her is that she collects trinkets such as bones, rocks, and seashells. Her favorite thing about being a Wetlands Fellow is being able to explore Jamaica Bay and experience life outside of the city — as well as learn about how much nature and wildlife New York City truly has. This experience has taught her how to identify plants, understand how prevalent they are throughout the city, and assess how to take care of the world.
Lynx Zacarias-Castillo
Lynx Zacarias-Castillo is a queer, first-generation Mexican American with a love for the planet they were born in. They have a natural curiosity and care about the world around them, which makes them love working and connecting with the outdoors. They hope to do similar conservation work in Mexico someday. A fun thing about them is that they used to have pet mice. Their favorite thing about being a Wetlands Fellow is the friends they made along the way. This experience taught them about native and invasive species identification.
Markus Arthur
Markus Arthur was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He always had a love for biology and environmentalism. He comes from a background in audio engineering. This fellowship has allowed him to reignite his passion for environmental restoration, motivating his pursuit in a degree and career for environmental studies and biology. A fun fact about him is that he plays the cello and bass. His favorite thing about being a fellow is the ability to work in the field and experience the many green spaces of Jamaica Bay in which he wouldn’t normally venture to. This experience taught him the impact the wetlands have on maintaining New York City’s ecosystem.
Matthew Wojcik
Matthew Wojcik is pursuing a master degree in Earth and Environmental Studies at Brooklyn College. He unites what he learned from academia and the field to further his goals of conservation. All in all, he believes the fellowship aligned perfectly with what he is studying, along with providing helpful data for projects. A fun fact about Wojcik is he loves mugwort, sandwort, spiderwort, and spurwort. His favorite thing about the fellowship was the horticultural knowledge he accumulated thus far. This experience taught him how to differentiate between different types of plants, as well as how to be an effective environmental steward.
Molly Eccles
Molly Eccles believes that being a part of JBRPC has not only strengthened her faith, but has also taught her how to better care for the beautiful world that the Lord has given us to enjoy, study, and protect. She cites Psalm 24:1-2 as her inspiration. She states that being a steward of Jamaica bay has been an absolute blessing, as she has learned how to engage with the lands, parks, and people. A fun fact about her is that she drove to France on a family road trip. Her favorite thing about the fellowship was learning to recognize the flora and fauna (whether it be native or invasive) within Jamaica Bay and other parks she visited. This experience taught her how to respect the nature that surrounds her, as well as how to care for it.
Ryver-Jordan Lindsay
Ryver-Jordan Lindsay is an aspiring naturalist who is concerned about climate change. A fun fact about her is that she is also an avid art and cat lover who is double jointed in her shoulders. Her favorite thing about being a fellow is the ability to explore the natural areas around Jamaica Bay and contribute to continuing efforts at ecological restoration. Through this experience, she learned more about invasive and endemic species in her local area and the work that goes into maintaining our natural areas
Sebastian Jaramillo
Sebastian Jaramillo calls himself a “pretty chill guy,” and is currently living in Brooklyn, but originally from Queens. He is a tattoo artist, screen printer, and a proud grunt of the JBRPC. A fun fact about him is that he can pull mad mugwort. His favorite thing about the fellowship was witnessing the beauty of natural areas and having the opportunity to contribute to their well being. This experience taught him that everybody needs to worry about conservation.
We also wanted to take a moment to give a shoutout to the staff members of JBRPC who have helped make this fellowship possible. Meet JBRPC’s Stewardship Programs Manager and Workforce Development Supervisor below!
Anil Pasram
Anil Pasram serves as the Stewardship Programs Manager and Director of the Wetlands Fellowship Program at the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. He has mentored three passionate cohorts of young adults dedicated to restoring coastal ecosystems and public parklands. He believes that it is truly an honor to continue guiding this work and collaborating with a diverse network of educators, agencies, and community members who share JBRPC’s vision for a healthier ecosystem, as well as a thriving and equitable future along the shores of Jamaica Bay. Pasram believes that the most rewarding thing in the work he does is being able to give young adults a paid opportunity to explore their passion in the natural areas, while stewarding new and unfamiliar sites across Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway.
Michael Reyes Martinez
Michael Reyes Martinez serves as the Workforce Development Supervisor for the Jamaica Bay Fellowship Program, leading youth in hands-on environmental projects in Jamaica Bay, Queens. With the fellows, he works on cleaning beaches, maintaining park trails, and attending conferences to deepen fellows’ understanding of environmental stewardship. He trains them in tool use, safety, and workplace organization, while fostering teamwork and responsibility. He believes this experience empowers fellows to protect natural resources and develop valuable life skills. Martinez has been working with JBRPC over the past 6 years. His favorite thing about working with the fellows is being able to pass on his skills to them and meet wonderful people who are enthusiastic about the environment and natural areas in Jamaica Bay.
For more information about the Wetlands Fellowship, check out the Wetlands Fellowship Page on our website. To learn more about the impact of this fellowship, check out JBRPC’s 2024 Wetlands Fellowship Report and 2023 Wetlands Fellowship Report.
If you have any questions about the Wetlands Fellowship, email Anil Pasram at anil@jbrpc.org.
The 2025 Jamaica Bay Festival Brought Exciting Community Events
Our Jamaica Bay Festival 2025 was a huge success! We wanted to take a moment to thank our partners, friends and neighbors for participating in our 8th annual Jamaica Bay Festival. Taking place on the City of Water Day, this festival aimed to bring together members of the community to celebrate the 10,000 acres of parklands surrounding Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn and Queens.
Thousands of community members participated in 32 events that highlighted stewardship, nature and wildlife, recreational activities, arts, and culture. The festival was a perfect opportunity to showcase the efforts of JBRPC and our many partners in maintaining New York City's largest tidal estuary as a clean, safe, and accessible environment. It worked to highlight the unparalleled opportunities and the natural beauty of this urban tidal estuary. Participants enjoyed free kayaking, fishing, surfing, hiking, bird watching, art, nature and more. Check out some highlights from the day on our Instagram, @jbrpc.
Community Kayaking
Live Music Performances
Mural Painting
Some of our events included a coastal clean up at Vernam Barbadoes with the NYC Parks Stewardship Team, an event to turn a lot into a botanical garden with the Eastern Queens Alliance, Vinyasa Yoga with Outdoor Movement, Kayak Parade with the Black Surfing Association, solar viewing with telescopes with the Amateur Astronomers Association, horseback riding with the NYC Parks Mounted Unit, and friendship bracelet making with Open Plans.
Our festival was made possible through the support of our sponsors and funders: the Waterfront Alliance, New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, the Hudson River Foundation, Con Edison, and NYC Ferry (official transportation partner).
Check out Some Press Features of the Jamaica Bay Festival:
“Celebrating the Jamaica Bay Festival in Canarsie” | Canarsie Courier
“Annual Jamaica Bay Festival Starts Off Summer Strong” | The Wave
“This Weekend, New York City Will Have Tons of Free Watersports” | MSN
Did you enjoy the festival and want to explore more activities around stewardship, nature and wildlife, and recreational activities? Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy hosts events all year long. Listed below are some events to look forward to. For a full list of our events, check out our events page on our website.
Some Events to Look Forward To:
JAMAICA BAY-ROCKAWAY PARKS CONSERVANCY HOSTS 8TH ANNUAL “JAMAICA BAY FESTIVAL” ON CITY OF WATER DAY
Festival Connects Thousands of New Yorkers with Waterfront Recreation and Educational Activities in NYC’s Largest Natural Area
Today, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) announced the lineup for its 8th Annual Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day, taking place on Saturday, July 12. This free, family-friendly festival spans the 10,000 acres of parklands surrounding Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn and Queens, highlighting the beauty, biodiversity, and community spirit of New York City’s largest tidal estuary.
This year, JBRPC is partnering with over 30 local community groups to host a full day of free public events from morning to evening. Participants can enjoy kayaking, birding, shoreline cleanups, yoga, guided nature walks, live music, and more. The festival aims to increase awareness of Jamaica Bay as a vital, ecological, recreational, and cultural resource - and connect New Yorkers of all ages with their local waterfront.
The full schedule of over 30 events is organized into four themes—Active Recreation, Nature & Wildlife, Stewardship, and Arts & Culture—and is available via an interactive map at JamaicaBayFestival.com
Active Recreation:
Enjoy water-based and land-based activities including kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, biking, yoga, and guided fitness classes. These experiences encourage healthy, outdoor fun while deepening appreciation for our local parklands.
Nature & Wildlife:
Join expert-led walks, living shoreline tours, and even solar viewing with astronomers. These programs highlight Jamaica Bay’s remarkable habitats and native wildlife, from shorebirds to saltmarsh grasses.
Stewardship:
Get hands-on with volunteer cleanups and habitat restoration efforts—including a shoreline cleanup at the North Channel Bridge. Participants can help preserve and protect the very spaces we gather to celebrate.
Arts & Culture:
Enjoy live music performances, a local art exhibit, and see historic aircraft up-close—activities that celebrate the stories, people, and history that make Jamaica Bay so special.
“The Jamaica Bay Festival provides a powerful platform to celebrate our shoreline, highlight community partnerships, and engage New Yorkers in the care and stewardship of their local environment,” said Terri Carta, Executive Director of JBRPC. “Jamaica Bay is one of the most ecologically productive and culturally rich parts of New York City, and we’re thrilled to invite neighbors and visitors to experience all it has to offer.”
Returning partners shared their excitement about this year’s event:
“The Jamaica Bay Festival has become an integral part of the Rockaway community and the Garden by the Bay is honored to be a part of such an amazing partnership that brings community members from near and far together to enjoy and celebrate this beautiful estuary called Jamaica Bay. Whether it be birding, kayaking, rowing or simply picnicking along the Bay, the Jamaica Bay Festival has something for everyone,” Jackie Rogers, President of The Garden by the Bay and Edgemere Alliance.
“Marine Park Alliance is thrilled to partner with JBRPC, HEP, NYC Bird Alliance, and many other partners in celebrating Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day 2025! We are keeping the “marine” in Marine Park by welcoming visitors to our fabulous shoreline with an Intro to Birding walk focused on the water birds of Marine Park. NYC is a city defined by its shorelines and City of Water Day is an important occasion to educate New Yorkers about the vitality of our coastlines and waterways,” Scott Middleton, Executive Director of the Marine Park Alliance.
The Jamaica Bay Festival is made possible through partnerships with community organizations, government agencies, and local businesses across Brooklyn and Queens. The Festival is generously supported, in part, by the Hudson River Foundation, New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, Waterfront Alliance, and ConEdison. NYC Ferry is the official transportation sponsor of the Jamaica Bay Festival. Use the NYC Ferry App for up-to-date routes and schedules.
The Festival is one of several JBRPC public engagement and stewardship initiatives that receive public funding through the offices of NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams, Majority Whip Selvena Brooks-Powers, Minority Leader Joann Ariola, and Council Member Mercedes Narcisse, NY Senator Roxanne Persaud, and NY Assembly Members Stacey Pheffer Amato and Jaime R. Williams.
Full Schedule of Events:
“Innovation and Action in Jamaica Bay: A State of the Bay Event” Explored Natured-Based Solutions and Resilience in New York City’s Largest Natural Area
Community and agency leaders, researchers, technologists, students, and environmental stewards convened to celebrate progress and strategize continued protection and restoration of Jamaica Bay
Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) and the Science and Resilience Institute of Jamaica Bay (SRIJB) convened over 225 environmental stewards, government agency leaders, researchers, technologists and community members for Innovation and Action in Jamaica Bay: A State of the Bay Event at the Rockaway Hotel, on Thursday, June 12th. The afternoon’s program focused on harnessing nature-based solutions for coastal resilience in New York City — connecting a diverse audience with this shared goal — through networking and dialogue.
“Innovation and Action in Jamaica Bay: A State of the Bay Event” took place at The Rockaway Hotel’s rooftop, with panoramic views of the natural spaces attendees are working to protect.
Thought-provoking panel discussions and presentations spotlighted cutting-edge strategies, celebrated local achievements, and explored bold, collaborative solutions for building a resilient and thriving urban estuary:
Inventive founders from the nature-technology companies, Natrx and Pliant Energy Systems demonstrated how technology and the environment can complement each other — offering nature-based solutions for shoreline stabilization, and marine robots that can survey sensitive underwater ecosystems with novel fins instead of potentially destructive propellers.
Representatives from the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation, New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, the National Park Service, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers detailed the success of projects restoring natural areas and parklands — providing the benefits of flood control, water quality improvements, carbon sequestration and increased access to nature for residents and visitors.
Stewards and researchers from Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and New York Sea Grant presented their work to restore marshlands and monitor flooding. These initiatives are uniquely linked, as each acre of salt marsh in Jamaica Bay is capable of holding 1.5 million gallons of water — the equivalent of two olympic-sized swimming pools.
Leaders from Natural Areas Conservancy, Billion Oyster Project, City University of New York, and Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy spoke about efforts to improve workforce development for the current and future jobs in environmental stewardship, renewable energy and parks management — discussing how to ensure young people from all backgrounds have awareness of, and pipeline into careers in this growing field.
The Conservancy also honored the Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers with the inaugural Jamaica Bay Champion Award — recognizing their early leadership to raise awareness on marsh loss and their unwavering advocacy that has resulted in vast improvements to water quality, wildlife and public use of parklands.
The Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers, Dan Mundy Sr. and Dan Mundy Jr., accept the Jamaica Bay Champion Award
Details on the program and diverse set of 17 speakers across public agencies, private technology companies, community advocacy, academia and non-profit organizations are available at JBRPC.org/stateofthebay. Recordings of the panel discussions and presentations are available on JBRPC’s YouTube channel.
Pliant Energy Systems demonstrate their amphibious robot with a unique undulating propulsion system
“Jamaica Bay’s ecological health and recreational use have soared in recent years,” said Terri Carta, JBRPC’s executive director, pointing out that Jamaica Bay parklands comprise 44 square miles, or twice the size of Manhattan, of beaches, coastal parks, vast tidal wetlands, and open water. “Innovation and Action in Jamaica Bay was conceived around the ideas of celebration and inspiration, recognizing collective efforts and excitement for trying new things that are making a real difference, and re-centering the bay as a critical and vulnerable estuary.”
“Jamaica Bay and the surrounding land provides so many important benefits to people and for wildlife, and that’s why so many of us work collectively to understand and steward this important ecological and cultural place,” said Brett Branco, SRIJB’s executive director. “Innovation and Action in Jamaica Bay is an opportunity to celebrate our recent successes and renew our commitments to collaborate for the common good.”
Innovation and Action in Jamaica Bay coincides with the 20-year anniversary of city legislation that called for a Jamaica Bay Watershed Protection Plan to outline management strategies and actions for improved water quality, to restore natural ecology, and foster community and social resilience. The event also kicked off a year of smaller State of the Bay convenings and research colloquia leading up to a decadal update in 2026.
Innovation and Action in Jamaica Bay: A State of the Bay Event was presented by Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and the Science & Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, with support from NYC Ferry, The Rockaway Hotel, and Souleil Wines.
About Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC)
Jamaica Bay is New York City’s largest and most ecologically productive open space — an unparalleled oasis of nature covering 44 square miles of open water, tidal wetlands, and coastal parklands altogether twice the size of Manhattan — that directly serves more than 1 million New Yorkers who live in adjacent neighborhoods and more than 3 million who live within its catchment area in southeastern Brooklyn and Queens. As a unique public-private partnership that works across city, state and federal agencies, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy was established in 2013 to bring together diverse community stakeholders, elected officials, academic researchers and others toward a common goal: improving public parklands for enjoyment and ecosystem health. Learn more at JBRPC.org.
About Science & Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay (SRIJB)
The Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay (SRIJB) is an institute of the City University of New York (CUNY) created in partnership with New York City and the National Park Service. Founded in 2013, the SRIJB advances the theory and practice of resilience in the Jamaica Bay watershed and New York City through interdisciplinary research, education, training and engagement of stakeholders. The SRIJB has over a decade of experience working collaboratively with agencies, researchers and stakeholders to preserve and protect the health of Jamaica Bay and the communities that surround it.
New Mural Unveiled at Rockaway’s Beach 59th Street Playground
Renowned artist Sonia Louise Davis, WNBA star Breanna Stewart, and local community members collaborated on mural for the beachside community space
The Beach 59th Street Playground in Arverne unveiled a new mural celebrating the Rockaway community, a collaboration between visual artist Sonia Louise Davis and WNBA star Breanna Stewart. The mural, painted on the back of the park’s handball court, was completed after months of community input.
The mural celebrates the connection between sport, recreational play, and community through art, reinforcing the Beach 59th Street Playground as a welcoming and inclusive space for all. Sonia’s design incorporates abstract forms inspired by sports playbooks from Breanna Stewart and drawings from local youth at Waterside Children's Studio School and P.S. 42 Q, ensuring that the mural represents the community’s vision.
WOAH (Work of Art Holdings) and Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) facilitated the development and installation of the mural. Friends of the Beach 59th Street Playground and Sol De Vida ensured that the local community was represented in the mural creation process. New York City Department of Parks & Recreation (NYC Parks) facilitated the mural’s approval and installation.
The new mural complements the playground’s new inclusive redesign, featuring ADA-accessible ramps, braille panels, and redesigned play equipment. This remarkable transformation was achieved through years of community advocacy led by Florence Ferguson, the leader of the Friends of the Beach 59th Street Playground (FOB59THST) group.
The unveiling of the mural included a meet and greet with Sonia Louise Davis, community games, chalking for local youth, raffle prizes and music — welcoming residents to enjoy the new element of the space, while engaging them aesthetically and educationally.
"It is an honor to have this beautiful mural that speaks a language beyond words, electrifying hearts, inspiring minds and reflecting the unity, strength and creativity of our community," said Florence Ferguson, president of Friends of the Beach 59th Street Playground Association. “We are so very thankful for the gifted hands of artist Sonia Louise Davis, and the generous sponsorship of WOAH in collaboration with JBRPC, Sol De Vida and NYC Parks for making this extraordinary gift to the Beach 59th Street Playground possible."
“We are elated by this newest addition to communal spaces along Rockaway’s boardwalk, and honored that we could play a part in bringing it into existence,” said Terri Carta, JBRPC’s executive director. “Local parks provide a social and emotional outlet, while exposing visitors to nature and inspiring curiosity. The mural is precisely the kind of addition that brings more people to the park, and makes them want to come back.”
“With great pride, Sol De Vida is honored to have supported the launch of the Beach 59th street mural. With our mission to ensure a home for the expression, curation, and education of the arts on the Far Rockaway peninsula, this mural will inspire youth with abstract artistry leading to limitless ideas,” said Helen Montero, co-founder of Sol De Vida. “We are thankful to have worked with mural artist Sonia Moise, Friends of Beach 59th, NYC Parks, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, and Work of Art Holdings.”
“Working with Sonia Louise Davis and WNBA All-Star Breanna Stewart on this project has been a true honor,” said Michi Jigarjian, CEO and Founder of WOAH (Work of Art Holdings). “This mural is more than a work of art—it’s a tribute to the spirit of Rockaway. It celebrates the intersection of creativity and movement, and the deep belief that art and sport can move people, build connections, and lasting pride in the places we call home.”
About Art in the Parks
For nearly 60 years, NYC Parks’ Art in the Parks program has brought contemporary public artworks to the city’s parks, making New York City one of the world’s largest open-air galleries. The agency has consistently fostered the creation and installation of temporary public art in parks throughout the five boroughs. Since 1967, NYC Parks has collaborated with arts organizations and artists to produce more than 3,000 public artworks by 1,500 notable and emerging artists in more than 200 parks. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/parks/art.
About Friends of Beach 59th Street Playground
In 2012, Ferguson, alongside Leonard Yarde, Trishia Bermudez, Deborah Short, Belinda Edwards, and Alicia Mazyck, formed The Friends of Beach 59th Street Playground Association as a public charity and community advocacy group that works with local elected officials and parks representatives to improve the playground’s offerings and ensure its safety. A newly renovated playground opened in 2023, following $5 million in investment from the Borough of Queens and New York City Council. Get involved: @friends_of_beach_59th_playgrnd
About Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy
Jamaica Bay is New York City’s largest and most ecologically productive open space — an unparalleled oasis of nature covering 44 square miles of open water, tidal wetlands, and coastal parklands altogether twice the size of Manhattan — that directly serves more than 1 million New Yorkers who live in adjacent neighborhoods and more than 3 million who live within its catchment area in southeastern Brooklyn and Queens. As a unique public-private partnership that works across city, state and federal agencies, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) was established in 2013 to bring together diverse community stakeholders, elected officials, academic researchers and others toward a common goal: improving public parklands for enjoyment and ecosystem health. Learn more at JBRPC.org.
About Sol De Vida
Founded in 2023 by Brandon Jeffries and Helen Montero-Hernandez, Sol De Vida is a Rockaway-based platform for local artists of all mediums to share their work, secure grants and network with fellow creators through various programs and events. Learn more at soldevidanyc.org.
About Work of Art Holdings (WOAH)
WOAH (Work of Art Holdings) is a female-founded global art and culture firm based in New York, driven by a vision to elevate the integration of art, business, and social responsibility. Founded by Michi Jigarjian, WOAH is committed to investing in art and culture-focused ventures, developing innovative business models, and offering strategic consulting services prioritizing cultural and social impact. Joined by Isolde Brielmaier, PhD, as Chief Strategy Officer, WOAH brings over two decades of expertise in cultural engagement across private, public, and nonprofit sectors. Learn more at woah.world.
Run the Runways: Floyd Bennett Field’s Birthday Bash! Brings Community to Historic Airfield
Run the Runways: Floyd Bennett Field’s Birthday Bash! was a huge success! Thank you to all our partners, friends and neighbors for participating in our 2 mile fun-run (or walk) and afternoon of family activities. Over 250 people turned up to support Floyd Bennett Field with a day of full of movement, community, shared history—and a preview of the park’s bright future.
Following the morning run across the runways, the afternoon included picnicking, a daytime DJ dance party, lawn games, photo opportunities (including with a surprise historic aviator!), and arts and crafts – including a giant group birthday card for Floyd Bennett Field and the opportunity for young aviators to make their own wings for ‘flight’ across the Hangar Lawn.
Run the Runways also provided a deeper look into the rich history and exciting future of Floyd Bennett Field. Free Circuit shuttles took participants from activities on Hangar Lawn to a scavenger hunt at Hangar B, which houses a beautifully curated aircraft collection covering 70 years of aviation history, with a focus on the glamorous era of early aviation when records were set and broken from Floyd Bennett Field. Volunteers from the Historic Aircraft Restoration Project (H.A.R.P.) were on hand to offer tours and answer questions.
Hangars 3 & 4, where a rehabilitation and adaptive reuse project is underway, had its doors open for a sneak-peek of things to come – new spaces being constructed for community programming and events, food and beverage service and other visitor amenities, and a workforce development and tech accelerator focused on nature-based solutions. The renderings below, from LTL Architects show what Hangars 3 & 4 will look like after completion.
Now, as we advance design development for this ambitious project, JBRPC seeks more detailed community feedback about Hangar 3 program offerings in particular. Hearing from all of you will help us better understand what local communities would like to see, do, and experience in these spaces -- including food and beverage preferences, program and event offerings, and visitor amenities -- so we can continue to shape programs and partnerships that reflect those priorities, both in the buildings and the surrounding park areas. Please take the brief survey below to make your voice heard.
Thank you again to our partners, the National Park Service, National Parks Conservation Association, Rockaway Track Club, Circuit, Runway Green and Millennium Development for making this wonderful day possible. Some of our favorite moments were captured in the gallery below. We hope to see you out at Floyd Bennett Field another time this summer!
Jamaica Bay Meets the Menhaden
Spring is here, and the waters of Jamaica Bay are warming. With rising temperatures, the bay will welcome new life throughout the food chain.
In late March and April, which bring the first algae blooms of the year, the bay begins to see Atlantic menhaden, sometimes called “the most important fish in the sea”—one of the most plentiful and ecologically vital forage fish in the oceans. These filter feeders can process up to four gallons of water per minute, clarifying the water column, allowing more sunlight to penetrate, and helping aquatic plants to flourish. In turn, these plants release dissolved oxygen that other marine life depends on.
The menhaden’s feeding activity — intensifying through spring and summer — is crucial to the health of the bay. Excess nitrogen, primarily from sewer and stormwater runoff, drives massive algae blooms, which can harm aquatic life and degrade marshlands when left unchecked. Menhaden help offset these impacts through their natural filtration.
Moreover, menhaden are a vital food source for larger fish — including striped bass, blue fish, weakfish and dogfish — as well as birds of prey, including osprey and bald eagles. Recreational fishers in Jamaica Bay rely on healthy menhaden populations for bigger catches. In this way, the quality and quantity of menhaden act as an important ecological marker — and as an apt mascot — for Jamaica Bay’ health.
Marine biologist Sara Gottlieb, author of a significant study on menhaden’s filtering function, has compared their role to the human liver: “Just as your body needs its liver to filter out toxins, ecosystems also need those natural filters.” In other words, overfishing or harvesting menhaden is like trying to live without a liver.
Unlike many fish, menhaden spawn during the winter, typically from December through February in offshore waters. They breed in coastal waters, before their larvae drift into estuaries, like Jamaica Bay, where they grow into juveniles. These young fish remain in estuarine nurseries for about a year before swimming off to join adult schools in open waters, where they can live for up to 12 years.
The return of the menhaden also signals the return of a full calendar of events around Jamaica Bay. With 25 parks and activities for all ages and interests, there’s no shortage of ways to celebrate the spring season. A few upcoming highlights:
Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is hosting another “Park Pals” wildlife exploration session for young children (ages 0-6) on April 12th, at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
The National Park Service is hosting a Full Pink Moon Hike at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge on the evening of April 12th.
JBRPC also teamed up with Amateur Astronomers Association and Garden by the Bay for a solar observing session on April 18th at the Arverne East Nature Preserve.
In honor of Earth Day, JBRPC will host a shoreline cleanup at Broad Channel American Park on April 19. Volunteers will get to experience the springing of spring, while helping to keep our shorelines healthy and beautiful. We’ll provide gloves, trash pickers and bags, along with safety guidance from our staff. Participants should wear closed-toe shoes, bring water and sunscreen, and be prepared to get a little dirty.
And on May 3, JBRPC will host Run the Runways: Floyd Bennett Field’s Birthday Bash, a free event celebrating Floyd Bennett Field through movement and adventure on the occasion of the airfield’s dedication in May 1931. People of all ages are invited to join the 2-mile fun run (or walk) on historic runways once used by aviation legends like Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, Wiley Post, Jackie Cochran, and others. The afternoon will include picnicking (BYO picnic; we’ll have tables), a daytime DJ dance party, lawn games, photo opportunities (including with a surprise historic aviator!), and arts and crafts – including a giant group birthday card for Floyd Bennett Field and the opportunity for young aviators to make their own wings for ‘flight’ across the Hangar Lawn.
Happy spring to you and yours, from your friends at Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. We hope to see you out in the parks soon! More details on all these events and more are available at JBRPC.org/events.
Announcing Run the Runways: Floyd Bennett Field Birthday Bash! on Saturday, May 3rd
Two-mile fun run and family activities will celebrate the legacy and future of New York City’s first municipal airport
Floyd Bennett Field, the first municipal airport of New York City, was once the site of record breaking flights during the golden age of burgeoning aviation. Today it is a 1,300-acre park within Gateway National Recreation Area, our country’s 4th most visited national park site, that’s brimming with wide open spaces, grasslands, migratory birds, and picturesque shorelines on Jamaica Bay – the “jewel” of New York City.
Join Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) on Saturday, May 3rd for Run the Runways: Floyd Bennett Field’s Birthday Bash!, a two-mile fun run followed by an afternoon of activities for the whole family.
About the Event: Honoring the Past, Present, and Future of Floyd Bennett Field
Run the Runways is a free event celebrating Floyd Bennett Field through movement and adventure on the occasion of the airfield’s dedication in May 1931. People of all ages are invited to join the 2-mile fun run (or walk) on historic runways once used by aviation legends like Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, Wiley Post, Jackie Cochran, and others. The afternoon will include picnicking (BYO picnic; we’ll have tables), a daytime DJ dance party, lawn games, photo opportunities (including with a surprise historic aviator!), and arts and crafts – including a giant group birthday card for Floyd Bennett Field and the opportunity for young aviators to make their own wings for ‘flight’ across the Hangar Lawn.
Run the Runways will also provide a deeper look into the rich history and exciting future of Floyd Bennett Field. Free Circuit shuttles will take participants from activities on Hangar Lawn to a scavenger hunt at Hangar B, which houses a beautifully curated aircraft collection covering 70 years of aviation history, with a focus on the glamorous era of early aviation when records were set and broken from Floyd Bennett Field. Volunteers from the Historic Aircraft Restoration Project (H.A.R.P.) will also be on hand to offer tours and answer questions.
Hangars 3 & 4, where a rehabilitation and adaptive reuse project is underway, will have its doors open for a sneak-peek of things to come – community programming and events, food and beverage service and other visitor amenities, and a workforce development and tech accelerator focused on nature-based solutions.
More to Know: Important Details of the Event
Run the Runways welcomes families, fitness lovers, aviation buffs, history enthusiasts, and everyone who enjoys the outdoors to find a new way to engage with the historic open spaces at Floyd Bennett Field. Join us!
What: Run the Runways: Floyd Bennett Field’s Birthday Bash!
When: 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM (Runners should arrive at 10:00 AM)
Where: Floyd Bennett Field, 3159 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11234 (Vehicle entrance to park is located at Flatbush Ave and Aviation Road)
General event registration is not required. To take part in the fun run, RSVP on Eventbrite.
This event is organized in partnership with the National Park Service, Historic Aircraft Restoration Project (H.A.R.P.), Circuit, Millennium Development, National Parks Conservation Association, Rockaway Track Club, and Runway Green.
JBRPC organizes and promotes a bevy of free events that involve local residents and visitors alike in recreation, history, ecology, and education at parks across Jamaica Bay and Rockaway, including Floyd Bennett Field. Run the Runways follows the Floyd Bennett Revealed! series and the 2024 Floyd Bennett Field! Public Arts Festival in revitalizing the park. The 2024 Public Arts Festival drew 1,600 people to see digital artwork projections on Hangars 3 & 4 and enjoy daytime family activities, food & maker markets, and historic site tours.
You can find more events at JBRPC.org/events.
World Wetlands Day and the Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship
This past Sunday, February 2nd marked not just Groundhog Day, but also World Wetlands Day — an annual celebration of wetlands' vital role in safeguarding human health and wellbeing in the midst of a changing climate. In Jamaica Bay, every day is wetlands day, but this weekend offered an opportunity to evangelize their importance to a broader audience.
Anil Pasram, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy’s (JBRPC) stewardship programs manager took part in a World Wetlands Day event hosted by our friends at Eastern Queens Alliance. Along with a presentation on JBRPC’s stewardship of wetlands and other natural areas, Anil shared with attendees some highlights from our Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship — a 6-month paid workforce development and job training program for young adults (aged 18–25), focused on skills for wetlands maintenance, monitoring, and restoration.
Recruitment for the paid Fellowship is targeted to neighborhoods within the Jamaica Bay watershed. By providing training and unique learning experiences for local young adults passionate about the outdoors and environmental restoration, we are building local knowledge in ecological stewardship and giving communities surrounding Jamaica Bay the ability to ensure environmental well-being for generations to come.
Applications for the 2025 Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship are being accepted now, through March 7th. From April to September 2025, Fellows will learn through hands-on restoration of natural areas including shorelines, marshes and trails, removal of invasive plant species and marine debris, plus revegetation with native species through seeding and planting.
Separately, on Saturday, February 22nd, JBRPC invites volunteer stewards to Plumb Beach for a World Wetlands Day themed cleanup. This shoreline along the Belt Parkway is beloved by locals for its sweeping views of New York’s Lower Bay to the west, and the Rockaway Inlet to the east. Plumb Beach is also an indispensable breeding ground for horseshoe crabs, the “living fossils” of the North Atlantic region, that have been coming ashore to lay eggs around Jamaica Bay for 450 million years. Keeping this shoreline safe, healthy and free of debris is important for wildlife and human visitors alike. Interested in volunteering? Registration is available here.
In Jamaica Bay and beyond, wetlands serve a critical role as a line of first defense against climate change. Jamaica Bay salt marshes are estimated to be at least 13 feet deep — enough to sequester 55 million metric tons of underground carbon, or more than half of New York City’s annual carbon emissions. During storms, each acre of wetlands can absorb up to 1.5 million gallons of water — more than 2.25 Olympic-sized swimming pools — protecting local communities from flooding. Moreover, by filtering water, wetlands trap pollutants underground, safeguarding water quality in coastal bays, sounds and estuaries.
Jamaica Bay’s wetlands are home to a variety of shellfish, about 100 species of fin fish, more than 350 species of birds, terrapin turtles and larger marine mammals like seals, dolphins and even whales. Unfortunately, 75 percent of Jamaica Bay’s salt marshes have disappeared over the past century, as a result of intense urbanization and other human activity.
But there is hope! More restoration projects are in the pipeline today than ever before. Conserving and restoring Jamaica Bay will take all of us. Join our efforts – whether at an ecological or cultural event, a stewardship day, a school field trip or recreational opportunity on the water. Our work would not be possible without the support of sponsors, partners and donations from conscientious community members. If you are able, please consider donating to keep up the momentum!
On Tap for 2025: Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy in the New Year
A new year is here, bringing fresh tidings and new friends to Jamaica Bay.
Migrating seal colonies from further north are finding refuge in Jamaica Bay, while snowy owls are being spotted at Shirley Chisholm State Park and distinctive winter water fowl are returning to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
Snowy Owl at Shirley Chisholm Park — Photo Courtesy of Caren Jahre
Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is immensely grateful to our communities and partners in Brooklyn and Queens for their commitment over the past year. Major accomplishments in 2024 across education, public programming, stewardship and workforce development are just a few of the things we’re thankful for:
JBRPC education programs grew by 40 percent in the 2023-2024 academic year, with more than 5,000 student interactions across 30 schools.
In 2024, JBRPC delivered 30 free programs across 25 parks, connecting with over 4,700 visitors and community members through arts, nature and recreation activities.
JBRPC removed 13 tons of trash and debris from 25 park sites across 170
miles of shoreline, engaging 1,000 volunteers alongside our staff
JBRPC Wetlands Fellows cleared 7,500 pounds of invasive plants from 4 acres of natural habitat, maintained 2 miles of public trails, and stewarded 80 acres of natural areas
In 2024, JBRPC advanced bold plans and preliminary designs to create a center for community & climate resilience at Floyd Bennett Field
In case you missed it, we encourage you to read more about this work in our 2024 Impact Report.
The outsized impact of our efforts — which would not be possible without the partnership from the National Park Service at Gateway National Recreation Area; New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation; and many other partners and supporters are inspiring us to do even more in 2025.
Our refreshed calendar also brings new programming from JBRPC and our partners. Some happenings we’re particularly excited for include:
January - May: Winter Park Pals sessions at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, in partnership with the National Park Service Rangers, our early childhood nature education program for young ones aged 0-6, and their caretakers
January 19: A retelling of the first crossing of the Atlantic by air, “First Across - Flight of the NC-4,” with a park ranger at Floyd Bennett Field.
February 8: Winter Birding at Shirley Chisholm State Park, organized by NYC Bird Alliance
February 22: - A cleanup on February 22 at Plumb Beach, in honor of World Wetlands Day
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Finally, our work would be impossible without donations from our generous supporters. If you are able, please consider a contribution today.