ANNOUNCEMENTS
Eleven abandoned cars removed from Marine Park
December 13, 2018
ELEVEN BURNED CARS REMOVED FROM MARINE PARK
Part of a larger restoration effort in the Brooklyn Park
[Brooklyn, NY, December 13, 2018] Eleven burned cars were removed from the 133-acre natural area of Marine Park in Brooklyn this week. The cars were removed as part of an ongoing trail and natural habitat restoration project taking place in the Park, Brooklyn’s largest at over 800 acres.
The cars were removed by the Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC), a non-profit partner of NYC Parks. The work was made possible by a grant from The Nature Conservancy and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) to improve the park through a series of native tree and shrub plantings and trail improvements.
“Marine Park is one of only two locations in all of New York City that contains what is known as a coastal maritime forest,” said Sarah Charlop-Powers, Executive Director of the NAC. “Maritime forests provide habitat for rare native plant species, as well as an array of native animals and birds. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to help restore and protect this beautiful natural space, and grateful to our partners for their support,” Ms. Charlop-Powers said.
“Through a multi-year partnership with the Natural Areas Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy and NYC Parks, we are literally uncovering the natural beauty of Marine Park. As Brooklyn’s largest park, Marine Park hosts both recreational and natural areas. Over the decades, these areas have fallen victim to illegal dumping and overgrowth of invasive plants,” Alex Zablocki, Executive Director of JBRPC said. “Past work at the park has included removal of invasive plants, and planting of native shrubs and trees. Parks should be enjoyed for their natural beauty, and we are proud to partner with these fine organizations on the latest improvements to the park by removing eleven abandoned cars from the natural areas of Marine Park,” Zablocki concluded.
“It takes a team to do the heavy lifting for nature, and removing abandoned vehicles from Marine Park embodies that sentiment quite literally,” said Emily Nobel Maxwell, NYC Program Director for The Nature Conservancy in New York. “We are proud to partner with the Natural Areas Conservancy and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Park Conservancy on our concerted efforts to restore Marine Park as a space for all New Yorkers to enjoy and connect with nature.”
The oldest vehicle removed this week had Florida license plates dated 1990, while the newest was a 2017 Dodge van burned on December 11, 2018.
Created in 2012, the Natural Areas Conservancy is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with NYC Parks to improve New York City’s 10,000 acres of forest, marshes and wetlands to enhance the lives of all New Yorkers. www.naturalareasnyc.org
The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is a public-private partnership established in 2013 that is dedicated to improving the 10,000 acres of public parkland throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula for local residents and visitors alike. With its partners at the National Park Service and NYC Parks, JBRPC works to expand public access; Increase recreational and educational opportunities; Foster citizen stewardship and volunteerism; Preserve and restore natural areas, including wetland and wildlife habitat; Enhance cultural resources; And ensure the long-term sustainability of the parklands, including the development of the Science and Resilience Institute. www.jbrpc.org
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world's toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We are tackling climate change, conserving lands, waters and oceans at an unprecedented scale, providing food and water sustainably and helping make cities more sustainable. Working in 72 countries, we use a collaborative approach that engages local communities, governments, the private sector, and other partners. To learn more, visit www.nature.org or follow @nature_press on Twitter.
NEW DATE: Sunday, January 6 #Volunteers needed: #JamaicaBay Greenway and Plumb Beach Cleanup @jamaicabayguard @gatewaynps
Due to the weather, we have decided to change the date of this event to SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2019 at 10am.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
JAMAICA BAY GREENWAY AND PLUMB BEACH CLEANUP
Join the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, American Littoral Society, National Parks Conservation Association, Assemblywoman Jaime R. Williams and the National Park Service for the first park cleanup of the new year
NEW DATE: SUNDAY, JANUARY 6, 2019
10 AM – 12 PM
PLUMB BEACH AT
GATEWAY NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
Meet at the Plumb Beach parking lot
Belt Parkway East, Brooklyn
By bus, train or bike: Walk east along the Jamaica Bay Greenway from Knapp Street and Emmons Avenue approximately ½ mile to the Plumb Beach parking lot
Volunteers are asked to wear warm clothing and sturdy shoes. Hot beverages, gloves and bags will be provided.
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO RSVP, VISIT OUR EVENTBRITE PAGE.
QUESTIONS? EMAIL INFO@JBRPC.ORG OR CALL 347-690-0931.
New Year's Day Beachwalk with the American Littoral Society and NYC Audubon
Ring in the new year enjoying nature and our wonderful shoreline!
No reservation needed.
Join us for a cleanup & shoreline walk on Friday, November 23 @unitedbyblue @jamaicabayguard #bluemovement #bluefriday #blackfriday
This Black Friday we will be skipping the stores and heading to shores!
Join the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy & the American Littoral Society Northeast Chapter for a shoreline cleanup and walk at Jamaica Bay Park
Friday, November 23
10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Jamaica Bay Park
28-16 Edgewater Road, Far Rockaway, Queens
(at Faber Terrace and Granada Place)
In partnership with United by Blue, this Black Friday is Blue Friday: a day of DIY cleanups with friends and family nationwide. The cleanup will be followed by a walk on our new mile-long bayside trail running from Jamaica Bay Park to Bayswater Point State Park.
Bags, gloves and pickers will be provided to volunteers, but United by Blue have pre-assembled cleanup kits to make it easy to put one together! We encourage participants to order theirs by Thursday, November 14. Use promotional code: JBRPC at check out!
Imagine the impact we could make if all of us spent just one hour giving the outdoors some TLC on 11/23. Please RSVP by emailing us at: info@jbrpc.org.
EVENT POSTPONED: Flooding in the Rockaways: Strategies for Adaptation - free film screening and panel discussion October 11 at 6:30pm #climatesignalsnyc #Rockaway @climatemuseum
TO BE RESCHEDULED.
Flooding in the Rockaways: Strategies for Adaptation
What does it mean to call a water-edge city home in a time of extreme weather? How can our communities learn to live with rapidly rising seas? When might retreat make sense? Join us for a screening of short documentary Managed Retreat by Nathan Kensinger, followed by a panel discussion on the flooding challenges the Rockaways face and what we can do about them.
This event is presented by the Climate Museum and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, and is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided.
For more information on the panelists (Nathan Kensinger, Lisa Bova-Hiatt, and Alex Zablocki, as moderator) and to RSVP, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/flooding-in-the-rockaways-strategies-for-adaptation-tickets-50911097463
Breezy Point Beach Cleanup 9/23 - #Volunteers Needed @jamaicabayguard @gatewaynps @thewavenews @rockawaytimes #JamaicaBay #BreezyPoint #Rockaway
Breezy Point Beach Cleanup
Volunteers Needed
Sunday, September 23, 2018
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Breezy Point Tip, Gateway National Recreation Area
As part of International Coastal Cleanup Day, which took place on September 15, 2018, join the American Littoral Society - Northeast Chapter, the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and the Gateway National Recreation Area - National Park Service in a beach cleanup at Breezy Point Tip. Volunteers will meet at the fishing parking lot, Breezy Point Tip (Rockaway Point Boulevard and 4th Avenue, Breezy Point, Queens) at 11:00 AM.
Volunteers are encouraged to wear sturdy closed toe shoes, long pants, sunscreen and be prepared for the weather. Gloves, picks and bags will be provided. Water and snacks will be available on site.
Event rain or shine except for extreme weather.
**Limited parking on site; carpooling and accessing by the bike recommended.
Directions:
Travel west along Rockaway Point Boulevard; enter the Breezy Point Cooperative and continue along Rockaway Point Boulevard to the end (Breezy Point Tip, Gateway National Recreation Area). Parking in the fishing parking lot is limited.
RSVP here: https://www.facebook.com/events/285848132023392/ or by emailing info@jbrpc.org.
Free Jamaica Bay Pollinator Festival September 30 at 10AM @jamaicabayguard @nycaudubon #JamaicaBay #pollinatorfestival
Jamaica Bay Pollinator Festival
Sunday, September 30 ☼ 10am - 4pm
at the
Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
Join butterfly, bird, and nature enthusiasts for a day of activities at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Learn about butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, flies, hummingbirds, and a host of other wildlife that help pollinate the many species of wildflowers, food crops, and other plants that sustain life on planet Earth at the first ever Pollinator Festival at Jamaica Bay. Bring your binoculars (or borrow ours) and lots of curiosity! Free* and open to the public.
9:45am Meet at the Visitor Center for registration and complimentary coffee and doughnuts
10:00 Welcome Remarks from the National Park Service – Rick Jenkins, Chief Ranger
10:15 Pollinators of Jamaica Bay – Don Riepe, American Littoral Society
10:45 Life History of the Monarch – John E. Potente, Ph.D., Torrey Botanical Society
11:30 Monarch tagging and release – A Visit to the pollinator garden and new marsh overlook at the refuge
and hike around the refuge area to look for butterflies, day-flying moths, hummingbirds, and other pollinators – NPS, ALS and NYCA leaders
12:30pm Lunch—bring a bag lunch!—or drive to a nearby deli
1:30 Drive/Van to Fort Tilden to observe the annual migration of the Monarch Butterfly, hawks and other birds
3:30 Return to the Visitor Center for Q&A and complimentary juice and cookies
*Donations appreciated to help offset costs. Find out more at http://www.nycaudubon.org/pollinator-party-and-monarch-festival-2018. This event is a collaboration among NYC Audubon, Gateway National Recreation Area, the American Littoral Society—Jamaica Bay Guardian, and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy.
Directions: The Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center is located along Cross Bay Blvd in southern Queens approximately 2¼ miles south of Howard Beach and ¼ mile north of Broad Channel. Q52 and Q53 buses stop on Cross Bay Blvd at the Visitor Center parking entrance traffic signal. The 10-minute walk to the Visitor Center from the A train stop at Broad Channel is approximately ¾ mile.
Summer Fun at Rockaway Beach! #RockawaySummerFun
For more information, visit: http://www.jbrpc.org/summerfun
Rockaway! 2018: Narcissus Garden by Yayoi Kusama #RockawayKusama
ROCKAWAY! 2018: NARCISSUS
GARDEN BY YAYOI KUSAMA
JULY 1–SEPTEMBER 3, 2018
FORT TILDEN
MoMA PS1 presents Yayoi Kusama’s (Japan, b. 1929) site-specific installation of Narcissus Garden (1966–present) as the third iteration of Rockaway!, a free public art festival presented with Rockaway Artists Alliance, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, National Park Service, and Bloomberg Philanthropies in the Gateway National Recreation Area at Fort Tilden. Comprised of 1,500 mirrored stainless steel spheres, Narcissus Garden is on view in a former train garage that dates to the time when Fort Tilden was an active US military base. The mirrored metal surfaces reflect the industrial surroundings of the now-abandoned building, drawing attention to Fort Tilden’s history as well as the devastating damage inflicted on many buildings in the area by Hurricane Sandy in 2012.
Narcissus Garden was first presented in 1966, when Kusama staged an unofficial installation and performance at the 33rd Venice Biennale. The silver spheres, originally made from plastic, were installed on the lawn in front of the Italian Pavilion, reflecting the landscape of the exhibition grounds. Kusama herself stood among them, barefoot and dressed in a gold kimono, alongside yard signs inscribed with the words “Narcissus Garden, Kusama” and “Your Narcissism for Sale.” Throughout the opening day of the exhibition, Kusama remained in the installation, tossing the spheres in the air and offering to sell them to visitors for 1,200 lire (approximately $2) each. The action, which was viewed both as self-promotion and a critique on the commercialization of contemporary art, would later be seen as a pivotal moment in Kusama’s career as she transitioned from installation toward the radical, politically charged public performances that would be the focus of her work in the late 1960s in New York City.
The performances that followed the first presentation of Narcissus Garden became increasingly more elaborate and regularly involved multiple participants. Kusama often staged these happenings in or near New York City parks and cultural landmarks, including Body Festival (1967) in Tompkins Square Park and Washington Square Park, Love In Festival (1968) and Bust Out Happening (1969) in Central Park, and Grand Orgy to Awaken the Dead (1968) in the sculpture garden of The Museum of Modern Art. Iterations of Narcissus Garden have since been presented worldwide.
The installation of Narcissus Garden is accompanied by an exhibition in the neighboring Rockaway Artist Alliance gallery that charts the history of Rockaway! and the ongoing work of the Rockaway Artist Alliance.
Hours and Admission
Free and open to the public Friday through Sunday, 12:00–6:00 p.m., and on July 4 (Independence Day) and September 3 (Labor Day), 12:00–6:00 p.m.
Directions
Fort Tilden (169 State Road) is accessible by the Q22 and Q35 buses, the A train/shuttle to 116th St, via NYC Ferry from Wall Street/Pier 11 (from Manhattan) or Brooklyn Army Terminal (from Brooklyn), and via bicycle. Parking is available at adjacent Riis Park, or on-site by requesting a temporary permit from an RAA representative at the sTudio7 main desk.
See the exact location of Rockaway! 2018 in Google maps.
For more information, please visit: https://www.moma.org/rockaway