A public-private partnership dedicated to improving public parklands throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula

Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is a public-private partnership established in 2013 dedicated to improving 10,000 acres of public parklands throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula, 18,000 acres of open water and marshlands within Jamaica Bay itself, and 12 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches along the Rockaway peninsula. With its partners at the National Park Service, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, JBRPC works to expand public access to parks; increase recreational and educational opportunities; foster community stewardship and volunteerism; preserve and restore natural areas, including wetlands and wildlife habitat; enhance cultural resources; and ensure the long-term sustainability of the parklands for local residents and visitors alike.

Two hundred interns remove litter and maritime debris bettering the beach for the community and wildlife that live at Plumb Beach.

JBRPC's youngest becoming dedicated stewards at Floyd Bennett Field nursery.

Volunteers remove 1110 lbs of debris during the Annual New York State Beach Cleanup.

Planting beach grass plugs in Rockaway provides shoreline protection to coastal communities.

Volunteers remove debris from Plumb Beach.

Volunteers plant beach grass to stabilize the dunes in Rockaway, which protects the shoreline from storm surges.

After a hard day's work of tending to an acre of the beach grass nursery at Floyd Bennett Field, volunteers smile for the camera.

Volunteers spruce up a building with a fresh coat of paint at American Ballfields Park.

The entire family can get involved at the Floyd Bennett Field nursery.

Volunteers eager to paint the buildings at Plumb Beach.

Beach grass is planted in rows on the Rockaway dunes to stabilize the sand and make the coast more resilient.

Beach cleanups provide an important chance to learn about the coastal and marine environments as well as the species that inhabit these spaces.

Volunteers remove 7,000 lbs of asphalt from American Ballfields Park.

Volunteers comb the beach during a Plumb Beach cleanup.

Volunteers remove maritime debris from Plumb Beach.

Dunes buffer ocean waves and protect the coast and coastal communities from storms and sea level rise.

Volunteers remove 44 bags of debris during the Annual NY State Beach Cleanup Day.

Volunteers plant beach grass on the dunes in Rockaway, fortifying the coast against sea-level rise.

Volunteers remove 2,500 lbs of trash from American Ballfields Park.

Beach grass provides necessary coastal protection to neighboring communities.

Volunteers remove 450 lbs of large-scale debris from Plumb Beach.

Jamaica Bay is a breeding ground for horseshoe crabs; however, asphalt blocks the wildlife from coming ashore and laying eggs. By removing these obstacles, the bay makes progress in restoring its natural habitats and ecosystems.

Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Restoration Corps members clean Plumb Beach so that visitors have a safe path to the sand.

Beach grass plays an important role in fortifying the dunes.

Volunteers at Plumb Beach learn about the wildlife and habitats they help to restore.

A volunteer plants beach grass on the dunes in Rockaway.

Volunteers coat the Plumb Beach Roundhouse with fresh paint.

It is ideal to plant beach grass during its dormancy period from November through the end of March, provided the sand is not frozen.

Volunteers plant beach grass at the 3.25-acre nursery at Floyd Bennett Field.

Twenty-thousand culms of beach grass will provide additional coastal protection to the Rockaway peninsula.

Volunteers proudly pose with the beach grass culms they have planted on the Rockaway dunes.

A before and after photograph of the Rockaway dunes after a hard day's work of planting beach grass.

A volunteer prepares to plant a bundle of beach grass culms on the dunes in Rockaway.

Upcoming Events and Programs

Announcements

Featured

Oct 10, 2024

New York State Commits $350,000 to Sustain the Health of Natural Spaces Around Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway Peninsula

Oct 10, 2024

Sep 30, 2024

Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy Honored for Community Service

Sep 30, 2024

The first-ever Floyd Bennett Field! Public Arts Festival, a free family-friendly weekend-long event, celebrated the park’s rich history and vibrant future as a destination for millions.

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The Fellowship is a paid 6-month workforce development and job training program for young adults (ages 18–25) focused on skills related to wetlands maintenance, monitoring, and restoration.

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Historical photos from the Rockaways and Jamaica Bay