Join us in sharing the shore!
Did you know that NYC Parks reserves one mile of Rockaway Beach to protect and monitor endangered beach-nesting birds? These birds include piping plovers, American oystercatchers, common terns, and black skimmers, who visit the beach each year to nest and raise their chicks. These birds are sensitive to human impact, which is often unintentional, as the eggs and chicks are expertly camouflaged into the sand and hard for humans to spot.
This spring, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC), the New York City Parks Department (NYC Parks), and the NYC Plover Project partnered with local elementary students on year four of the “Share the Shore” campaign. This art and advocacy campaign gives voice to local students on behalf of vulnerable beach-nesting sea and shorebirds that travel thousands of miles to raise young in their communities, while also stressing public access to these neighborhood-based natural areas. The program aims to balance healthy outdoor activities and awareness of our shorelines as shared space with wildlife. This year’s campaign included fourth graders from P.S./M.S. 43 The School by the Sea, PS 197 The Ocean School, and Peninsula Preparatory Academy Charter School in Rockaway.
After students learned about the birds, their Rockaway Beach nesting habitat, and the daily threats they face while on our local shore, they created informative artwork highlighting the four species, along with an original conservation message. Students also learned about a local public service campaign, the Respect Campaign, a partnership between JBRPC and Surfrider NYC that is dedicated to protecting New York City’s beloved beaches, shorelines, and natural areas in Rockaway and Jamaica Bay. Students were inspired by some messages most relevant to the Rockaway Beach Endangered Species Nesting Area (RBESNA), pictured below.
share the shore gallery
Student artwork is printed on signage, which will be displayed along New York City Park’s Rockaway Boardwalk, and in the Gateway National Recreation Area at Jacob Riis Beach. These selections and other favorites can also be viewed in our digital gallery below!
PS 43Q
peninsula preparatory academy
PS 197 Q
Many thanks to the wonderful teachers and creative students who made this program a success! If you are interested in scheduling a Share the Shore education program please email education@jbrpc.org.
Want to learn more about how you can protect our local beach-nesting birds? Visit NYC Audubon’s Share the Shore and NYC Plover Project.