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Beautifying Broad Channel

Local eco-defenders unite


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The Broad Channel Civic Association (BCCA) teamed up with environmental groups and local volunteers to beautify the area on June 8.     

The Jamaica-Bay Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC), the Jamaica Bay Eco Watchers, and the Jamaica Bay Restoration Corps were all on hand to clean up several lots around Broad Channel and restore a number of native plants last Saturday.

“Years ago, when we did the land transfer—when the city sold the land to the people in Broad Channel—there were certain lots that were left out,” said Jamaica Bay EcoWatchers Chief, Dan Mundy Sr. “After that, these were just vacant city lots, but we petitioned to have the park’s department come and take them over.”

With the lots under Park’s control, Mundy and other Broad Channel residents struck a deal with the city which meant that locals would become the stewards of the sites, agreeing to keep the lots clean along with upkeep and yearly maintenance operations to remove debris and restore the native plants.

“It has to be done every year because during the winter months a lot of debris washes in,” Mundy explained. After the major cleanup operation on May 28, the latest operation is the first time that local organizations have been able to begin planting on this scale.

“We’re planting beach plum and bayberry,” JBRPC founder Alex Zablocki said, explaining that this had an aesthetic appeal, as well as a benefit to the natural surroundings. “They’re all native plants, and the beach plum are food for birds and also have a nice white flower on them.”

“Projects like these, using native plants, are important not only for restoration purposes but also for providing habitat and food for wildlife” Zablocki added. “And it’s great to see so many community partners out to help restore parkland like this”

Hans Walters, one of the local partners who came out to lend a hand to the planting, told The Wave that he was thrilled to see the community come together in this way and get the lots restored to a more natural state.

“I love this neighborhood, and I love the fact that so many people are so connected to nature and connected to maintaining this ecosystem,” Walters said. “This lot has needed some attention for a long time, and I’m just thrilled that a group has come together to do it.”

As well as dedicated community partners, many volunteers were members of the Jamaica Bay Restoration Corps, a group of high school and college students dedicated to restoring the natural wetlands around the bay.

“This is the first day for the Restoration Corps this summer,” said the Corps’ organizer and local Jamaica Bay expert Don Riepe. “We’re also going to be planting Sunset Cove, we’re going to be doing shoreline cleanups, and we’re planting Ruler’s and Black Wall Marsh.”

In addition to the funding from the JBRPC, Councilman Eric Ulrich’s office also provided funding to the replanting and cleanup project.

“The elected officials have been great,” Mundy said. “Everybody we’ve been working with has been great for this effort.”

 

 

 

 

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