Established in October, 2002 with a grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the Jamaica Bay Guardian is a watchdog and restoration program run by the NE Chapter of the American Littoral Society.
Established in October, 2002 with a grant from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, the Jamaica Bay Guardian is a watchdog and restoration program run by the NE Chapter of the American Littoral Society.
Since its inception, chapter director Don Riepe and volunteers have organized many marsh cleanups and removed tons of floatable debris from the bay. As part of "Operation Clean Bay" they have helped identify and remove over 300 derelict boats from shorelines and reported wetland violations to the NYSDEC police. In 2008, they were instrumental in getting 2 large abandoned barges removed from Barbadoes Basin. The guardian boat "Oystercatcher" is used to patrol the bay to look for pollution problems, derelict boats and wetland violators and is helpful in conducting winter waterfowl counts, breeding bird surveys, horseshoe crab monitoring and marsh restoration cleanups on bay islands.
Every Earth Day ( around April 22) and International Coastal Cleanup ( Day ( late September) guardian volunteers organi ze and participate in major cleanup and planting operations at several sites around Jamaica Bay. In 2006, over 100 people removed large clusters of old docks, piers and timbers from Four Sparrow Marsh in Mill Basin. In 2007 and 2008, volunteers removed 9 large dumpsters worth of plastics, styrofoam, bottles, cans, wood and other debris from the beach, dunes and marsh at Plum Beach, a National Park Service site located near Sheepshead Bay. They also planted over 1,000 native trees and shrubs in upland areas along the marsh edge as well as many culms of beach and marsh grass at the site.
Another guardian program includes building nest boxes for tree swallows, wrens, kestrels and barn owls as well as platforms for ospreys. Each winter and early spring boxes are repaired or replaced as needed. During the nesting season boxes are monitored and young birds are banded for future reference and information.
As an experienced naturalist and educator, Don Riepe presents many programs to school groups and the general public each year. Both he and veteran marine biologist Mickey Maxwell Cohen lead guided walks and sunset cruises for the National Park Service at Jamaica Bay sites. To learn more about the guardian program and/or volunteer at restoration cleanups, call (718) 318-9344; e-mail: driepe@nyc.rr.com.