Improving public parklands throughout

JAMAICA BAY AND THE ROCKAWAY PENINSULA

Who are we?

As a unique public-private partnership that works across city, state and federal agencies, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) was established in 2013 to bring together diverse community stakeholders, elected officials, academic researchers and others toward a common goal: improving public parklands for enjoyment and ecosystem health.

Jamaica Bay is New York City’s largest and most ecologically productive open space — an unparalleled oasis of nature covering 44 square miles of open water, tidal wetlands, and coastal parklands altogether twice the size of Manhattan — that directly serves more than 1 million New Yorkers who live in adjacent neighborhoods and more than 3 million who live within its catchment area in southeastern Brooklyn and Queens.

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

Featured

Stargazing with Amateur Astronomers Association

Jul 11

Jul 11, 2025

Stargazing with Amateur Astronomers Association

Jul 11, 2025

Jul 12

Jul 12, 2025

Jamaica Bay Festival

Jul 12, 2025

Announcements and Blog Posts

Featured

Jul 7, 2025

JAMAICA BAY-ROCKAWAY PARKS CONSERVANCY HOSTS 8TH ANNUAL “JAMAICA BAY FESTIVAL” ON CITY OF WATER DAY

Jul 7, 2025

Jun 13, 2025

“Innovation and Action in Jamaica Bay: A State of the Bay Event” Explored Natured-Based Solutions and Resilience in New York City’s Largest Natural Area

Jun 13, 2025

The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy will host the 8th
Annual Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day, Saturday, July 12, 2025. The Jamaica Bay Festival is a free, fun, family event taking place in Brooklyn and Queens.

Learn more

Our 6-Month workforce development program, the Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship cares for Jamaica Bay while training the next generation of environmental management experts. Our Wetlands Fellows stewarded 80 acres over 21 park sites in 2024.

Learn more

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Historical photos from the Rockaways and Jamaica Bay