Press Release: Jamaica Bay Festival

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 15, 2023

Brooklyn and Queens, New York 

JAMAICA BAY FESTIVAL

The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy is hosting the 6th Annual Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day, Saturday, July 15, 2023.

(NEW YORK – July 11, 2023) The Jamaica Bay Festival is a free, fun, family-friendly event taking place in Brooklyn and Queens. The Festival celebrates the unparalleled recreational opportunities and the natural beauty of this urban tidal estuary. Participants can enjoy free kayaking, fishing, surfing, hiking, bird watching, art, nature, and more. This year, JBRPC is partnering with 36 local community groups to host 39 events from morning ‘til night!

The Jamaica Bay Festival provides an opportunity for participants to engage in a wide variety of recreational and educational activities. Visitors and community members alike will enjoy improved access to the Bay as we activate the waterfront from vast natural areas to playgrounds to Jamaica Bay's marsh islands. JBRPC is leading the effort to strengthen Jamaica Bay communities through healthy, outdoor activities that support education and stewardship through recreation.

"Approximately 3 million New Yorkers live around Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula -- an area that also includes over 10,000 acres of public parklands, 12 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches, and 18,000 acres of open water, marsh islands, and fringe marsh wetlands" said Terri Carta, Executive Director of Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. "Reconnecting with our waterfront has never been more important, whether for recreational activities, learning opportunities, health and wellness, jobs, or arts and culture. The Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day presents an unparalleled collection of community-led events focused on connecting people with the vast natural and cultural resources of the area. More than 36 local partners will welcome new and regular audiences to partake in the diverse activities that make Jamaica Bay and Rockaway unique. There's free fun for the whole family, from the annual kayak parade in the morning to a movie screening on the Boardwalk in the evening. Join us for a day of fun!"

“I applaud the Jamaica Bay Festival for its observance of City Water Day. The 6th annual Jamaica Bay Festival on July 15th, 2023 marks a continued commitment by government, non-profits and the private sector to not just celebrate but cherish natural areas such as Fresh Creek and Jamaica Bay,” said State Senator Roxanne J. Persaud. “The net benefit for SD 19 constituents is the ability to interact with nature and appreciate the area in all its glory.”

New York Assemblywoman Jaime Williams said, “I am proud to be a supporter of JPRPC and to participate again in the Jamaica Bay Festival. JPRPC is a vital organization dedicated to protecting and preserving our waterways and aquatic life. They also educate our communities about the importance of maintaining and understanding our natural resources and the beauty of Jamaica Bay. I look forward to all the events scheduled in the city, especially those in the 59th Assembly District.

“Jamaica Bay is a vital part of District 32, and it is amazing to see it celebrated with this festival year after year,” NYC Councilwoman Joann Ariola said. “All too often, we tend to take for granted just how amazing this body of water really is. This event helps to remind us just how lucky we are to live on the shores of Jamaica Bay, and also just how much the Bay really provides us and adds to our lives.”

“The Jamaica Bay Festival is a celebration of one of New York’s most beautiful natural features,” said NYC Council Member Selvena N. Brooks-Powers. “I am grateful for organizations like Edgemere Alliance and Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy that help steward our urban environment, and I’m proud to support this wonderful event.”

“The Jamaica Bay Festival opens a host of wonderful outdoor activities to New Yorkers right here in District 46. Thanks to the work and advocacy of the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy these beautiful outdoor spaces, right in our backyard, are maintained and made accessible to all to use, enjoy and explore. I look forward to a fun festival full of happiness and enjoyment of one of the jewels of our city, Jamaica Bay” said NYC Council Member Mercedes Narcisse.

“The Jamaica Bay Festival is an opportunity for diverse communities living along the Jamaica Bay shore, to gather, engage and connect with the community for some fun in the sun and water recreational activities in our own backyard. The Garden by the Bay is happy to be a part of this wonderful annual festival, celebrating the vibrancy and beauty of the majestic Jamaica Bay and its local estuary ecosystem,” said Jackie Rogers, President of The Garden by the Bay and Edgemere Alliance.

Harold Paez, Community Boathouse said, “The Community Boathouse is proud to support the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy with this year's Jamaica Bay Festival. This national park space is a unique natural resource within the urban environment of NYC. The wildlife, marshlands, and waterways of this area provide a vital connection between the public and our natural environment. The Jamaica Bay Festival is a celebration of these beautiful resources available to the public year round, and we're looking forward to a wonderful day of activities with participants from all over the city.

Beth Eller, Commodore, Sebago Canoe Club said, “Sebago Canoe Club has been a City of Water Day - Jamaica Bay Festival participant since its inception. Every year our members look forward to inviting the community to join us on guided paddling or rowing excursions on the protected waters of Paerdegat Basin. The basin is our home waterway and an ideal jumping off point for exploring the rest of Jamaica Bay, a unique urban wildlife refuge. It's an opportunity to provide the community access to the water that surrounds them.”

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The Jamaica Bay Festival is made possible through partnership with government agencies, non-profit organizations and businesses throughout Jamaica Bay in both Brooklyn and Queens. The Festival is generously supported, in part, by the Hudson River Foundation, New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program, Waterfront Alliance, and ConEdison. NYC Ferry is the official transportation sponsor of the Jamaica Bay Festival.

Additional public funding is provided through the offices of NYC Council Members Joann Ariola, Mercedes Narcisse, and Selvena Brooks-Powers, and New York Assembly Members Jaime Williams and Stacey Pheffer-Amato.

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About Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy:

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

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Contact: Elizabeth Stoehr, JBRPC Assistant Director, elizabeth@jbrpc.org, 703-597-8378

Website: JamacaBayFestival.com | Instagram: @jbrpc | Facebook: @JBRPConservancy | Twitter: @JBRPC | #CityOfWaterDay #JamaicaBayFestival

JBRPC Featured on Global Heroes

Explore the Natural and Historical Attractions of Jamaica Bay and Rockaway

We are pleased to have been featured by Global Heroes talking about our work in Jamaica Bay and Rockaway!

New York City is known for its bustling urban landscape, but many people are surprised to learn that the city is also home to an unparalleled oasis of nature—Jamaica Bay. Covering 26 square miles, Jamaica Bay is the city’s largest open space in the very backyard of millions of New Yorkers. More than 10,000 acres of public parklands and beaches surround the Bay and Rockaway Peninsula, offering a haven for hundreds of species of plants and animals and providing recreational opportunities for locals and visitors alike…

Read the full article at https://www.globalheroes.com/jamaica-bay-rockaway-parks-conservancy/

Celebrating Ten Years!

JBRPC Celebrates its 10-year Anniversary

Happy 10th Anniversary, JBRPC!

JBRPC turns ten today, April 29, and we're excited to celebrate with all of YOU, our supporters, followers, and staunch advocates for the parks and ecosystems of Jamaica Bay and Rockaway!

JBRPC was conceived in response to a need for a public-private partnership to support the National, City and State park agencies that collectively manage more than 10,000 acres of public parklands around the Bay and Rockaway peninsula. With a mission focused on park improvements and public stewardship, JBRPC grew up with Superstorm Sandy recovery efforts and the need to increase community and climate resilience. 

Over the last ten years JBRPC has removed more than 35 tons of trash and debris from shorelines and parks, planted more than 350,000 native plants and trees, hosted more than 100,000 people at public programs and events -- including our signature Jamaica Bay Festival and Discover Jamaica Bay tour series. We've organized more than 200 stewardship events that drew support from more than 3,000 dedicated volunteers, and welcomed more than 10,000 students into our environmental education programs. We created the Rockaway! Public Arts Festival, featuring works by artists Patti Smith, Katharina Grosse, and Yayoi Kusama. We supported planning for Shirley Chisholm State Park at the former Penn and Fountain Landfills, and managed the planning, design and construction of a 2,400-linear foot living shoreline at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. Rounding out our first decade, earlier this year we launched the Jamaica Bay Wetlands Fellowship to train the next generation of wetlands managers and advance nature-based solutions and the jobs to sustain them over the long-term.

All of this was accomplished through the dedication and tenacity of a small but mighty team; current members pictured above. JBRPC is ever-grateful for past and current employees, Board members, volunteers, and partners who have tirelessly worked alongside us for the betterment of our beaches and Bay. We're proud of the many robust partnerships that have been developed along the way with community groups, elected officials, supporters, and our incredible partners in government.

Looking ahead to the next decade, JBRPC is poised and uniquely positioned to build on prior success to realize greater impact in our public parklands. Work is already underway to expand our education programs for younger students and family audiences, increase stewardship opportunities and grow our Wetlands Fellowship program, and transform Floyd Bennett Field into a hub for community and climate resilience. 

I'm proud to be part of this incredible team and community, and proud to work alongside all of you, our friends, supporters, and partners.

Thank you for an incredible ten years, Jamaica Bay and Rockaway! And "cheers" to many more ahead!

Terri Carta

Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy

Public Comment: NYNJHATS

NEW YORK-NEW JERSEY HARBOR AND TRIBUTARIES STUDY DRAFT INTEGRATED FEASIBILITY AND TIER 1 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT

The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy has submitted a public comment on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' New York-New Jersey Harbor and Estuary Tributaries Study (NYNJHATS) Draft Integrated Feasibility and Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement.

We believe more data, modeling and alternatives analysis is needed to gain confidence that the tentatively selected plan will work as outlined. We have raised concerns in the following areas:

1. More analysis is needed on the effectiveness of the proposed Jamaica Bay storm surge barrier, and associate shore-based features.

2. More nature-based solutions are needed as a way to manage storm surge and provide co-benefits - from fighting climate change to enhancing communities.

3. New alternatives are needed that address frequent storms and flooding, beyond the 1% annual chance of 100-year events.

4. The benefit-cost analysis needs to be expanded to include ecosystem services and community benefits.

5. New alternatives are needed that reduce the impact to public parklands in Jamaica Bay and Rockaway.

6. More information is needed on the assumed operation of the Jamaica Bay storm surge barrier.

Click here to view JBRPC’s full comment.

JBRPC City Cleanup Corps Revitalizes Plumb Beach

New York City Cleanup Corps Revitalizes Plumb Beach with the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy and Assemblymember Williams

Plumb Beach just got a whole lot cleaner, thanks to the help of the New York City Cleanup Corps (CCC), the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC), and New York State Assemblymember Jaime R. Williams, A.D. 59.

Since April 2021, the City Cleanup Corps, Mayor de Blasio’s New Deal-inspired economic recovery program, has hired thousands of New Yorkers to revitalize public spaces and parks throughout the five boroughs.  In partnership with the City of New York and JCC of Greater Coney Island, JBRPC is hosting eight City Cleanup Corps Fellows through [insert last month of fellowship]. Starting in [first month of fellowship] 2021, Fellows have been assigned to refresh and revitalize federal, state and city parkland and shorelines throughout Brooklyn and Queens.

Within two weeks between September and October 2021, the Conservancy's CCC Fellows transformed Plumb Beach, which is a part of Gateway National Recreation Area and NYC Parks. CCC Fellows removed sand and debris from sidewalks and under benches, cleaned and painted benches and fencing, repainted defaced properties, and stenciled and repainted the iconic Plumb Beach Roundhouse.

"Thanks to the hard work of these City Cleanup Corps Fellows, Plumb Beach is more inviting than ever. Graffiti has been removed and walkways are now accessible. Benches are clean and painted, and fellows removed harmful trash and invasive plants throughout the park," Alex Zablocki, Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy said.

The Conservancy was joined by Assemblymember Williams to help restore Plumb Beach.

"A ray of color once again blossoms in Plumb Beach," said Assemblymember Jaime R. Williams. “This project is not just adding color and beauty to our park but it is imparting the importance of taking care of our community, which in turn can help to inspire the next generation.”

NYC Parks and the National Park Service provided support and supplies to help make the project a success.

"The City Cleanup Corps have proven to be an invaluable asset as we work towards recovery throughout the five boroughs,” said NYC Parks Commissioner Gabrielle Fialkoff. “Parks was happy to support the Jamaica Bay Corps members to keep our clean shorelines clean and inviting spaces for New Yorkers and visitors alike to enjoy."

The New York City Cleanup Corps is revitalizing neighborhoods and public spaces across the five boroughs while creating 10,000 jobs for New York City residents. Jobs with flexible hours and competitive hourly rates are still available. Learn more and apply today at https://nyc.gov/ccc.

The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is a public-private partnership established in 2013 that is dedicated to improving the 10,000 acres of public parkland throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula for local residents and visitors alike. With its partners at the National Park Service, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, JBRPC works to expand public access; increase recreational and educational opportunities; foster citizen stewardship and volunteerism; preserve and restore natural areas, including wetland and wildlife habitat; enhance cultural resources; and ensure the long-term sustainability of the parklands. For more information you can visit www.jbrpc.org.

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NANCY BAKER CAHILL “LIBERTY BELL” AN AUGMENTED REALITY PUBLIC ART PROJECT

NANCY BAKER CAHILL “LIBERTY BELL”

AN AUGMENTED REALITY PUBLIC ART PROJECT

COMMISSIONED BY ART PRODUCTION FUND

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 7G FOUNDATION and the JAMAICA BAY-ROCKAWAY PARKS CONSERVANCY

The Rockaway Hotel is the official project hub for Liberty Bell in Rockaway, NY

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TO EXPERIENCE THE ARTWORK: Download the FREE 4th Wall app from the App Store or Google Play, using Wifi. The app works on iPhones 6s and above (iOS11 and up), any iPad with AR capability, and Androids with AR Core. Free wifi and tablets will be available for public use at select locations . Free wifi is available at The Rockaway Hotel. Once downloaded, be sure to "Allow Access" to photos, microphone, camera and location. Be sure device sound is on. The 4th Wall app does not collect any user data.

DIRECTIONS FOR VIEWING THE ARTWORK:

Shirley Chisholm State Park: Enter the Fountain Avenue, Brooklyn, entrance of the park either by walking, bike or car (limited parking). Enter the park and follow signs toward Fountain Pier, facing the open Jamaica Bay. The drawing will appear over the water. The artwork is also viewable from the Skybowl at the park. Note: this is a remote location, roughly a ten-fifteen minute walk from the parking area. This site is wheelchair accessible.
Rockaway Ferry Landing: Enter Beach Channel Drive at Beach 108t h Street, Rockaway Beach, and position yourself to the left of the Rockaway Ferry landing at the water's edge. Drawing will appear over Jamaica Bay. This site is wheelchair accessible.

Rockaway Beach at Beach 108th Street: The Rockaway Beach boardwalk at Beach 108th Street and Shore Front Parkway, and head slightly left toward the dunes and water. Drawing will appear over the ocean. This site is wheelchair accessible.
Fort Tilden: Battery Harris East: Enter the park and head toward the Rockaway Artists Alliance Studio 7 Gallery (Murray Road and Hero Road, Breezy Point). Head west down Murray Road toward Battery Harris East, an abandoned military installation, and directly face the battery; drawing will appear overhead. Parking is not available at the park. Note: This is a remote location, roughly a ten minute walk from the gallery. Wheelchair accessible from the Rockaway Artist Alliance gallery only.

**Duration of the work is approximately 1 minute 30 seconds,
and it is recommended that viewers experience the full animation with sound.**

When viewing the work please adhere to all social distancing guidelines as instructed by the CDC.

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Artist Nancy Baker Cahill will unveil “ Liberty Bell ” , a new public art project utilizing augmented reality, presented simultaneously in six cities in the United States: Boston, MA, Charleston, SC, Philadelphia, PA, Rockaway, NY, Selma, AL, and Washington, DC. Liberty Bell will be on view from July 4, 2020.

Commissioned by Art Production Fund, in partnership with 7G Foundation and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy , a project of the Fund for the City of New York, Liberty Bell is an animated, monumental and richly sonorous augmented reality (AR) drawing in 360 degrees. The public artwork will be geolocated at a series of sites and experienced on smartphones through Baker Cahill’sfree 4thWalla pp .Thisproject,whichistwoyearsinthemaking,livesatthevibrantintersectionofpublicart,social consciousness and tech.

In this polarized and tumultuous election year many concerns persist around the founding principles of American freedom and democracy. Inequality, structural racism, injustice, and the ability to vote are chief among them. Inspired by the original cracked Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, the drawing hovers beyond viewers, swaying with the rich and layered sound of bells tolling. The Liberty Bell soundscape morphs from the rhythmic lulling of a tolling bell, into a harmonious and dissonant sequence of ringing as it becomes increasingly unpredictable and arrhythmic. Ranging from analog to synthetic, the sounds were compiled from a diverse array of historical moments and locations. The richly textured brushstrokes and bell sounds resemble loosely knitted threads that unravel and come together in an uncomfortable, but cohesive moment. They reflect the evolution and transformation of liberty over time into the complex reality we face today. Baker Cahill chose July 4, known as Independence Day, as a launch date to advocate for justice, civil rights and freedom in the U.S..

AR is impermanent, ephemeral, invisible to the naked eye and leaves no environmental trace. It is accessible to a broad audience through the ubiquitous use of smartphones and tablets. Community programming will be organized online and in-person when possible. Programming will include topical conversations by cultural leaders and community members from all 6 cities as they relate to current events. Providing a platform for conversation and access to the artwork is a crucial component of this project.

"From its origins in American history, “liberty” was only available to a certain demographic and came at great expense to others. You can’t have a conversation about freedom and not talk about the history of slavery and inequality in the United States. A bell can be a warning or a celebration; something spiritual or a wordless means of communication. In an age of pandemic, surveillance, injustice and disinformation, who is actually free? That’s the conversation we need to have." - Nancy Baker Cahill, Artist

“We are thrilled to present Liberty Bell in six different US cities this summer. While adhering to social distancing guidelines, it feels crucial to bring this important artwork safely to the public. Through a visual and sonic AR experience, Baker Cahill gives viewers the opportunity to reflect upon their personal experiences of liberty, freedom, injustice and inequality. We are honored to present this poignant work during such a remarkable time.” - Casey Fremont, Executive Director, Art Production Fund.

In Rockaway, New York , Liberty Bell c overs four separate sites and will feature the original Liberty Bell drawing, as well as a companion AR artwork created exclusively for The Rockaways . The Rockaways companion drawing will be geolocated over the Atlantic Ocean and visible from Rockaway beach and the rooftop of The Rockaway Hotel (opening Summer 2020), as well as along the ruins remaining at Fort Tilden. This particular composition appears as an abstracted wave with a soundscape of a single bell tolling. The Rockaways drawing, thematically connected to the first, considers liberty as it relates to site specific climate change.

“The Rockaway Hotel is thrilled to sponsor this dynamic project. We believe that art can be the connective tissue of a community and through our community partnerships we hope to provide new opportunities for cultural enrichment to visitors and locals alike.” - Michi Jigarjian, Partner and Chief Social Impact Officer, The Rockaway Hotel

“JBRPC’s commitment to free public art in Jamaica Bay and Rockaway parks has allowed countless visitors to experience unique works of art in our parks since 2013. We are delighted to partner this summer with Art Production Fund and Nancy Baker Cahill on this cutting-edge exhibition. Baker Cahill’s Liberty Bell will allow park visitors to experience an augmented reality artwork, curated specifically for a number of Rockaway parks, and reflect on the natural beauty of these spaces along with accompanying sound,” - Alex Zablocki, Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy.

Liberty Bell weaves a common thread between all six cities underscoring our interconnectedness and shared cultural inheritance. These historically significant and charged locations comprise an unprecedented activation spanning the Eastern seaboard of the United States. Art Production Fund is pleased to present alongside the following local partners:

LOCAL PARTNERS: Boston, MA: Boston Children’s Museum, Boston Cyberarts, Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston Harbor Now; Charleston, SC: Center for Heir’s Property Preservation; Philadelphia, PA: A ssociation for Public Art (aPA); Rockaway, NY: 7G Foundation, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, The Rockaway Hotel, National Parks Service, NYC Parks, New York State Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation, Rockaway Artists Alliance; Selma, AL: Brown Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church; Washington, DC : Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

NANCY BAKER CAHILL: Nancy Baker Cahill is a multidisciplinary artist and the Founder and Creative Director of 4th Wall , a free Augmented Reality (AR) public art platform. Through 4th Wall , she initiated Coordinates , an ongoing series of curated & site-specific AR public art exhibitions, including Defining Line in Los Angeles and Battlegrounds in New Orleans. She received an “Impact Maker to Watch” award at LA City Hall and was named by the LA Times as one of the 2019 Faces of the Year, ARTS. She is one of ten artist scholars in the Berggruen Institute’s inaugural 2020 Transformations of the Human Fellowship.

ART PRODUCTION FUND is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to commissioning and producing ambitious public art projects, reaching new audiences and expanding awareness through contemporary art. Past projects include: Elmgreen & Dragset,“Prada Marfa,” Valentine, TX, Ugo Rondinone, “Seven Magic Mountains,” Las Vegas, Jeff Koons, “Seated Ballerina,” Rockefeller Plaza, NYC, Zoe Buckman, “CHAMP,” LA; Raul de Nieves “When I Look In To Your Eyes I See the Sun,” Miami; Lucy Sparrow “Lucy’s Delicatessen on 6t h ,” Rockefeller Center, NYC. For more information, please visit artproductionfund.org / @artproductionfund

7|G FOUNDATION champions organizations and individuals that challenge inequality in human rights, education, art and culture. By partnering with organizations, artists and community facilitators we seek to build strong community bonds that elevate local culture, while supporting cultural change founded upon our core values of social impact and sustainability.

THE JAMAICA BAY-ROCKAWAY PARKS CONSERVANCY (JBRPC) is a public-private partnership established in 2013 that is dedicated to improving the 10,000 acres of public parkland throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula for local residents and visitors alike. With its partners at the National Park Service, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, JBRPC works to expand public access; increase recreational and educational opportunities; foster citizen stewardship and volunteerism; preserve and restore natural areas, including wetland and wildlife habitat; enhance cultural resources; and ensure the long-term sustainability of the parklands. JBRPC is a project of the Fund for the City of New York, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information, please visit www.jbrpc.org / @jbrpc

Special thanks to Anna Luisa Petrisko for her help with sound design, and to the team at Drive Studios.

For more information and details on public programs please visit www.artproductionfund.org

#LibertyBellAR @ArtProductionFund @NancyBakerCahill

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MEDIA INQUIRIES:

Kathleen Lynch, Director of Operations, Art Production Fund

kathleen@artproductionfund.org

Free online viewings of the documentary film, Saving Jamaica Bay

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 6, 2020

 Contact:
Alex Zablocki
347-690-0931
alex@jbrpc.org

JAMAICA BAY-ROCKAWAY PARKS CONSERVANCY & FILMMAKER
TEAM UP TO OFFER FREE ONLINE VIEWINGS OF “SAVING JAMAICA BAY”
TO STUDENTS, TEACHERS & ALL NEW YORKERS 

Teaching valuable lessons about the environment from a local perspective, film is a perfect tool for hundreds of thousands of parents and educators seeking quality educational content they can view from home

Rockaway, Queens – Jamaica Bay is home to Gateway National Recreation Area encompassing former military bases, New York City’s first municipal airport, marsh islands and wetlands, and the National Park Service’s only self-operated wildlife refuge – also accessible by subway.  What you may not know is that Jamaica Bay has a fascinating history and that it took a concerted effort to restore it and create a national urban park.  

Starting today through May 1, 2020, New Yorkers can learn more about Jamaica Bay by watching for free the award-winning documentary film Saving Jamaica Bay at www.jbrpc.org/video or directly by visiting https://vimeo.com/403735894. Educators can also arrange for videoconferences with the filmmakers and Jamaica Bay advocates by contacting the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy at info@jbrpc.org.

Saving Jamaica Bay tells the story of how one community fought government inaction and overcame Hurricane Sandy to clean up and restore the largest open space in New York City, which had become a dumping ground for garbage, sewage and bullet-riddled mobsters. Narrated by Academy-Award winning actress Susan Sarandon, the 77-minute documentary underscores the importance of citizen action and the role of urban nature in protecting our cities from the effects of climate change. 

“The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy is grateful to Dan Hendrick for allowing Saving Jamaica Bay to be viewed online for free through the end of April. This film is a must-see for New Yorkers! Learn how local residents are fighting to save Jamaica Bay, clean its waters and restore its marshes, and find out how you can get involved in saving Jamaica Bay. Now is a perfect time to learn more about this amazing estuary right here in New York City,” said Alex Zablocki, Executive Director, Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy.

“The women and men fighting to save Jamaica Bay inspired us to make this film. Today, we are proud to give back to them and all New Yorkers by inviting everyone to view Saving Jamaica Bay online for free,” said the film’s producer and writer, Dan Hendrick. “Watching this film is a great way to visit Jamaica Bay virtually and we hope it will inspire New Yorkers to visit this incredible natural gem once this crisis is over.”

"There is nothing like getting to visit a national park in person -- especially when it's right in your backyard.  But Saving Jamaica Bay may be the next best thing during this time, and connects us with the human dimension of the fight to protect the health of our natural environment.  Many thanks to Dan Hendrick and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy for making this film available," said Jennifer T. Nersesian, Superintendent, Gateway National Recreation Area.

"Despite the dredging, development and filling in of marshes, Jamaica Bay remains as a viable natural ecosystem struggling to survive in a densely populated urban landscape. As such it's an important refuge for wildlife and people," said Don Riepe, the Jamaica Bay Guardian for the American Littoral Society.

Dan Hendrick, along with filmmaker Trevor Laurence, also produced and directed an online video series for the Conservancy titled, Explore Jamaica Bay: New York City’s Natural Oasis. These short films can also be viewed online for free at www.jbrpc.org/video.

About the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy

The Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) is a public-private partnership established in 2013 that is dedicated to improving the 10,000 acres of public parkland throughout Jamaica Bay and the Rockaway peninsula for local residents and visitors alike. With its partners at the National Park Service, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and the New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, JBRPC works to expand public access; increase recreational and educational opportunities; foster citizen stewardship and volunteerism; preserve and restore natural areas, including wetland and wildlife habitat; enhance cultural resources; and ensure the long-term sustainability of the parklands.

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Landslide® 2019: Living in Nature – Climate Change Threatens Important Cultural Landscapes

For Immediate Release                                                                     

New Report – Landslide® 2019: Living in Nature – Climate Change Threatens Important Cultural Landscapes including metro NY’s Gateway National Recreation Area, MD’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, CA’s Giant Sequoia Range and others

The Cultural Landscape Foundation’s annual thematic report highlights threats to ten sites nationwide – includes introduction by former National Park Service Director Jonathan Jarvis

Washington, D.C. (November 6, 2019) – The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) today unveiled Landslide, its annual thematic report about threatened and at-risk landscapes. The  Landslide 2019: Living in Nature report highlights ten cultural landscapes throughout the nation that are threatened by flooding, wildfires, regional drought, and other effects of human-induced climate change. The ten sites demonstrate the wide array of effects from climate change and the scope of its impact on our natural and cultural resources. Ranging from small parcels to thousands of acres, the sites are also geographically and typologically diverse, comprising agrarian landscapes, living communities, and historical monuments and stretching from Hawai'i to the Heartland. The richly illustrated report includes an introduction by Jonathan B. Jarvis, the former director of the National Park Service and currently the executive director of the Institute for Parks, People and Biodiversity at the University of California, Berkeley. The report provides a history of each site, outlines the threats posed to them, and ways for people to get involved. 

First issued in 2003, Landslide has highlighted more than 300 significant at-risk parks, gardens, horticultural features, working landscapes, and other places that collectively embody our shared landscape heritage. Landslide designations have resulted in advocacy that has saved numerous sites.  Moreover, once a site is enrolled in the Landslide program, it is monitored by TCLF. In keeping with TCLF’s prior thematic Landslide reports, each of the sites in Landslide 2019: Living in Nature was nominated by individuals or groups advocating for their stewardship.  

“Climate change is a widely acknowledged threat to natural and ecological systems, but the dire potential impacts on irreplaceable cultural systems and historic resources need greater attention,” said Charles A. Birnbaum, TCLF’s President & CEO, “and it requires action, now.”

“As you read through TCLF’s annual Landslide and lament the loss of irreplaceable cultural and historical sites, get angry and then get busy. The planet needs you,” wrote Jonathan B. Jarvis, former director of the National Park Service and currently executive director of the Institute for Parks, People and Biodiversity at the University of California, Berkeley.

Overview

Based on an ever-growing body of objective scientific data, there is overwhelming international consensus that the adverse effects of human-induced climate change are already upon us. Landslide 2019: Living in Nature highlights cultural landscapes throughout the nation that are threatened by the slow-motion crisis unfolding before our eyes. As dynamic, living, interconnected systems that have been shaped by the interaction between human activity and ecology, cultural landscapes defy the notion of a strict division between natural and cultural resources, holding the key to our long-term well-being and connecting us to the evidence of who we are, how we became so, and what we can achieve. 

Now, many of our most cherished cultural landscapes are facing existential threats, as the increasing frequency of extreme weather events, wildfires, accelerated extinctions, and human displacement is chronicled in daily headlines. A landmark report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services warns that rates of species extinctions are accelerating and that “the health of ecosystems on which we and all other species depend is deteriorating more rapidly than ever.” Compiled by 145 expert authors from 50 countries, with input from another 310 contributing authors, the report is based on the systemic review of approximately 15,000 scientific and government sources. Moreover, NASA-funded research has discovered that the gradual thawing of the Arctic’s permafrost could release trapped carbon dioxide, speeding up global warming and taking us past a series of tipping points that could render its effects irreversible.

The ten Landslide 2019: Living in Nature sites (here’s a link to hi-res images for the Landslide sites ):

Buckner Homestead Historic District, Stehekin, Washington

With a history dating back to 1889, the Buckner Homestead Historic District in North Cascades National Park comprises a complex cultural landscape intimately tied to the early pioneer settlements, mining booms, and apple industries of the Pacific Northwest. The cultural landscape is the setting of hayfields, pastures, and historic orchards of vintage apple varieties nourished by century-old irrigation techniques that have remained largely unchanged since William Buckner first cultivated the land in 1911. Yet this historic agrarian landscape is threatened by increased drought, flooding, erosion, and wildfires due to decreased summer precipitation and increased winter precipitation, as temperatures rise by a projected high of nearly five degrees Celsius by the end of the century.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Established in 1937 and covering some 70 miles of unspoiled barrier islands along North Carolina’s Atlantic Coast, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore—the nation’s first national seashore—occupies a unique place in Native American, colonial, and maritime history, connecting events of great historical importance, from the first English settlement to the German U-boat attacks of World War II. But this thin strip of land that is also a vacationer’s paradise is being consumed by rising waters and battered by storms of ever-growing intensity, placing in doubt the survival of the immense cultural and natural resources it contains.

Death Valley Scotty Historic District, Death Valley, California

Still standing today in Grapevine Canyon within the Death Valley Scotty Historic District are the elaborate Spanish-style villa and ranch that tell an intricate story of frontier romanticism, contrived riches, and real excess. The result of the unlikely friendship between legendary conman “Death Valley Scotty” and his millionaire backer Albert Johnson, the high-desert Shangri-La drew thousands of tourists and cemented a national legend. Constructed in the 1920s and now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the buildings and their arid setting were heavily damaged in 2015 by the strongest flash floods in recent memory. As efforts to repair the site and plan for its future continue, this historic desert landscape—at an elevation of 3,000 feet—is a reminder that the destructive effects of climate change are far from limited to low-lying coastal areas.

Easton’s Point, Newport, Rhode Island
Set along the water’s edge in the historic maritime town of Newport, Rhode Island, the Easton’s Point neighborhood boasts one of the highest concentrations of Colonial-era homes in the United States. Located north of the harbor and fronting Narragansett Bay, the enclave of richly articulated eighteenth-century streetscapes is part of the Newport National Historic Landmark District, established in 1968. While the low-lying area and its unrivalled collection of historic structures have never been immune to the forces of nature, the frequent and severe flooding of recent decades has brought the neighborhood and its stewards to a crossroads, making Easton’s Point emblematic of the challenges—and hard choices—that many culturally rich coastal areas will face in the wake of a changing climate.

Gateway National Recreation Area, Staten Island & Jamaica Bay, New York; Sandy Hook,New Jersey
One of the most visited national parks in the United States, the Gateway National Recreation Area (GNRA) comprises nearly 27,000 acres of islands, ponds, marshes, and meadowlands that span from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Jamaica Bay and Staten Island in New York City. Included among these rich wildlife habitats are a trove of historic sites and recreational areas that together represent a unique collection of natural and cultural resources serving one of the most urbanized areas of the country. The future of the GNRA’s myriad resources depends upon the park’s already fragile ecosystems, which are increasingly susceptible to the effects of a changing climate.

Giant Sequoia Range, Sierra Nevada Mountains, California

Giant sequoia have existed as a species since the time of the dinosaurs and are some of the oldest and largest living things on Earth. The trees can live to be thousands of years old, with the largest of them approaching 30 feet in width. The Giant Sequoia Range comprises 73 isolated groves that cover approximately 48,000 acres in California’s central and southern Sierra Nevada Mountains. With their thick bark and elevated canopies, the sequoia are the quintessential fire-adapted species, but the groves now face a dramatic threat linked to our warming planet, as three severe wildfires have burned through hundreds of acres of groves in the last five years alone.

Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument and Blackwater National Wildlife Reserve, Dorchester County, Maryland

Located within the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Dorchester County, Maryland, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument commemorates the site of the clandestine efforts of legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman. Born into slavery, Tubman eventually escaped bondage only to return nineteen times to free her family and friends, going on to become the first woman to lead an armed assault during the Civil War. Although President Barack Obama established the monument in 2013 “for the benefit of present and future generations,” the coastal landscape that bears witness to Tubman’s story is threatened by rising waters and subsidence, with the refuge having lost some 5,000 acres of wetlands since 1938.

Holden Arboretum, Kirtland, Ohio

One of the largest botanical gardens in the United States, the Holden Arboretum opened to the public in 1937. Located just a few miles from the banks of Lake Erie, this 3,500-acre ecological museum comprises a patchwork of old-growth forests, young post-agriculture forests, and wetlands combined with more than 200 acres of cultivated gardens showcasing an immense diversity of plants from around the region and the world. The increasingly evident results of climate change have begun to cause dramatic shifts in the arboretum’s ecology, adversely affecting its natural areas and plant collections alike. In response to these challenges, the arboretum is acting as a laboratory to develop climate-hardy, disease-resistant species that will help create more resilient landscapes for a warming planet.

Isle de Jean Charles, Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana

Characterized by barrier islands, ridges, forested wetlands, natural levees, and marshes, the Isle de Jean Charles, which lies in Louisiana’s Mississippi Delta, became a sanctuary to Native Americans escaping slavery and the horrors of the infamous Trail of Tears (1830–1839). Descended from French settlers, the Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw community has kept their cultural lifeways alive for more than 170 years, engaging in subsistence living on their ancestral lands. But the arrival of the fossil fuel industry in the 1950s and the growing ferocity of storms in the wake of global warming have hastened the loss of one of the last Native American cultural landscapes in the region.

Puʻukoholā Heiau National Historic Site, Kawaihae, Hawai'i

Built between 1790 to 1791 by Kamehameha the Great on the northwestern coast of the island of Hawai'i, the Puʻukoholā Heiau temple symbolizes the birth of the modern Kingdom of Hawai'i and is now a national historic site. Constructed of lava rocks and consecrated with the sacrifice of a political rival, the temple precinct was meant to fulfill the fourth and final prophecy that would aid Kamehameha’s rise to power. But today, rising tides, ocean acidification, and invasive species threaten to irreversibly alter the only historic landscape that is directly linked to the unification of the Hawaiian Islands.

About The Cultural Landscape Foundation

The Cultural Landscape Foundation (TCLF) is a Washington, D.C.-based education and advocacy non-profit established in 1998 with a mission of “connecting people to places.” The organization educates and engages the public to make our landscape heritage more visible, identify its value, and empower its stewards. TCLF is also home of the Cornelia Hahn Oberlander International Landscape Architecture Prize.

NOTE: here's a link to hi-res images for the Landslide sites.

Image Credit: Giant Sequoia Range, Sequoia Nevada Mountains, CA, 2016. Photo ©Jonathan Irish, courtesy Save The Redwoods League.

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NY/NJ Region to Celebrate City of Water Day July 13, 2019: Celebrate our waterfront at the Jamaica Bay Festival!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 12, 2019

Contact:
Roland Lewis, President and CEO, 212.935.9831 x101, rlewis@waterfrontalliance.org
Alison Simko, Media Communications, 917.929.8375, asimko@waterfrontalliance.org

New York/New Jersey Region to Celebrate City of Water Day July 13, 2019

Dozens of In Your Neighborhood Events will Offer
Free Fun at the Waterfront and Champion a Climate-Resilient Harbor

Crowd Favorites—Waterfront Festival, Cardboard Kayak Race, Free Boat Tours—Return

Download high-resolution images of City of Water Day

New York, NY—From Rockaway Beach Boulevard at Jamaica Bay to the Muscota Marsh Dock in Inwood, Manhattan; from New Dorp Beach on Staten Island to SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx, waterfront communities across the metropolitan area will host City of Water Day events on July 13, 2019, in celebration of the region’s 1,600 miles of coastline. Organized in collaboration with the New York–New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP), City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood sites this year include more than 50 free events, with nearly 100 participating organizations, across all five boroughs, Westchester County, and New Jersey. Now in its 12th year, City of Water Day is a free harbor-wide day organized by the Waterfront Alliance in partnership with the South Street Seaport Museum and HEP to get people to, on, and in the water. Activities such as free kayaking and boat tours, coastal cleanups, fishing, science experiments, music, and crafts will promote the shared goal of a climate-resilient New York Harbor.

Use this map to locate City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood events that will take place around the region on City of Water Day. HEP provided $10,000 in small grants to 19 In Your Neighborhood organizations to help support these local events. City of Water Day and the In Your Neighborhood program are also supported by the New York City Council.

With the City of Water Day Festival headquartered once again at the Seaport District in Lower Manhattan, The Howard Hughes Corporation® returns as presenting sponsor. The South Street Seaport Museum is at the helm as this year’s festival partner, organizing a sweeping array of activities and information at Piers 16 and 17 for a day of waterfront exploration, learning, and fun, including children’s activities sponsored by Disney.

The one-and-only Con Edison Cardboard Kayak Race will once again be held in Lower Manhattan. In two short hours, 15 teams, from high school students to professional engineers, using nothing more than cardboard and tape, will build seaworthy vessels and then race them in the East River.

Free PortNYC Boat Tours on all kinds of vessels, from tall ships to tugboats, will be offered at docks throughout New York City by individual boat tour operators, with additional sponsorship from the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC).

"From the Bronx River to the Elizabeth River, from Jamaica Bay to the Hoboken waterfront, City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood programs will help people from all over the region celebrate their local waterways and learn about rising seas and the growing threat of coastal storms. Local civic organizations host these special events. The New York–New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program is proud to support City of Water Day and the In Your Neighborhood programs all over the estuary,” said Rob Pirani, HEP program director.

"It's especially fitting that the City of Water Day In Your Neighborhood event in Elizabeth, New Jersey, will be led by our organization's youth initiative program, called the Green Team. These young people are passionate about improving our environment," said Jonathan Phillips, executive director of Groundwork Elizabeth. "We expect many people to join us on City of Water Day at the Elizabeth River Trail to learn about why it's important to keep our waterways clean, accessible, and resilient. Thanks to the Waterfront Alliance for creating this event, and to the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program for organizing the In Your Neighborhood program!"

“At the second annual Jamaica Bay Festival on City of Water Day, we are partnering with more than 20 organizations and agencies to offer fun, free activities to the public, including kayaking, nature walks, bird watching, art and more. Come experience Jamaica Bay!" said Alex Zablocki, executive director of Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. “City of Water Day helps to increase awareness of and access to the beautiful wetlands and shorelines of Jamaica Bay in Brooklyn and Queens, and it also helps us expand citizen stewardship as we work to ensure that these precious natural areas are always protected. Many thanks to our partners, the Waterfront Alliance, and the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program for making the Jamaica Bay Festival a success.”

"At the Coney Island Beautification Project (CIBP), we work hard to help neighbors understand our relationship and responsibility to the waters around us," said Pamela Pettyjohn, CIBP president and founder. "We've always gone all out for City of Water Day, and gathered many partner organizations to join us to offer great waterfront activities and information—and this year will be no different. Come join us at Kaiser Park to learn and play on City of Water Day!"

“We look forward to participating in our first City of Water Day as we continue to celebrate the opening of our new Pier 35 Eco-Park along the Two Bridges waterfront,” said Trever Holland, co-founder of Friends of Pier 35. “New York City continues to transform these piers into public, open spaces, allowing everyone to enjoy the waterfront in ways that were never imaginable just a few years ago. On City of Water Day, our Friends of Pier 35 event will focus on current resiliency plans for the waterfront in a fun and family friendly environment with lots of activities and games for all ages.”

“As we always do, Hoboken is coming together for a fantastic City of Water Day, one focused equally on fun and education," said Ron Hine, executive director of Fund for a Better Waterfront (FBW). "In our In Your Neighborhood celebration, we'll have information about the importance of a healthy shoreline buffer; educational workshops about water quality issues, wildlife identification, and climate change; a 'Trash Free Seas' workshop to demonstrate the importance of environmental stewardship; and a BioBlitz workshop where participants survey and record species at the shore. Of course, we'll also offer free kayaking and paddle boarding, thanks to the Hoboken Cove Community Boathouse, Resilience Paddle Sports, and the Ke Aloha Outrigger Canoe Club!”

“We are proud to once again sponsor City of Water Day, an impactful initiative celebrating our City’s incredible waterfronts,” said Saul Scherl, president of the New York Tri-State Region at The Howard Hughes Corporation. “With the revitalization of the Seaport District, we are pleased to be bringing New Yorkers back to this historic neighborhood to reclaim their relationship with its iconic waterfront. We look forward to welcoming New Yorkers to the Seaport throughout the summer to take advantage of all the exciting programming that will be taking place—along the waterfront and on The Rooftop at Pier 17, including the return of our Summer Concert Series set against the one-of-a-kind panoramic views of Lower Manhattan.”

“City of Water Day gives all of us a chance to focus on New York's waterways. As a city born from a port, New York has always had an important relationship with the water. The Seaport Museum is excited to offer programming and activities that reconnect us with that water and that allow us to consider the future of recreation, commerce, and resilience of this maritime city,” said Captain Jonathan Boulware, president and CEO of the South Street Seaport Museum.

“NYCEDC is proud to support City of Water Day, a citywide festival that reminds us of the region’s greatest asset, New York Harbor. We encourage all New Yorkers to partake in the day’s festivities and rediscover why New York City is the greatest maritime city in the world,” said Matthew Kwatinetz, EVP, NYCEDC. “Through our work on NYC Ferry, which continues to expand throughout all five boroughs, and PortNYC, which contains the fifth largest cruise port in the nation, we are focused on ensuring New York Harbor remains the crossroads of transportation, culture, and commerce.”

“This year on City of Water Day, as we gather at shorelines all around the metropolitan region to enjoy our beautiful waterways, let us engage in important conversations about resiliency and access,” said Roland Lewis, president and CEO of the Waterfront Alliance. “This is a day to play, and a day to acknowledge our shared responsibility. As climate change irrevocably transforms our lives, we need to address this regional, national, and global emergency together.”

City of Water Day is generously sponsored by (in formation):

Presenting Sponsor: The Howard Hughes Corporation®
Festival Partner: South Street Seaport Museum
In Your Neighborhood: New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program Children’s Activities: Disney
Cardboard Kayak Race: Con Edison
PortNYC Boat Tours: New York City Economic Development Corporation
Fleet Sponsor: United Metro Energy,
Media Partners: ABC7, FiDi Families, K-LOVE, Untapped Cities

Additional support for City of Water Day is provided by the New York City Council.
The Waterfront Alliance inspires and effects resilient, revitalized, and accessible coastlines for all communities.

The New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program (HEP) is a collaborative effort to bring the benefits of clean water to the people who live, work, and recreate on our shared waterways. HEP is hosted by the Hudson River Foundation.

The South Street Seaport Museum preserves and interprets the origins and growth of New York City as a world port, a place where goods, labor, and cultures are exchanged through work, commerce, and the interaction of diverse communities.

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Reposted with permission.

Special Exhibit: 100th Anniversary of the First Transatlantic Flight - May 3 - June 2 Tues, Thurs, Sat & Sun 10a-4p at @RAA116 T7 Gallery, Fort Tilden (@gatewaynps) @eric_ulrich @queenshistoric

SPECIAL EXHIBIT

100th Anniversary of the First Transatlantic Flight

Join NYC Council Member Eric Ulrich, the Queens Historical Society and the Rockaway Artists Alliance for a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the NC-4 -- the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

May 3 - June 2, 2019
Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
10AM - 4PM
T7 Gallery
Fort Tilden, Gateway National Recreation Area
Queens