Jeremy Mejia

Jeremy Mejia
Ms. Albert
Waterworld NYC
27 September 2020
    Jamaica Bay is an 18,000-acre wetland estuary surrounded by the Rockaway Peninsula to the South, Brooklyn to the West, and Queens to the East. It comprises of an area almost equal to the size of Manhattan—the bay consists of numerous islands, a labyrinth of waterways, meadowlands, and two freshwater ponds. The wetlands specifically, provide a unique environment for both wildlife preservation and urban recreation: “the over 325 species of birds, 50 species of butterflies, and 100 species of finfish” (NYC GOV). Jamaica Bay is a popular landing stop for migratory waterfowl as the area is an integral part of the larger regional ecosystem. Despite being one of New York City's most extraordinary natural resources, Jamaica Bay still remains largely undeveloped.
    Jamaica Bay is currently most famous for being a wildlife refuge. However, it did not start that way. In fact, during the 1800s Mill Island was home to an asphalt and lead smelting operation. The dumping of trash became common practice in the bay towards the 1900s. On Barren Island, facilities were established to turn dead horses in glue. Horse boats could carry up to fifty dead horses, cats, dogs, and other animals at a time. In 1905, a plan to turn the bay into a deep water port was presented. While most of the plan was scrapped, some of it actually came to pass. For example, the bay was dredged and New York’s first municipal airport was created: Floyd Bennett Field. Beginning in 1938, much of Jamaica Bay was placed under the jurisdiction of the Parks Department, thanks to the efforts of Parks Commissioner Robert Moses. Originally, Jamaica Bay Park covered over 9,151.8 acres of wetlands and beaches. Determined to uphold the park's natural state, Commissioner Moses defeated plans to create a large industrial port and prevented the creation of new landfills. Years later in 1951, following the establishment of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, Herbert Johnson was appointed as its resident superintendent. Johnson worked diligently to preserve and restore the natural nesting grounds of waterfowl and shore birds. The refurbishing of the nesting grounds has led to the return of an increasing numbers of species each year: “notables include the return of the snowy egret and the glossy ibis” (NYC GOV). On March 1, 1974, over 9,000 acres were transferred to the newly created Gateway National Urban Recreation Area, a congressional initiative designed to create a National Seashore in New York and New Jersey. The Gateway National Urban Recreation Area is comprised of Jamaica Bay along with sections in Breezy Point, Sandy Hook, and Staten Island. Maintained by the National Parks Service, the area is the first national park located in an urban region. The remaining acreage of Jamaica Bay Park is located in the Bayswater section of the Rockaways. The park is generally bounded by Jamaica Bay, Head of Bay Basin, Nassau County, and Edgewater Road. “The two largest parcels, which are bisected by Mott Basin, are primarily submerged,” while the third smaller parcel is completely under water (NYC Parks). The park is accessible via a narrow shorefront strip along Edgewater Road and the viewable terrain varies with the tides. Jamaica Bay Park supplements the Gateway National Urban Recreation Area by providing continuous, undisturbed wetland sanctuary for waterfowl and wildlife. On May 17, 1993, Parks acquired an additional two acres lying south of Edgewater Road.
    Clearly, Jamaica Bay is a special place! It is a wildlife refuge; it protects all living things in the area, by keeping their habitat safe. What makes this truly unique however is the fact that it is right next to an urban area. It is “The one place in New York where nature is so dominant that it makes the city a backdrop” (Brad Sewell). The difference between the two areas is insane, almost like two parallel worlds.While it is true that Jamaica Bay is home to a variety of plants and animals, people have been living there for years. People like Don Riepe, a 71 year old that has gained the title of Jamaica Bay guardian for six years. He advocates to protect the bay from human impactions. He understands the beauty to be found in this place, “I love the smell and sound of the bay, the calmness of the water, marine life, the bird life, the seasons” (Don Riepe). He and many others care for the bay and fight to protect its beauty. However, fairly recently Superstorm Sandy breached the West ponds changing the ecosystem itself; a freshwater pond has become salt water. Increasing salt levels in the water have caused many native plants to die and invasive species like Spartina alterniflora, who can survive such conditions, to thrive. To restore this area to its natural form, there is a recreational effort under way. The plan is to drain all of the salt water out from the pond and then fill it back up with fresh water, like filling a cup. This plan however will take a while to complete. The damage Sandy caused is immense! The path to the West Pond was completely eradicated. Not to mention the filtering process that has been in the works to try to restore what was lost.
    Out of the destruction arose a newfound need for positive human impacts to be had on the environment. Now as a park, Jamaica Bay serves tours to students who want to learn about the environment and the effects of global warming shifting the climate. When MELS high school traveled to Jamaica Bay and The Queens Botanical Garden, the class was able to observe numerous human impacts. Some were positive like the construction of the wildlife refuge. However, some were negative like the noise and air pollution from cars and planes in the surrounding areas. Humans hold the whole world in their palms, their actions can either keep the planet safe or completely throw it off balance. In 2017, a science class took trips to Jamaica Bay where they were able to see bird and bat houses, replanting of dead plants, and the reconstruction of the West Pond which was breached by SuperStorm Sandy. All of these impacts are human actions that help keep the Earth a healthy place. The use of renewable energy, limiting pollution, and finding ways to protect the natural pieces of land like in a wildlife refuge, allowing humans to ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to enjoy the world as we know it. They will be able to breathe fresh, unpolluted air. They will be able to swim in a clean ocean. If humans protect the Earth by making good decisions now, future generations and even their children will be able to live in a world of green instead of one full of grey slabs of concrete covering the Earth’s surface. The fieldworks not only taught students about the positive impacts, but negative ones as well. While they were not physically able to see many of the examples the experts taught them about, due to safety concerns, expert panelists filled in the gaps—the class learned about deforestation, pollution, over hunting, and the problems caused by covering up the natural land with concrete.
    Jamaica Bay is a really unique park of New York, its almost other world when juxtaposed to the city. It serves as an example of humans being able to throw the ecosystem off balance and yet all also have the power to restore it! Everything is connected and because of that it is the job of humans as the dominant species to care after the earth. We need it to exist, humans should make attempts to protect it. It only makes sense.

  
Work Cited

Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy. http://www.jbrpc.org/.
Jamaica Bay Park. Jamaica Bay Park Highlights : NYC Parks. https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/jamaica-bay-park/history.
Feuer, A. (2011, July 29). Jamaica Bay: Wilderness on the Edge. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/31/nyregion/jamaica-bay-a-wild-place-on-the-edge-of-change.html.