Podcasts about Gateway National Recreation Area

Sandy Hook Light Station, photo by Jeremy D'Entremont. The lighthouse that stands at the end of the long spit of land known as Sandy Hook, on the approach to New York Harbor, began service in 1764, making it the oldest standing lighthouse tower in the United States. The octagonal rubblestone tower stands 103 feet tall. Tom Hoffman The light remains active, with the Fresnel lens still in place. Ownership was transferred to the National Park Service in 1996, and the lighthouse is now part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. The tower is open seasonally, and there's a visitor center in the former keepers' house. In 1964, Sandy Hook became one of the small number of lighthouses designated a National Historic landmark. Tom Hoffman, our guest today, is the historian for the Gateway National Recreation Area. He's also the author of the book Fort Hancock, published by Arcadia Publishing. His association with Sandy Hook goes back 50 years.

It's hot in New York City right now, but that doesn't mean you can't find ways to get outdoors and enjoy the summer. One option is a visit to the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, which has over 12,000 acres of protected land, fresh and saltwater marshes, and home to one of the largest bird habitats in the northeast. As part of our series highlighting outdoor recreational activities to do in New York, we speak with Terri Carta, executive director for the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Park Conservancy and Rick Jenkins, a National Park Service ranger for the Gateway National Recreation Area, to learn more about the Wildlife Refuge and its history.  

Climate change and the imperative to take action now is top of mind following the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. The effects of climate change – rising sea levels, changing temperature and precipitation patterns, wildfires  and many other changes impact vulnerable natural resources, including national parks and wildlife refuges. In this episode, host Sarah Thorne and Jeff King, Deputy Lead of the Engineering With Nature Program at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are joined by Rebecca Beavers, Coastal Geology and Adaptation Coordinator for the National Park Service and Scott Covington, Senior Ecologist for Refuges within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Rebecca and Scott share a strong commitment to protecting our national parks and wildlife refuges by making them more resilient to the changing conditions exacerbated by climate change. Teddy Roosevelt established the National Wildlife Refuge System in 1903 at Pelican Island, Florida, originally a five-and-a-half-acre island dedicated to saving Brown Pelicans from being over-harvested for their feathers. Sea-level rise and erosion have reduced Pelican Island to about two acres. “Thanks to an Engineering With Nature solution put in place about 20 years ago, that trend has been reversed,” Scott says. Pelican Island now stands at about three acres.  Scott describes how climate change is affecting refuge management today: “Refuges are typically established with a specific purpose, like protecting waterfowl, but because of the impact of climate change, we may not have waterfowl there anymore. We really need to be shifting our mindset about how we are managing that specific refuge, looking from a broader context, thinking about things like biodiversity. We want to look at the shorebirds, the wading birds, or whatever species and habitats are in that particular area and plan for species that are probably going to be leaving the area and new species that will probably be coming because of the shifts in climate.” Rebecca sees similar threats in her work with the National Park Service: “Many of these parks are changing in tremendous ways. Drought in the west is often followed by wildfire and following wildfire we're seeing landscape changes from major debris flows–cascades of water and rocks that come down the hillsides. These can affect homes, infrastructure, along with the habitats of the plants and animals which are very much affected.” Rebecca adds that the effects on natural features can be significant, “A freshwater marsh may become brackish where it has some of the saltwater components, or it may become a fully saline marsh–what we call a saltmarsh.” These changing conditions add complexity to the challenge of protecting and preserving the parks, along with the many physical structures of historical significance. “We also have to look at some of the other stressors that we put on the landscape. In some of these places we built dams that are great for hydroelectric power, but it also has an impact of holding up sediment further up the watershed.” Rebecca and Scott share several examples of EWN approaches being used to protect parks and refuges and make them more resilient.  At Fort Pulaski National Monument, on the Savannah River in Georgia, and Fort Massachusetts, on the Gulf of Mexico coast of Mississippi, beneficial use (BU) of sediment reduces coastal erosion and returns beneficial sediment to the system. Thin layer placement (TLP) of dredged sediments builds up sinking wetlands at the Chafee Refuge in Rhode Island, and in turn, protects and preserves wildlife habitat. Scott says, “Sea level rise is starting to eat away at the marsh, and we're having some marsh die off, along with the plants. With TLP, we're taking some dredge materials and actually stacking it on top of the marsh to buy some time. We've added a little bit to the elevation, and that gives vegetation a shot in the arm.” Rebecca adds that TLP was used on the Big Egg Marsh Project in Jamacia Bay, Gateway National Recreation Area, New York in 2003.  The Marsh is currently being resurveyed to provide insight into the effectiveness of the project and natural adaptation.  Collaboration is a key theme throughout this episode.  The leading-edge work at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge and the adjacent Harriet Tubman Underground Railway Park in Maryland is a great example of NFS, NPS, USACE, and several other non-government organizations working together to protect the marsh and this important historical landmark.  According to Scott, “This is a really good demonstration project to show what you can do when you work together with what nature gives you.” In closing the show, Jeff notes, “I'm truly moved by the energy and the enthusiasm and the wonderful examples that have been shared. Thank you to the Wildlife Refuge System and the National Park Service for being wonderful partners throughout the years. Their work is really accelerating practice and will continue to do so.” In Episode 6, Rebecca, Scott, and Jeff return to talk about working together on adaptive management strategies for the parks and refuges, and what individuals can do to help protect and preserve these priceless resources.   Related Links EWN Website ERDC Website Jeff King at LinkedIn Jeff King at EWN Network of Engineering With Nature EWN Atlas Series Rebecca Beavers at LinkedIn National Park Service Coastal Adaptation Strategies Handbook Olympic National Park and the Elwha Valley Fort Pulaski National Monument Gulf Islands National Seashore Fort Massachusetts – Gulf Islands National Seashore Jamaica Bay National Wildlife Refuge Gateway National Recreation Area, Jamaica Bay Unit In the Field: Restoring Big Egg Marsh National Park Service Climate Change Response Program National Park Service Coastal Geology Program Scott Covington at LinkedIn Climate Adaptation Science Centers Climate Change Page at USFWS National Wildlife Refuge System National Wildlife Refuge System History Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge John H. Chafee National Wildlife Refuge Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Hurricane Hugo Hurricane Sandy EWN Podcast S3E4: Engineering With Nature for Safe and Livable Cities

Every New Years Day for the past 31 years, Staten Island Environmentalists have gathered at Great Kills Park, part of Gateway National Recreation Area to take a mile and a half beach walk. This tradition has become a way to review the past year's environmental highlights and to inform each other about upcoming issues affecting our environment. Also it is a great opportunity to see friends. I took the walk miked up and did a bit of narration. You will hear that, along with the sound of the wind, ocean and my fellow walkers.

Mardi Dickinson, BCR Host, reports LIVE from the 13th Annual Jamaica Bay Shorebird Festival that is held at the Gateway National Recreation Area unit of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge within the U.S. National Park Service; talks with many people that flock here to witness the spectacular yearly occurrence of the fall shorebird migration.

In 1988 Ed Rizzotto began working at Gateway National Recreation Area in New York City. During his seven years at Gateway helped him recognize the unique role that urban parks play in the National Park System and in people’s everyday lives.

Session 4 Wed. April 28, 2010 Reviving the Estuary: Science, Politics, and Education Moderator: Dr. John Waldman, Queens College Speakers/Panelists Deborah A. Mans, Executive Director, NY/NJ Baykeeper Christopher J. Collins, Executive Director, Solar One Cortney Worrall, Director of Programs, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Murray Fisher, Urban Assembly New York Harbor School William Kornblum, Author, At Sea in the City: New York at the Water’s Edge In 1609, New York’s future waterfront was an arcadian shore of forests, wetlands, beaches, and sand bars, according to Eric Sanderson's book Mannahatta. That landscape is lost forever, but visions of a post-industrial, neo-natural waterfront are longstanding. In 1944, futurists Paul and Percival Goodman proposed that Manhattan "open out toward the water," lining its gritty waterfront with new parks. They were prescient: today the water’s edge of Manhattan is evolving from a "no-man's-land" into a "highly desirable zone of parks," in the words of writer Phillip Lopate. The newly designated "Manhattan Waterfront Greenway" is cobbled together from many bits and pieces like Battery Park City, Hudson River Park, Riverside Park South, restored Harlem River parks, and tiny Stuyvesant Cove Park––each with its own chronicle of past and present struggles among property owners, community groups, developers, politicians, planners, lawyers, and other stakeholders. Elsewhere in the city, Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, Governors Island, the South Bronx Greenway, Pelham Bay South Waterfront Park, the Bronx River Greenway, and Gateway National Recreation Area are among many waterfront works in progress. The colloquium series will address selected topics and issues relating to what has been achieved and what remains to be done to continue the transformation of New York’s waterfronts.

Session 3 Wed. April 7, 2010 Seizing Opportunities: Waterfront Works in Progress Moderator: Dr. Melissa Checker, Queens College, CUNY Speakers/Panelists Robert Pirani, Regional Plan Association and Governors Island Alliance––Governors Island Kate Van Tassel, NYCEDC and Miquela Craytor, Sustainable South Bronx––South Bronx Greenway Ambassador William J. vanden Heuvel, Four Freedoms Park Nancy Webster, Acting Executive-Director, Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy Joshua Laird, Asst. Commissioner, NYC Parks and Recreation Background In 1609, New York’s future waterfront was an arcadian shore of forests, wetlands, beaches, and sand bars, according to Eric Sanderson's book Mannahatta. That landscape is lost forever, but visions of a post-industrial, neo-natural waterfront are longstanding. In 1944, futurists Paul and Percival Goodman proposed that Manhattan "open out toward the water," lining its gritty waterfront with new parks. They were prescient: today the water’s edge of Manhattan is evolving from a "no-man's-land" into a "highly desirable zone of parks," in the words of writer Phillip Lopate. The newly designated "Manhattan Waterfront Greenway" is cobbled together from many bits and pieces like Battery Park City, Hudson River Park, Riverside Park South, restored Harlem River parks, and tiny Stuyvesant Cove Park––each with its own chronicle of past and present struggles among property owners, community groups, developers, politicians, planners, lawyers, and other stakeholders. Elsewhere in the city, Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, Governors Island, the South Bronx Greenway, Pelham Bay South Waterfront Park, the Bronx River Greenway, and Gateway National Recreation Area are among many waterfront works in progress. The colloquium series will address selected topics and issues relating to what has been achieved and what remains to be done to continue the transformation of New York’s waterfronts.

Session 2 Wed. March 17, 2010: Waterfront Parks: Old, New, Green, Blue Moderator: Dr. Rutherford H. Platt Speakers/Panelists Amy Gavaris, Executive Vice President for the New York Restoration Project Dr. Vicky Gholson, Friends of Riverbank State Park Peter Mullan, Planning Director, Friends of The High Line Greenway Connie Fishman, Executive Director, Hudson River Park Trust Jeanne DuPont, Rockaway Waterfront Alliance, Queens In 1609, New York’s future waterfront was an arcadian shore of forests, wetlands, beaches, and sand bars, according to Eric Sanderson's book Mannahatta. That landscape is lost forever, but visions of a post-industrial, neo-natural waterfront are longstanding. In 1944, futurists Paul and Percival Goodman proposed that Manhattan "open out toward the water,” lining its gritty waterfront with new parks. They were prescient: today the water’s edge of Manhattan is evolving from a "no-man's-land" into a "highly desirable zone of parks," in the words of writer Phillip Lopate. The newly designated “Manhattan Waterfront Greenway” is cobbled together from many bits and pieces like Battery Park City, Hudson River Park, Riverside Park South, restored Harlem River parks, and tiny Stuyvesant Cove Park––each with its own chronicle of past and present struggles among property owners, community groups, developers, politicians, planners, lawyers, and other stakeholders. Elsewhere in the city, Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, Governors Island, the South Bronx Greenway, Pelham Bay South Waterfront Park, the Bronx River Greenway, and Gateway National Recreation Area are among many waterfront works in progress. The colloquium series will address selected topics and issues relating to what has been achieved and what remains to be done to continue the transformation of New York’s waterfronts.

Session 1: Wed. Feb. 24, 2010: "Opening Out Towards the Water"– The Big Picture Moderator: Dr. William Solecki, Director, CISC Speakers/Panelists Dr. Rutherford H. Platt, Senior Fellow, CISC Robert Yaro, President, Regional Plan Association Linda Cox, Executive Director, Bronx River Alliance Wilbur L. Woods, Director, Waterfront and Open Space Planning, New York City Department of City Planning Roland Lewis, CEO, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance In 1609, New York’s future waterfront was an arcadian shore of forests, wetlands, beaches, and sand bars, according to Eric Sanderson's book Mannahatta. That landscape is lost forever, but visions of a post-industrial, neo-natural waterfront are longstanding. In 1944, futurists Paul and Percival Goodman proposed that Manhattan "open out toward the water,” lining its gritty waterfront with new parks. They were prescient: today the water’s edge of Manhattan is evolving from a "no-man's-land" into a "highly desirable zone of parks," in the words of writer Phillip Lopate. The newly designated “Manhattan Waterfront Greenway” is cobbled together from many bits and pieces like Battery Park City, Hudson River Park, Riverside Park South, restored Harlem River parks, and tiny Stuyvesant Cove Park––each with its own chronicle of past and present struggles among property owners, community groups, developers, politicians, planners, lawyers, and other stakeholders. Elsewhere in the city, Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Brooklyn Waterfront Greenway, Governors Island, the South Bronx Greenway, Pelham Bay South Waterfront Park, the Bronx River Greenway, and Gateway National Recreation Area are among many waterfront works in progress.

In another installment of more National Parks units, Mike and Dusty hike a seven mile loop trail at Sandy Hook Beach, a part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Website: GazeAtTheNationalParks.comInstagram: @GazeAtTheNationalParksFacebook: Gaze at the National ParksTwitter: @GazeAtTheParks #hikeearlyhikeoften#adventureisoutthere#gazeatthenationalparks Hosted by Dustin Ballard and Michael RyanEpisode Editing by Dustin BallardOriginal Artwork by Michael RyanOriginal Music by Dave SeamonMusic Producer: Skyler FortgangSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/gaze-at-the-national-parks/donationsWant to advertise on this podcast? Go to https://redcircle.com/brands and sign up.