Greetings, my fellow birders and environmental advocates.
11/30/23 Annual Fall Jamaica Bay Taskforce Meeting via Zoom Please may I ask every birding community member and environmental advocate reading this to attend the JBTF Zoom meeting. A show of support from a large audience of birders and environmentalists will not go unnoticed by the federal, state and city land managers, and local elected officials who will be on the JBTF call on Nov 30th. When: Thu, Nov 30, 2023 at 6:30 PM Topic: Annual Fall Jamaica Bay Task Force Meeting Hosts: American Littoral Society & Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers Co-Chairs: Dan Mundy & Don Riepe. Link to join Zoom Meeting (registration not required): * https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83662620483?pwd=TG4wSVZ6OTVCczlZNWd6MWdjVWx2dz09 <https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83662620483?pwd=TG4wSVZ6OTVCczlZNWd6MWdjVWx2dz09> Meeting ID: 836 6262 0483 | Passcode: 655637 Agenda: * 6:20-6:30: The waiting room for the general audience will open at 6:20pm. * 6:30-6:50: Dan Mundy Sr, JBEW and Don Riepe, ALS - Meet & Greet: Acknowledgement of Elected Officials, Agencies, And Organizations Present * 6:50 to 7:05: Lisa Baron - Project Manager USACE - New York District Programs and Project Management- Civil Works Branch—"Update on Stony Creek Wetland Island Restoration Project.” * 7:05 to 7:20: Dan Mundy Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers- Stakeholder Recommendations for additional wetland islands projects for inclusion in Harbor Estuary Plan. * 7:20 to 7:35 Chris Haight -Ecologist - Environment & Planning NYC Parks and Receation - “Thin Layer Sediment Placement Salt Marsh Restoration in Hook Creek Park”. * 7:35 to 7:50: Terri Carta-Executive Director Jamaica Bay Rockaway Parks Conservancy- “West Pond Living Shoreline: Year 2 Update and Looking Ahead * 7:50 to 8:05: Russ Comeau, South Shore Audubon Society and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Coalition – “Status of the East and West Pond Management Plan” * 8:05 to 8:30: Q and A session 12/2/23 NPS Open House for public input on East Pond and North/South Gardens The National Park Service (NPS) is holding an Open House on Saturday December 2, 2023, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. More information on the event is available here: https://eastpondopenhouse.eventbrite.com <https://eastpondopenhouse.eventbrite.com/>. NPS is seeking public input on specific resource and visitor management issues in two areas of the Refuge: 1) the East Pond and 2) the North and South Garden areas. This input is solicited to support the ongoing development of a Stewardship Plan for the East and West Pond area of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. The Stewardship Plan aims to define the future of these areas by identifying and developing strategies and management actions related to mowing, viewshed, and habitat management as a means for enhancing resource protection and the visitor experience. More information about the Stewardship Plan process can be found at https://www.nps.gov/gate//getinvolved/stewardship-plan.htm <https://www.nps.gov/gate/getinvolved/stewardship-plan.htm>. Introducing the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Coalition At the JBTF Zoom on 11/30/23, a newly-formed environmental advocacy group, the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Coalition, will be announcing its plans to interact with the National Park Service concerning JBWR and to offer NPS wise guidance on the public lands at the Wildlife Refuge and around Jamaica Bay, for the benefit of the urban wildlife, the habitat, and wildlife viewing there. We represent a concerned group of Audubon chapters, bird clubs and environmental advocates that desire to address new and long-standing issues and opportunities around Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, including concerns about the wildlife being able to best use the resources at the Refuge, the condition and upkeep of the habitat, and viewing access. Founding members Don Riepe Amer. Littoral Soc. JB Guardian Russ Comeau South Shore Aud. President Ian Resnick Queens Cnty BC President Debbie Mullins Linnaean Soc. NY President Brien Weiner South Shore Aud. Past President Marcy Boyle NYC Audubon Conservation Chair Kristin Ellington Linnaean Soc. NY Recording Sec. Michelle Talich Brooklyn BC Conservationist Elizabeth Watson Stony Brook Univ. Assoc. Professor, Ecology Adelia Honeywood Brooklyn BC Conservationist Bernie Conway Bronx River SS Aud. Director We welcome other interested bird clubs, environmental organizations or environmentalists desire to join this new collation. Kindly contact me for more information. Thank you. Russ Comeau, President South Shore Audubon Society | Freeport NY (928) 614-9186 | r...@ssaudubon.org <mailto:r...@ssaudubon.org> -- (copy & paste any URL below, then modify any text "_DOT_" to a period ".") NYSbirds-L List Info: NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsWELCOME_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsRULES_DOT_htm NortheastBirding_DOT_com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave_DOT_htm ARCHIVES: 1) mail-archive_DOT_com/nysbirds-l@cornell_DOT_edu/maillist_DOT_html 2) surfbirds_DOT_com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) birding_DOT_aba_DOT_org/maillist/NY01 Please submit your observations to eBird: ebird_DOT_org/content/ebird/ --
