The Conservation Committee posts important updates and notices of conservation-related meetings and events. The committee members are: Eric Ozawa and Ken Chaya, Co-chairs (conservation@linnaeannewyork.org), Loyan Beausoleil, Debbie Becker, Elise Boeger, Ken Chaya, Anne Lazarus, Richard Madonna, Debbie Mullins, Andrew Rubenfeld, Carey Russell, Barbara Saunders, Rochelle Thomas, and Roy Tsao.
The Conservation Committee wishes to thank Johanna Mitra for her editorial contributions to this page
In June, both houses of the New York state legislature passed the Horseshoe Crab Protection Act (S.3185A/A.10140), sponsored by Senator Brad Hoylman-Sigal and Assembly Member Deborah Glick. The bill is now in the hands of Governor Kathleen Hochul, whose signature is needed for the legislation to become law. You may read our letter to Governor Hochul here.
Horseshoe crab eggs are a critical food source for migratory shorebirds, especially the Red Knot, listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Years of overharvesting have caused horseshoe crab numbers to plummet, and with the loss of crab eggs, Red Knot populations are also declining.
LSNY members may wish to share their views on the bill with Governor Hochul.
The National Park Service (NPS) proposes to initiate a Stewardship Plan for the East and West Pond area of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge within the Jamaica Bay Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area (GATE). NPS is accepting comments on this plan through June 7, 2022.
On Sunday, May 29th, members of our Conservation Committee toured JBWR with Don Riepe, Jamaica Bay Program Director for the American Littoral Society, and lifelong advocate for the Refuge. Our committee saw many of the issues that affect both opportunities to view wildlife while also impacting critical stopover and nesting habitat for many species. Some of the most notable examples include: overgrown vegetation and invasive species, broken benches, fences, and bird boxes, and perhaps, most importantly, limited efforts to control the raccoon population, which is having an extremely deleterious effect on avian and terrapin populations.
Don Riepe is asking the Linnaean Society of New York and allied organizations to join him in developing a living action plan with time frames, a transparent budget, and accountability so that the area can be managed as a Wildlife Refuge according to the initial plan originally intended. We are calling on you to submit comments to NPS by June 7th using this link. Or, if you prefer you can contact them in writing at:
Daphne Yun Gateway National Recreation Area Attn: East and West Pond Stewardship Plan 210 New York Avenue Staten Island, NY 10305
We have included a short list of action items below, provided by Don Riepe, that you can reference when sending your personalized letter.
Hire a Refuge Manager who can be stationed on site and help supervise habitat plan work.
Train existing interpretation rangers to handle resource needs: manage trails, gardens, ponds, etc., help train maintenance staff, conduct daily ‘working patrols’ where they help control invasive species.
Plan and implement a mowing schedule replete with timeframes and goals. The West Pond viewshed is quickly disappearing as is most of the marsh viewing from designated benches.
Hire an on-site volunteer coordinator to oversee, train, and work with volunteers, rangers, and maintenance staff on various resource projects.
Resurface the West Pond trail and remove the construction-size gravel so trails are fully accessible.
Evaluate and redesign the East Pond valve system.
Reinstate the bird feeder and bird bath.
Repair/replace Tree Swallow, House Wren, and Bat boxes.
Establish a Purple Martin nest box.
Manage open habitats for pollinators (bees, butterflies, moths, etc.) by allowing sterile lawns to grow into wildflower meadows.
Manage raccoon populations on the islands in Jamaica Bay to mitigate effects to heron colonies and nesting sites for egrets, ibises, oystercatchers, willets, waterfowl, and gulls.
Design and construct an additional fresh water pond – A study by NY Polytechnical Institute in the 1980’s concluded that something similar to Big John’s Pond built on the west side of Crossbay Blvd would greatly enhance herptile populations, freshwater birds such as coots, gallinules and bitterns while also adding enhanced viewing for visitors.
Your voice is needed now to ensure the best possible future management for Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge.
Below you can find Ursula’s photos taken during our tour with Don Riepe.
We have also included a template letter drafted by Linnaean member, Janet Wooten. Please feel free to use them as inspiration for your comments to the National Parks service. To download the template in Microsoft Word format, click here. To download the template in RTF format, click here.
Sincerely yours,
Rochelle Thomas, President Ursula Mitra, Conservation Chair
Vegetation encroaching on a former pollinator meadowA bench uprooted during Superstorm Sandy lies in the grassA broken fence and vegetation obstructing bay viewUnmanaged vegetation has resulted in the creation of “pandemic” paths, damaging understory cover that birds use for staging and breedingSome signage is dilapidatedShrubs obstruct the view of the bay
Having found ourselves indoors for the past year as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it comes as no surprise that so many people found solace in birdwatching from the safety of their own homes. No matter where you live, local wildlife can almost always be spotted in your yard or outside your window if you look closely enough. Such easy access to nature at a time when many of us are unable to enjoy it as before is a source of great comfort. Creating wildlife-friendly spaces in your local area is therefore a great way to not only bring nature directly to you, but to create connectivity for animals whose own natural habitats are threatened by fragmentation and human activity. The addition of bird feeders, baths, or houses, native plants, trees, and wildflowers, or naturally sheltered areas to your backyard can make a massive difference to migratory and local birds, who seek out such places to recuperate and feed, and to local amphibian, insect, and small mammal populations, for whom such habitats are ideal.
When deciding which plants to incorporate into your wildlife-friendly backyard, it’s important to take into consideration which species are found naturally in your region, because these are the plants that will provide the most services to your local ecosystem. Planting native plants is preferred over planting non-native species, as they will not only be easier to grow but also more attractive to caterpillars and moths, an especially important food source for local birds and their young in the summer. It’s also a good idea when possible to include a mixture of wildflowers, shrubbery, trees, and grasses to cater to a wide variety of habitat preferences.
The National Audubon Society’s native plant tracker is an excellent resource for determining which native plants are most commonly found in your area, which animals they attract, and how to best care for them. It can be accessed here: Native Plants
Douglas Tallamy is a well-known entomologist and ecologist working to restore 20 million acres to native ecosystems in a grassroots movement called Homegrown National Park. Its primary goal is to encourage “small efforts by many people,” ultimately creating connectivity for local wildlife and promoting ecosystem services. You can explore Homegrown National Park’s website here to learn more about Douglas Tallamy and find resources about how to take part in the movement: Homegrown National Park
For those in the Mid-Atlantic region looking to include native plants in their gardens but unsure where to start, Choose Natives offers numerous resources and articles on creating a wildlife-and environmentally-friendly habitat in your backyard. Their website can be found here: Choose Natives
The Audubon Society also provides tips for using those native plants and your existing natural surroundings to effectively “landscape” and care for a backyard ecosystem: How to Make Your Yard Bird-Friendly
With the appearance of a Snowy Owl in Central Park, we’ve created a second Owl Etiquette graphic for members to share on their social medial accounts. Please continue to help us get the word out about how to enjoy watching owls responsibly.
Our Owl Etiquette recommendations have been made into a graphic for members to share on their social media accounts. Please help us get the word out about how to enjoy watching owls responsibly.
On the Tuesday, September 15th LSNY walk, a Spotted Lanternfly was seen at the Evodia Field, in Central Park.
Spotted Lanternfly pose a significant threat to New York’s agricultural and forest health. Adults and nymphs use their sucking mouthparts to feed on the sap of more than 70 plant species. This feeding by sometimes thousands of Spotted Lanternfly stresses plants, making them vulnerable to disease and attacks from other insects. Spotted Lanternfly also excrete large amounts of sticky “honeydew,” which attracts sooty molds that interfere with plant photosynthesis, negatively affecting the growth and fruit yield of plants. New York’s annual yield of apples and grapes, with a combined value of $358.4 million, could be impacted if Spotted Lanternfly enters New York.
For more information on the Spotted Lanternfly, see the NYS DEC Website.
To learn how to identify them, watch this short video,
NYS DEC Spotted Lanternfly Video
If you believe you’ve found spotted lanternfly in New York:
