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EPA and Public and Private Partners Celebrate National Estuaries Day With a Variety of New York/New Jersey Harbor Events; Nature Walks, Cruises, Beach Cleanups and Art Projects Are Among the Activities Offered

Release Date: 09/21/2004
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(#04138) New York, N.Y. -- From Jamaica Bay to Manhattan, family-friendly events celebrating the New York/New Jersey Harbor will be held starting National Estuaries Day , Saturday, September 25. All of the events are free of charge. "The New York/New Jersey Harbor is one of the nation's most dynamic estuaries," said Jane M. Kenny, EPA Regional Administrator. "Where else would you find estuary waters providing the nurseries and habitats for thousands of species of fish, birds and mammals right in the middle of a metropolis that is home to over 10 million people? We are proud of the work we've done, together with our private and public partners, to restore the Harbor estuary, and we hope residents of New York and New Jersey will participate in these educational and entertaining events." The events, which include boat tours, catch-and-release fishing, nature walks and festivals, are arranged by a diverse group of New York and New Jersey-based non-profit organizations. A full list of harbor events is available on-line at www.harborestuary.org. The New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary extends from Westchester County in the north to Monmouth County, New Jersey in the south, east to the Rockaways in Queens. It includes the lower Hudson River, the Bronx and Harlem Rivers, Jamaica Bay, Newark Bay, the Arthur Kill, and the Raritan, Hackensack, Passaic, Navesink, Shrewsbury and Rahway Rivers. The Harbor Estuary Program is a partnership of federal, state and local environmental agencies, scientists and citizens working together to protect and restore the resources of the Harbor Estuary. National Estuaries Day events in New York: Date Event / Location Time / Description Contact Information September 25 Lower East Side Beach Exploration Fireboat House in East River Park at Grand Street, Manhattan 12 pm 5 pm Join the Lower East Side Ecology Center to celebrate Estuary Day and explore the East River Park Environmental Learning Center. The working Fireboat Kevin Kane, Marine Company 6, will do water displays at 12:30. From 1-3 pm, poles & bait will be provided for the 'I fish New York' catch and release fishing program. Light refreshments will be served. Lower East Side Ecology Center PO Box 20488 New York, NY 10009 (212) 477–4022 [email protected]. September 25 National Estuaries Day on the Gowanus Canal 2nd Street / off Bond Street in Brooklyn, NY 8 am 4 pm Explore and discover one of the most polluted waterways in New York and learn how nature is returning with the help of a little fresh water. The Gowanus Dredgers will be hosting an open house on the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn where they will introduce you to the habitat and ecology of the waterway and show how restoration and recreation can work together to provide a clean and safe harbor. Light refreshments will be available and people of all ages are welcome. Owen Foote [email protected] 718-243-0849 [email protected] September 25 NATIONAL ESTUARIES DAY: "Mi Estuario es Su Estuario" Inwood Hill Park Nature Center - 218th Street, Manhattan 8 am 4 pm Learn about our Northern Manhattan Estuary and how to be a citizen scientist. Highlights include: a forest walk at 8:00 am with Mike Feller, Chief Naturalist for the NYC Parks, Kids of all ages environmental art workshop from 11:00-2:00, water quality monitoring workshops on and offshore from 11:00-4:00, and more! Barbara Pressman 212-942-7039 [email protected] September 25 ESTUARY WONDERS! Pier 16 South Street and Fulton Street, Manhattan 1 pm 4 pm Join the South Street Seaport Museum as we celebrate Estuary Day for an afternoon of activities focusing on the unique features of estuarine life and maritime crafts inspired by the aquatic animals of the East River. Visitors will touch, play, examine, create and discover as they learn. Free with museum admission. 212-748-8758 September 26 JAMAICA BAY ECOLOGY SUNSET CRUISE 4:30 pm 7:30 pm Join the American Littoral Society and Gateway National Recreation Area for a three-hour sunset cruise through the backwater marshes of Jamaica Bay. Learn about the history, ecology and wildlife of this great 13,000 acre urban estuary. The cruise passes close to the big marshes of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge where egrets, herons, ibis, osprey, peregrine falcon, waterfowl, oystercatchers and many other species stop during the peak fall migration time. Wine & cheese will be served. Advance reservation required please call 718-318-9344. Don Riepe 28 West 9th Road, Broad Channel, NY 11693 (718)318-9344 October 2 WILD BROOKLYN: EXPERIENCE THE WATERS AND WILDLIFE AT BROOKYN BRIDGE PARK'S HARBOR ESTUARY DAY Brooklyn Bridge Park and Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park in Brooklyn, NY 10:30 am 2:30 pm Visit Brooklyn Bridge Park and Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park for a unique, up-close experience of the Harbor Estuary and East River. The Park's "Cove Between the Bridges" teems with wildlife and shows how this slice of nature can thrive in our urban landscape. The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy will offer boat and walking tours, bird watching, fishing, and information about this hidden habitat who calls ith ome and how we can help it flourish. 718-802-0603 [email protected] October 2 "MARVELOUS MUDFLATS" EXPLORATION AND HARLEM RIVER FESTIVAL Swindler Cove Park Harlem River Drive & Dyckman Street @ 10th Avenue, NYC 9 am 4 pm Learn about the Harlem River estuary by exploring its mudflats and lending a hand in cleaning them up in the morning, then enjoying our fall festival in the afternoon! Fun for the whole family and it's FREE! Check out an oyster garden, seining for fish and other critters, water quality monitoring, and more. There will also be boating activities, face painting, storytelling, and live music, all about the water! New York Restoration Project Jane Jackson 212-333-2552 October 2 EXPLORE AND REDISCOVER THE HARLEM RIVER ESTUARY Roberto Clemente Waterfront State Park in Bronx, NY 11 am 5 pm Join the Urban Divers Estuary Conservancy for a guided ecocruise of the Harlem River aboard UDEC's monitoring vessel CleanWater. Receive a fresh perspective on the history and ecology of the estuary that flows along northern Manhattan and South Bronx. Participate in fun and hands-on scientific investigations to check the health of the estuary. Advance Registration is required please call 718-583-5711. [email protected] October 2 EMERALD CITIES 1 pm 3:15 pm Celebrate National Estuaries Day with an ecological boat tour of Hudson River and Liberty State Parks. Join the Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance Lori Garth, Liberty State Park Interpretive Center Kerry Dawson, Hudson River Park Estuarine Sanctuary Manager for a free cruise and guided waterfront tour. 212-935-9831 [email protected] The New York/New Jersey Harbor Estuary Program is a cooperative effort sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the states of New York and New Jersey to analyze and correct the Estuary's most pressing environmental needs. The Harbor Estuary includes the waters of New York Harbor and the tidally influenced portions of all rivers and streams that empty into the harbor, including the lower portions of the Hudson and Raritan Rivers.