News Release

West Pond Habitat and Viewshed Management Open House at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge

Date: February 21, 2023
Contact: Daphne Yun, [phone]

Queens, N.Y.  The National Park Service (NPS) is pleased to invite visitors and stakeholders to the West Pond Habitat and Viewshed Management Open House on February 25, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center. More information on the event, including optional registration, is available here: https://westpondvegetatation.eventbrite.com.

At this drop-in event, NPS is seeking public input on specific habitat and viewshed management issues along the West Pond Loop Trail from Bench 1 to Bench 13 to support the development of a Stewardship Plan for the East and West Pond area of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at Gateway National Recreation Area. The Stewardship Plan aims to define the future of this beloved area 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. During the Open House, NPS staff will be available for one-on-one conversations related to these issues and how they can be addressed or evaluated in the broader East and West Pond Stewardship Plan effort.

Interested stakeholders may also submit questions and comments by email to [e-mail], or in writing at Daphne Yun, Gateway National Recreation Area (ATTN: East and West Pond Stewardship Plan), 210 New York Avenue, Staten Island, New York 10305. More information about the Stewardship Plan process can be found at https://www.nps.gov/gate//getinvolved/stewardship-plan.htm.

About Gateway National Recreation Area

Gateway is a large diverse urban park with 27,000 acres spanning Sandy Hook in N.J. and Jamaica Bay and Staten Island in N.Y. It offers green spaces, beaches, wildlife, and outdoor recreation, all alongside historic structures and cultural landscapes. It is the 4^th most visited National Park Service unit with more than 9.2 million annual visitors.  For more information about Gateway, visit www.nps.gov/gate.