Wildlife Refuge Petition

The following petition has been posted on Change.org

Restore the West Pond at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, New York

We ask you to join the Birders’ Coalition for Gateway (New York City Audubon, New York State Ornithological Association, Linnaean Society of New York, Brooklyn Bird Club, Queens County Bird Club, Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers and American Littoral Society, North East Chapter) in its petition that the West Pond in the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, part of the National Park Service’s Gateway National Recreation Area in Queens County, New York, be restored promptly to its original freshwater state, so that its value to wildlife and the viewing public is preserved in this urban environment for current and future generations. This restoration should include:

1. Proper seasonal control of the Pond’s water level to provide adequate shoreline for shorebirds during the spring and fall migration.
2. Ongoing scientific management and maintenance of the fresh water ecosystems.
3. Restoration and maintenance of former tern and terrapin nesting areas and butterfly meadows that provide food source such as milkweeds for Monarchs.
4. Better trail systems with reasonable access to wildlife viewing, including suitably sited boardwalks and observation platforms and/or towers.
5. Blinds for photography and observation by educational tours and other visitors.
6. Proper seasonal trail maintenance with emphasis on invasive species control.
7. Restoration planting of trees and shrubs in the storm-damaged Gardens that flank the West Pond, to recover habitat for migrant and resident land birds.
8. Interpretive signage, guided interpretation, and tours by educational groups should be encouraged, and rules that prohibit activities detrimental to the wellbeing of wildlife must be enforced.
9. Adequate refuge staffing with strong habitat management and wildlife biology credentials.

Read more and go to the petition here.