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BROOKLYN WEEKLY, MAY 26, 2019
Marine Park renovations complete
Four-year project included two-mile hiking trail and thousands of new trees
BY AIDAN GRAHAM
Take a hike!
Kings County green space gurus
capped off an extensive effort
to renovate Marine Park’s woodlands
on May 19, cutting the ribbon
on a new two-mile hiking
trail and debuting more than
7,000 news trees.
The four-year project focused
on improving trail accessibility
and protecting wildlife in the borough’s
largest park, according to
a rep from one organization who
participated in the effort.
“Through this multi-year effort,
we have literally uncovered
the beauty of Marine Park,” said
Alex Zablocki of the Jamaica Bay-
Rockaway Parks Conservancy.
“Today, we welcome visitors to
enjoy Marine Park’s newly established
two-mile trail that will take
them through some of Brooklyn’s
most unique coastal habitats.”
Visitors can now hike along
the newly debuted route through
the entrance near Gerritsen and
Seba avenues in Gerritsen Beach.
Prior to the renovation, the
quality of trails in the 800-acre
park had deteriorated and lacked
coherent passageways, said the
project manager of the Natural
Areas Conservancy.
“The existing trails were in
bad condition, and there were no
markings, so it was confusing to
get around the park. So what we
did was formalize two more miles
of hiking trails,” said Justin
Bowers. “While we were doing
that, we made several ecological
upgrades to the park.” The park
is home to more than 325 species
of birds and 100 species of fi sh,
according to the city Parks Department
website . Park honchos
said the additional trees would
serve to protect that wildlife and
help the coastal community avoid
storm damage.
“Marine Park is one of only two
locations in all of New York City
that contains what is known as
a coastal maritime forest, which
provides habitat for rare native
plant species, as well as an array
of native animals and birds,” said
Sarah Charlop-Powers. “They’re
also often our fi rst line of defense
when it comes to protecting our
neighborhoods from the adverse
effects of climate change, like extreme
storms.”
As part of the effort, construction
crews removed 14 vehicles
that were deserted in the park,
according to Bowers, who speculated
on the nefarious reasons the
cars were abandoned.
“I can’t say for certain, but
it’s most likely insurance fraud
because they’re burned, so
there are no identifiers on the
cars,” he said.
The Nature Conservancy,
along with over 400 volunteers,
contributed to the project, according
to Bowers, who said the effort
achieved its goals of easing access
to the park’s trails.
“I think it looks great,” he said.
“I’ve already heard from people
who tell me the new trial markings
make it easier to get around
in the park.”
POINTED: Park gurus show off the newly renovated hiking trail. Justin Bowers