Jamaica Bay and Rockaway contain, by far, the biggest natural space in New York City. The shores surrounding the Jamaica Bay boast 10,000 acres of public parklands, and the bay itself comprises 18,000 acres of open water and marshlands. Taken together, this is 44 square miles of open areas, large enough to fit the island of Manhattan twice over. Add to this the 11 miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches along the Rockaway peninsula, and you have a lot of space to celebrate for the 56th Earth Week, our annual springtime recommitment to protect our environment.

Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy (JBRPC) continued its spring cleanup activities across the region. JBRPC worked with volunteers to clear debris from Kingsborough Community College in Manhattan Beach, from Rockaway Beach (in partnership with The Rockaway Hotel), from Broad Channel American Park, and from the shoreline adjacent to Adrienne’s restaurant, on the north side of the Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridge. The final cleanup, led by JBRPC’s Wetlands Fellows and the Jamaica Bay Ecowatchers, removed debris from last month’s three-alarm fire next to the restaurant on Van Brunt Road. Altogether, JBRPC cleanups marshalled 124 volunteers to remove 1,876 pounds of debris across the four locations. Cleanups aside, there were many ways to enjoy the parks this past week.

At Floyd Bennett Field, JBRPC’s Park Pals program provided interactive nature education for children aged 0-6. The program provides enrichment activities that start indoors and culminate with a fun explorers walk at the shoreline. Last week’s program included a shoreline cleanup to inspire the next generation of environmental stewards. At the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, there was an opportunity for families to observe and record wildlife as part of the City Nature Challenge, presented by JBRPC and the National Park Service. The American Littoral Society hosted a moth night and a birding session at Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge, and a planting session at Arverne East Nature Preserve, with support from NYC Parks and JBRPC. Shirley Chisholm State Park hosted a bike tour, a cleanup, and open-air art activities. The Amateur Astronomers Association hosted its regular stargazing at Floyd Bennett Field.

May brings with it a fresh slate of free events and more reasons to get outside. This Saturday, May 2, JBRPC and Marine Park Alliance are hosting a cleanup of Marine Park’s South Shoreline. On Saturday, May 9, the Pollinator Festival will take place at the Beach 43rd Street Waterfront Park in Arverne, inviting kids and families to learn about native bees, butterflies, and other pollinating insects that support our coastal and urban habitats. On Sunday, May 17, the annual Horseshoe Crab Festival is happening at Sunset Cove Park in Broad Channel. Attendees will get up close and personal with the 450-million-year-old horseshoe crab and learn about their ecological and medicinal importance. Finally, on Saturday, May 30, a fishing clinic for beginners will happen next to the Rockaway Ferry Terminal, in the Park at Beach 108th Street. More information on all these events can be found at JBRPC.org/events.