GARDEN CITY BIRD SANCTUARY INC
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Mission Statement
The Garden City Bird Sanctuary, Inc. organization manages a community nature refuge through volunteer community service. Over 8,000 people have contributed their time since 1995.
About This Cause
SUMP-THING’S HAPPENING! From a neglected and trash-filled storm water basin, locally referred to as a ‘sump,’ a community nature preserve is flourishing. The vision statement adopted by the Garden City based community group was simply "to establish a local greenspace for the demonstration of environmental stewardship through education and volunteer community services." The concept developed into the Garden City Bird Sanctuary - a protected nine-acre nature refuge at Nassau County Stormwater Basin #232 next to a local playground. Since the initial volunteer led site clean-up in 1995, nearly 10,000 people have been active in this effort to improve the environment and educate residents on the meaning of environmental stewardship in the community. Technical assistance originally came from Hofstra University and funds were donated by local residents. The National Tree Trust awarded grants of seedlings under their Community Tree Planting program. Boy and Girl Scout troops joined to work at the Sanctuary. The enthusiasm continued to build and by 1996, "sump-thing" new began. On April 27, 1996, Nassau County Executive Tom Gulotta led a formal dedication ceremony at the site, designating NCDPW Basin 232 officially as "The Garden City Bird Sanctuary". Village officials joined the nearly 200 people welcoming the birth of the new nature refuge. That November, the County Executive returned to the Bird Sanctuary to hold a press conference where, because of the continued success of Garden City’s pilot project, he extended the program on a County basis to all interested communities. At the May 1997 Anniversary Festival, attended by over 300 guests, Nassau County installed a “Pride In Nassau’s Environment” sign at the entrance to reflect the continued support for the project. Progress continued. In September 1997, the Bird Sanctuary received the “Outstanding Ecological Program” award from the Long Island Leisure Services Association. In 1998, the Bird Sanctuary celebrated an “Earthfest", continued development of a “Memorial Walk” of trees donated in honor or memory of loved ones, and formalized an exchange program with Clark Botanical Gardens to help guide planting of native species of trees and shrubs. A Merit Award was received from 1010WINS Radio in November 1998 for the outstanding volunteer community effort. Other awards and recognition followed. Efforts to establish a flourishing, self-sustaining, nature refuge continue. Grants from the NYS Department of Parks have been used to install new fencing, botanical signs, and trail markers. Over thirty Boy Scouts have completed Eagle projects at the Bird Sanctuary, and the several Girl Scouts have earned Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards. School and church groups continue to use the site for environmental education and community service. In 2004, Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Long Island Nursery/Landscape Association held a training workshop on control of invasive species and use of native species for landscaping at the site. In 2005, the National Wildlife Federation designated the site as a “Certified Backyard Habitat”. The site offers food, water, shelter and cover - the critical needs of birds and wildlife, and over 100 different species of birds have been documented. The Garden City Bird Sanctuary site was also used in August 2006 as the kick-off Press Announcement with Nassau County Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs after she coordinated a fun, public education program for students who voted to elect a Nassau County Official Bird – the Osprey. In December 2006, a grant was received from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation for a Community Tree Planting Program and the Bird Sanctuary's "Dual Use of Stormwater Basins For Community Benefit" was a featured presentation at the Pennsylvania Water Conference. Additional educational presentations regarding the site have been made at NYSDEC, Brookhaven National Labs, Suffolk Cornell Cooperative Extension, Clark Gardens, Old Westbury Gardens, local libraries and garden clubs and the EPA's Ground Water Forum (which sponsored a tree). The Bird Sanctuary received a second NYSDEC Community Tree Planting and Urban Forestry grant in 2011. A $55,000 budget was approved through the Nassau County Environmental Bond, leading to the innovative design and installation of a wet meadows at the basin. State Senator Kemp Hannon, Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray, and County Legislator Vincent Muscarella were on hand for the groundbreaking with a local boy scout adding a memorial garden to overlook the site. Both projects were completed in 2010 and a high school student, Sara Kulin, presented an award winning poster session on the wet meadows at the New York Water Environment Association's Annual Conference in 2011. Adelphi University has also been a strong supporter of the Garden City Bird Sanctuary. The Adelphi Freshman Community Action Program has conducted community service programs at the site for over five years, bringing over 50 entering Adelphi students per program. Adelphi clubs and classes have used the site for research and study. Adelphi has provided summer internship opportunities for students so the site could be open to the public on a more regular basis. Starting in 2012, Adelphi students were the instructors for a series of Nature Camp classes offered in cooperation with the Garden City Recreation Department. Green is good! Be a part of it. The Garden City Bird Sanctuary is located opposite 181 Tanners Pond Road, in Garden City, Long Island, NY. The area is open to the public (in good weather) at no cost. The Board of Directors invites you to support the Garden City Bird Sanctuary organization with donations and membership. The Garden City Bird Sanctuary, Inc. is a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible.