Join Gateway National Recreation Area and the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy for an immersive walking tour of the West Pond Living Shoreline project at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. This innovative shoreline restoration, installed in 2021, exemplifies a nature-based solution to the growing challenges of coastal erosion and wetland loss.

Central to the success of this initiative is adaptive management—a dynamic approach where restoration decisions are continually refined in response to changing conditions and unexpected challenges. In the spring of 2024, tree fascines made from salvaged Christmas trees were installed to act as natural wave breaks, reducing wind and wave energy, encouraging sediment accumulation, and protecting the shoreline from further erosion.

As you explore the area, Terri Carta, Executive Director, and Elizabeth Stoehr, Deputy Director, will reveal how this project, undertaken by the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay, has created new habitats and strengthened the resilience of this vital freshwater pond. Once breached during Superstorm Sandy, the pond was restored in 2017 and now serves as a crucial refuge for both resident and migratory birds. This tour offers a unique insight into how nature-based solutions can enhance the sustainability of coastal environments.

The walk is on an outdoor trail made of gravel. Wear waterproof shoes that can get wet and muddy. Due to a low tide, participants will have the opportunity to walk on the tidal mud flat. The surface is mucky, with sand, water, and silt that is soft underfoot with some sinking in areas. No strollers.