New group monitors wetlands

A newly-formed citizens’ group, the North Eastern Queens Community Action Network (NEQ-CAN) made its existence known recently, with an inspection tour of Udalls Cove, Little Neck Bay and environs recently.
The group, an outgrowth of the Friends of Oakland Lake and Ravine, conducted the expedition on Sunday, August 24.
Six observers departed from a point near the Little Bay jetty, near the entrance to Fort Totten. They made their way past the historic battlements of the old fort, and across the mouth of Little Neck Bay, to observe conditions in Udalls Cove, a sensitive wetland which straddles the border of New York City and Nassau County.
“We formed this ad hoc committee to partner with established community groups,” said Daniel Egers, president of the Friends of Oakland Lake organization. “We’re expanding our volunteer activities to promote public awareness of issues affecting the community,” he continued.
Local resident Patrick McShane, a member of Community District Education Counsel 26 and expert in canoeing, provided the necessary equipment through the auspices of the Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club in Brooklyn.
McShane’s group promotes public access to the waterfront, to encourage public advocacy for environmental improvement around the canal and waterfront. “I hope we can do the same thing here in Queens,” he said.
The trip was timed so that Udalls Cove and the marshy embankments of these state tidal wetlands would be reached just after low tide.
On a sandy beach area they found evidence of varied shellfish and remains of horseshoe crabs which had come to reproduce. They also found refuse - beer cans, bottles and an old tire, some of which had apparently been there for years.
The dominant feature of the area is the outflow terminus of a waste treatment plant, located just over the line in Nassau County, which was given a wide berth.
“If this wasn’t here, this would be a paradise,” mused several members of the group, as they passed the business end of the outflow.
The team made their way into the interior of the cove and photographed such flora and fauna as could be observed, after which they made their way back to the embarkation point, after making on-the-water observations at the Bayside Marina.
According to NEQ-CAN executive director Vincent Tabone, “We’re going to share our observations and photographic evidence with appropriate state and city agencies and with local elected officials including Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Senator Frank Padavan and Assemblymember Marc Weprin, who have been very effective advocates.”