RESOLUTION ON JAMAICA BAY NWR BIKE PATH

WHEREAS, Jamaica Bay has been designated as an Important Bird Area of Global Significance by the National Audubon Society and the American Bird Conservancy as well as New York City's only Critical Environmental Area by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and

WHEREAS, Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge forms the core of this bay, and

WHEREAS, the Rockaway Gateway Greenway Advisory Board in concert with the National Park Service has expressed its intention of building a 16 foot wide, mostly asphalt, multiple-use recereation corridor, meandering through critical buffer habitat for the entire length of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge and

WHEREAS, the construction of this multiple-use corridor will result in the destruction of shrub-thicket habitat which contains primarily northern bayberry, a New York State vulnerable species, as well as many other beneficial species of plants forming critical habitat for migratory and resident birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, and

WHEREAS, the Act of Congress forming Gateway National Recreation Area states that "the Secretary shall administer and protect the islands and waters within the Jamaica Bay Unit with the primary aim of conserving the natural resources, fish, and wildlife located therein and shall permit no development or use of the area that is incompatible with this purpose." and the Gateway National Recreation Area Management Plan states that "there will be no further development of roads, trails, or parking facilities." and,

WHEREAS, and the development of a multi-purpose trail for active recreational use is contrary to the intent of a wildlife refuge and the Gateway National Recreation Area Management Plan, therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the Federation of New York State Bird Clubs, Inc. opposes any development into the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge beyond the edges of the existing sidewalks on either side of Cross Bay Blvd., as well as any expansion of parking facilities in the refuge due to increased visitation of a multi-purpose, active recreation corridor on Cross Bay Blvd., and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Federation of New York State Bird Clubs, Inc. would support the construction of a multiple-use recreation corridor that utilizes the third and fourth lanes and existing sidewalk on the southbound side of Cross Bay Blvd. where the third lane would be planted as a native plant buffer for the corridor..