DOCSLIB.ORG

The Creeks, Beaches, and Bay of the Jamaica Bay Estuary: the Importance of Place in Cultivating Relationships to Nature

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Creeks, Beaches, and Bay of the Jamaica Bay Estuary: the Importance of Place in Cultivating Relationships to Nature City University of New York (CUNY) CUNY Academic Works All Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects 2012 The Creeks, Beaches, and Bay of the Jamaica Bay Estuary: The Importance of Place in Cultivating Relationships to Nature Kristen L. Van Hooreweghe Graduate Center, City University of New York How does access to this work benefit ou?y Let us know! More information about this work at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/1815 Discover additional works at: https://academicworks.cuny.edu This work is made publicly available by the City University of New York (CUNY). Contact: [email protected] The Creeks, Beaches, and Bay of the Jamaica Bay Estuary: The Importance of Place in Cultivating Relationships to Nature by Kristen L. Van Hooreweghe A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Sociology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, The City University of New York 2012 © 2012 Kristen L. Van Hooreweghe All Rights Reserved ii This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in Sociology in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. William Kornblum _______________ ______________________________________________ Date Chair of Examining Committee John Torpey ______________ ______________________________________________ Date Executive Officer William Kornblum Kenneth Gould Hester Eisenstein Supervisory Committee THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK iii Abstract The Creeks, Beaches, and Bay of the Jamaica Bay Estuary: The Importance of Place in Cultivating Relationships to Nature by Kristen L. Van Hooreweghe Adviser: Professor William Kornblum It is often assumed that people living in urban areas lack connections to the natural world and are the source of environmental problems. This assumption, however, is an oversimplification of urban life. Employing an eco-ethnography, with participant observations, qualitative interviews, and an environmental history, this study examines New York City’s Jamaica Bay estuary and surrounding neighborhoods to understand how residents cultivate their relationships to nature in a dense urban setting. Many residents near Jamaica Bay have developed a strong connection to place that is rooted in their regular, embodied experiences living, working, playing, and praying on the Jamaica Bay estuary. Through the process of creating place, residents have come to view Jamaica Bay as alive and a regular participant in daily life. As a result, some residents have come to take environmental action to preserve and protect the Bay. However, not all residents living along Jamaica Bay have the same access to the environmental experiences of the estuary, and therefore do not have the same opportunities to cultivate their relationship with nature. Furthermore, some residents have used their connection to place and environmental protection as reasons to keep “others” from accessing the Bay, resulting in environmental privilege. Consequently, the Jamaica Bay situation suggests the need for urban environmental policy that foregrounds the natural environment and engenders a sense, among all urban residents, that nature is a regular part of daily life. iv Acknowledgements As with all large projects, this dissertation would not have been possible without the help of many others. I would like to thank the members of the Jamaica Bay community for allowing me to be a part of “their place,” and for their generosity of time, their honesty, and their willingness to give of themselves to protect the Bay. I would also like to thank the members of my dissertation committee, William Kornblum, Kenneth Gould, and Hester Eisenstein, each of who have challenged me, encouraged me, and nurtured my intellectual development. I would also like to thank my family and friends, without their willingness to listen, their continued support, encouragement, and humor, I would never have completed the dissertation or be who I am today. Thank you. A special thanks to Alex (and Mork), your unconditional love and support mean the world to me, ground me, and inspire me in ways I could never have imagined. Any and all errors are my own. v Table of Contents Chapter One: Introduction .............................................................................................................. 1 The Jamaica Bay Estuary ............................................................................................................ 3 From Wetland to Wasteland and Back Again: Jamaica Bay, NY .............................................. 8 The Environment in (Environmental) Sociology ...................................................................... 14 A Note on Language and Concepts .......................................................................................... 17 Methods..................................................................................................................................... 20 Reflexivity: The Environment, Gender, and Race .................................................................... 23 An Eco-feminist Take on Jamaica Bay ..................................................................................... 28 Dissertation Map ....................................................................................................................... 30 Chapter 2: An Environmental History of Jamaica Bay ................................................................ 32 The Value of Environmental History ........................................................................................ 33 Spartina alterniflora .................................................................................................................. 34 Crassostrea Virginica – The Eastern Oyster ............................................................................. 37 Food and Habitat in Jamaica Bay’s Marshes: The Pre-Industrial and Early Industrial Era ..... 41 The Reconstruction Era Transforms Jamaica Bay: Post-Civil War to 1900 ............................ 48 Industrialization of Jamaica Bay Takes its Toll: Environmental Change from 1900 to 1940 .. 54 Budding Environmentalism Transforms Jamaica Bay: The WWII era-1972 ........................... 62 The Post-Gateway Era: 1972-Present ....................................................................................... 63 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 71 Chapter 3: Live, Work, Play, and Pray in Jamaica Bay: The Importance of Place in Cultivating Relationships to Nature ................................................................................................................. 73 Jamaica Bay, a Special Place Among New York’s Many Places ............................................. 76 vi Live, Work, Play, and Pray on Jamaica Bay: Experiencing and Creating Place ...................... 79 Living near Jamaica Bay ....................................................................................................... 81 Working on Jamaica Bay ...................................................................................................... 85 Playing on Jamaica Bay ........................................................................................................ 90 Praying on the Bay ................................................................................................................ 96 Citizen-led Environmental Remediation in Jamaica Bay ....................................................... 100 Arguing for the Role of Nature in Place: ................................................................................ 111 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 113 Chapter 4: Jamaica Bay: Boundaries, Real and Imagined .......................................................... 115 Intersecting Creeks, Streets, and Socio-demographics: Accessing Jamaica Bay ................... 116 Gerritsen Beach: .................................................................................................................. 129 Mill Basin and Bergen Beach: ............................................................................................ 134 Canarsie: ............................................................................................................................. 139 East New York: ................................................................................................................... 148 Howard Beach (Hamilton Beach, Ramblersville, Old Howard Beach), Queens ................ 151 Ozone Park and South Ozone Park: .................................................................................... 156 Broad Channel .................................................................................................................... 158 Rockaway Peninsula (Edgemere, Far Rockaway, Arverne, Hammels, Rockaway Park, Neponsit, Belle Harbor, Breezy Point) ............................................................................... 161 The Exclusionary Potential of Place ....................................................................................... 171 Conclusion .............................................................................................................................. 179 Chapter 5: Conclusion ................................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • GOWANUS GENERATING STATION GOWANUS REPOWERING PROJECT PRELIMINARY SCOPING STATEMENT Astoria Generating Company, L.P. Brooklyn, K
    ASTORIA GENERATING COMPANY, L.P. May 2019 GOWANUS GENERATING STATION GOWANUS REPOWERING PROJECT PRELIMINARY SCOPING STATEMENT Astoria Generating Company, L.P. Brooklyn, Kings County, New York New York State Siting Board on Electric Generation Siting and the Environment Case Number – 18-F-0758 Preliminary Scoping Statement Case No. 18-F-0758 Prepared By: Astoria Generating Company, L.P. Gowanus Generating Station 420 2nd Avenue P.O. Box 658 Brooklyn, New York 11232 Tel: 1-833-617-9547 Email: [email protected] Submitted to: New York State Department of Public Service Empire State Plaza Agency Building 3 Albany, NY 12223 and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Region 2 4740 21st Street Long Island City, NY 11101 Preliminary Scoping Statement Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations .............................................................................................................. vii 1. Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.1 Organization of the PSS ................................................................................................... 1‐1 2. Project Description ............................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.1 Description of the Applicant & Applicant Information .................................................... 2‐1 2.1.1 Website ..............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • A Report on the City of New York's Existing and Possible Tree Canopy
    A Report on the City of New York’s Existing and Possible Tree Canopy Why is Tree Canopy Important? Project Background Tree canopy (TC) is the layer of leaves, branches, and stems of trees that The goal of the project was to apply the USDA Forest Service’s cover the ground when viewed from above. Tree canopy provides many Tree Canopy (TC) Assessment Protocols to the City of New benefits to communities by improving water quality, saving energy, lower- York. The primary source of data for this assessment was Light ing city temperatures, reducing air pollution, enhancing property values, Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data acquired from April 14th to providing wildlife habitat, facilitating social and educational opportunities May 1st, 2010. The City of New York funded LiDAR acquisition, and providing aesthetic benefits. Establishing a tree canopy goal is crucial and the National Urban and Community Forestry Advisory for communities seeking to improve their green infrastructure and environ- Council (NUCFAC) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) mental quality. A tree canopy assessment is the first step in this goal- funded subsequent tree canopy analyses. The assessment was setting process, providing estimates for the amount of tree canopy current- performed by the Spatial Analysis Laboratory (SAL) at the Uni- ly present in a city as well as the amount of tree canopy that could theo- versity of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of the Environment retically be established. and Natural Resources. The analysis was conducted in collabo- ration with the New York City Department of Parks & Recrea- How Much Tree Canopy Does New York Have? tion, the New York City Urban Field Station, the USDA Forest An analysis of New York City’s tree canopy based on land-cover data de- Service’s Northern Research Station, and Columbia University.
    [Show full text]
  • Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team Planting Report Fall 2010
    Natural Resources Group Forest Restoration Team Planting Report Fall 2010 Dear Parkie, The Natural Resources Group (NRG) moved closer to our PlaNYC goal of planting over 400,000 trees throughout the city. This past fall we planted over 30,000 trees in 2 properties in all five boroughs. Our current tally stands at 222,188. Furthermore, we planted over 7,000 shrubs and over 4,000 herbaceous plants Our primary goal is to create and restore multi-story forests, bringing back the ecological richness of our region. Healthy multi-story forests provide cleaner air, cleaner water, and increased biodiversity. NRG again hosted the Million Trees volunteer day. Volunteers and Parks’ staff planted 21,806 trees altogether. Without volunteers and the support of the Agency, and our institutional and community partners, NRG would not reach its planting goals. Below is a summary of fall 2010. • Containerized trees planted by the Forest Restoration Team: 27,130 (2009: 26,139) • Containerized trees planted through contractors: 4,332 (2009: 9,652) • Balled & burlapped trees planted through contractors: 58 (2009: 267) • Containerized shrubs planted by the Forest Restoration Team: 5,701 (2009: 4,626) • Containerized shrubs planted through contractors: 1,492 (2009: 0) • Herbaceous plugs planted by the Forest Restoration Team: 4,540 (2009: 18,528) • Hosted 11 volunteer events with a total of 341 volunteers (2009: 32, 468) Sincerely, Tim Wenskus Deputy Director Natural Resources Group Total Plants Planted Trees 31,520 Shrubs 7,193 Herbaceous 4,540 Grand Total 43,253
    [Show full text]
  • Past Tibor T. Polgar Fellowships
    Past Tibor T. Polgar Fellowships The Hudson River estuary stretches from its tidal limit at the Federal Dam at Troy, New York, to its merger with the New York Bight, south of New York City. Within that reach, the estuary displays a broad transition from tidal freshwater to marine conditions that are reflected in its physical composition and the biota it supports. These characteristics present a major opportunity and challenge for researchers to describe the makeup and workings of a complex and dynamic ecosystem. The Tibor T. Polgar Fellowship Program provides funds for graduate and undergraduate students to study selected aspects of the physical, chemical, biological, and public policy realms of the estuary. Since its inception in 1985, the program has provided approximately $1 million in funding to 189 students and can boast the involvement of 116 advisors from 64 institutions. The program is named in memory of Dr. Tibor T. Polgar, an estuarine biologist who was a key advisor to the Hudson River Foundation for Science and Environmental Research when the fellowship program was created. The program is conducted jointly by the Hudson River Foundation and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The fellowships are funded by the Foundation. Past reports of the Tibor T. Polgar Fellowship program are listed below. Download the entire report or particular sections as PDF files. Final Reports of the Tibor T. Polgar Fellowship Program, 2019 - Sarah Fernald, David Yozzo, and Helena Andreyko, editors I. Use of Gadolinium to Track Sewage Effluent Through the Poughkeepsie, New York Water System – Matthew Badia, Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • National Park Service Cultural Landscapes Inventory 2000
    National Park Service Cultural Landscapes Inventory 2000 Floyd Bennett Field Gateway NRA - Jamaica Bay Unit Table of Contents Inventory Unit Summary & Site Plan Concurrence Status Geographic Information and Location Map Management Information National Register Information Chronology & Physical History Analysis & Evaluation of Integrity Condition Treatment Bibliography & Supplemental Information Floyd Bennett Field Gateway NRA - Jamaica Bay Unit Inventory Unit Summary & Site Plan Inventory Summary The Cultural Landscapes Inventory Overview: CLI General Information: Purpose and Goals of the CLI The Cultural Landscapes Inventory (CLI), a comprehensive inventory of all cultural landscapes in the national park system, is one of the most ambitious initiatives of the National Park Service (NPS) Park Cultural Landscapes Program. The CLI is an evaluated inventory of all landscapes having historical significance that are listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, or are otherwise managed as cultural resources through a public planning process and in which the NPS has or plans to acquire any legal interest. The CLI identifies and documents each landscape’s location, size, physical development, condition, landscape characteristics, character-defining features, as well as other valuable information useful to park management. Cultural landscapes become approved CLIs when concurrence with the findings is obtained from the park superintendent and all required data fields are entered into a national database. In addition,
    [Show full text]
  • Phase 1 Remedial Investigation Work Plan Addendum: Reference Area Memorandum No
    305 West Grand Avenue, Suite 300 Montvale, New Jersey 07645 Phone 201.930.9890 Fax 201.930.9805 www.anchorqea.com MEMORANDUM To: Caroline Kwan and Nica Klaber Date: October 1, 2012 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Region 2 From: David Haury and Matt Cavas Anchor QEA, LLC Project: 120782-01.01 Re: Phase 1 Remedial Investigation Work Plan Addendum: Reference Area Memorandum No. 2 This memorandum presents the final decision regarding the candidate reference area sampling originally proposed in Section 3 of the Phase 1 Remedial Investigation Work Plan Addendum (WPA; Anchor QEA 2012a) and the subsequent Phase 1Remedial Investigation Work Plan Addendum: Reference Area Memorandum (Reference Area Memorandum; Anchor QEA 2012b). CANDIDATE REFERENCE AREAS SELECTED FOR RECONNAISSANCE SAMPLING The areas to be sampled, shown on Figure 1, are generally located throughout Jamaica Bay and along portions of Lower and Upper East River. The 14 candidate reference areas shown were selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) on September 27, 2012 (Kwan 2012) after review of proposed candidate reference areas. These 14 areas were selected to provide multiple candidate areas within four general categories—industrial with combined sewer overflows (CSOs), industrial with no or minimal CSO input, non-industrial with CSOs, and non-industrial with no or minimal CSO input. Table 1 lists the 14 candidate reference areas and the general category they were placed in. The target locations within each candidate reference area are shown on Figures 2 through 15 and are listed in Table 2 of this memorandum. The sampling activities to be completed, which are summarized in this memorandum, will be performed in a manner consistent with the methods outlined in the Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study Work Plan (RI/FS Work Plan; AECOM 2011) and described in greater detail in the Field Sampling and Analysis Plan (FSAP; Anchor QEA 2011a).
    [Show full text]
  • New York City Comprehensive Waterfront Plan
    NEW YORK CITY CoMPREHENSWE WATERFRONT PLAN Reclaiming the City's Edge For Public Discussion Summer 1992 DAVID N. DINKINS, Mayor City of New lVrk RICHARD L. SCHAFFER, Director Department of City Planning NYC DCP 92-27 NEW YORK CITY COMPREHENSIVE WATERFRONT PLAN CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMA RY 1 INTRODUCTION: SETTING THE COURSE 1 2 PLANNING FRA MEWORK 5 HISTORICAL CONTEXT 5 LEGAL CONTEXT 7 REGULATORY CONTEXT 10 3 THE NATURAL WATERFRONT 17 WATERFRONT RESOURCES AND THEIR SIGNIFICANCE 17 Wetlands 18 Significant Coastal Habitats 21 Beaches and Coastal Erosion Areas 22 Water Quality 26 THE PLAN FOR THE NATURAL WATERFRONT 33 Citywide Strategy 33 Special Natural Waterfront Areas 35 4 THE PUBLIC WATERFRONT 51 THE EXISTING PUBLIC WATERFRONT 52 THE ACCESSIBLE WATERFRONT: ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES 63 THE PLAN FOR THE PUBLIC WATERFRONT 70 Regulatory Strategy 70 Public Access Opportunities 71 5 THE WORKING WATERFRONT 83 HISTORY 83 THE WORKING WATERFRONT TODAY 85 WORKING WATERFRONT ISSUES 101 THE PLAN FOR THE WORKING WATERFRONT 106 Designation Significant Maritime and Industrial Areas 107 JFK and LaGuardia Airport Areas 114 Citywide Strategy fo r the Wo rking Waterfront 115 6 THE REDEVELOPING WATER FRONT 119 THE REDEVELOPING WATERFRONT TODAY 119 THE IMPORTANCE OF REDEVELOPMENT 122 WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT ISSUES 125 REDEVELOPMENT CRITERIA 127 THE PLAN FOR THE REDEVELOPING WATERFRONT 128 7 WATER FRONT ZONING PROPOSAL 145 WATERFRONT AREA 146 ZONING LOTS 147 CALCULATING FLOOR AREA ON WATERFRONTAGE loTS 148 DEFINITION OF WATER DEPENDENT & WATERFRONT ENHANCING USES
    [Show full text]
  • RESTORATION on the EDGE: Exploring the Frontiers of Restoration, Collaboration, and Resilience in Changing Ecosystems
    The SER Mid-Atlantic Chapter, together with the SER New England Chapter, presents RESTORATION ON THE EDGE: Exploring the Frontiers of Restoration, Collaboration, and Resilience in Changing Ecosystems Thursday, March 22 – Saturday, March 24, 2012 Brooklyn College Student Center THREE-DAY OVERVIEW (Details on following pages) THURSDAY, MARCH 22 – Pre-Conference Workshop 8:30 am - 5:00 pm (Additional fee; limit 35 attendees) NOAA Restoration Planning Framework FRIDAY, MARCH 23 – Main Conference Day 8:00 am - 6:00 pm Conference Sessions and Poster Pub SATURDAY, MARCH 24 – Field Trips 9:30 am - 3:30 pm (Additional fee; choose one trip) NYC Triple Treat The Bronx River Staten Island Bluebelt Brooklyn Urban Oases (Check www.ser.org/midatl for updates) This year’s conference is jointly supported by Brooklyn College (CUNY) and NYC Parks & Recreation. THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012 8:30 am - 5:00 pm NOAA Restoration Planning Framework Pre-Conference Workshop Note: Space in workshop is limited to 35 participants, on a first-come first-served basis. See registration form for fee, which includes continental breakfast and lunch. Workshop to be held in Brooklyn College Student Center. Have you ever implemented a restoration project that didn’t quite meet its intended outcomes? (Be honest!) This interactive, full-day workshop offers restoration practitioners valuable knowledge, skills, and tools to design targeted projects with successful outcomes. Participants will gain insight into restoration project design using a “logic model”-based framework. Interactive exercises will enable participants to build a logic model, create measurable objectives, performance indicators, and outcomes for their own restoration projects.
    [Show full text]
  • In New York City
    Outdoors Outdoors THE FREE NEWSPAPER OF OUTDOOR ADVENTURE JULY / AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2009 iinn NNewew YYorkork CCityity Includes CALENDAR OF URBAN PARK RANGER FREE PROGRAMS © 2009 Chinyera Johnson | Illustration 2 CITY OF NEW YORK PARKS & RECREATION www.nyc.gov/parks/rangers URBAN PARK RANGERS Message from: Don Riepe, Jamaica Bay Guardian To counteract this problem, the American Littoral Society in partnership with NYC Department of Parks & Recreation, National Park Service, NYC Department of Environmental Protection, NY State Department of Environmental Conservation, Jamaica Bay EcoWatchers, NYC Audubon Society, NYC Sierra Club and many other groups are working on various projects designed to remove debris and help restore the bay. This spring, we’ve organized a restoration cleanup and marsh planting at Plum Beach, a section of Gateway National Recreation Area and a major spawning beach for the ancient horseshoe crab. In May and June during the high tides, the crabs come ashore to lay their eggs as they’ve done for millions of years. This provides a critical food source for the many species of shorebirds that are migrating through New York City. Small fi sh such as mummichogs and killifi sh join in the feast as well. JAMAICA BAY RESTORATION PROJECTS: Since 1986, the Littoral Society has been organizing annual PROTECTING OUR MARINE LIFE shoreline cleanups to document debris and create a greater public awareness of the issue. This September, we’ll conduct Home to many species of fi sh & wildlife, Jamaica Bay has been many cleanups around the bay as part of the annual International degraded over the past 100 years through dredging and fi lling, Coastal Cleanup.
    [Show full text]
  • Representative SCS Landfill Closure Projects Facility Name State Size (Acres)
    Representative SCS Landfill Closure Projects Size State (acres) Facility Name Nabors Landfill, Class 4 and Areas 1-2, 1-3 AR 48 City of Oracle Page, Trowbridge Ranch Landfill Closure AZ 4 City of Tucson Los Reales Landfill, West Side Closure AZ 30 Navajo County, Lone Pine Landfill AZ 60 Pinal County, Page-Trowbridge Ranch Landfill AZ 3.2 Butte County, Neal Road Landfill CA 33 City of Auburn Landfill CA 20 City of Los Angeles Bishops Canyon Landfill CA 45 City of Modesto Carpenter Road Landfill, Partial Clean Closure CA 38 City of Riverside, Tequesquite Landfill CA 40 City of Sacramento Dellar Property Closure CA 28 County of Mercer Highway 59 Closure CA 88 Placer County Eastern Regional Landfill CA 3 Potrero Hills Landfill CA 150 Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, Lewis Road Landfill CA 15 Sonoma Central Landfill, LF-1 Closure CA 85 Stanislaus County, Fink Road Landfill CA 18 West Contra Costa CA 60 Bayside Landfill, Closure FL 30 DeSoto County Landfill, Zone 1 FL 3 Escambia County Beulah Road Landfill FL 100 Glades County Landfill, Final Closure FL 7 Gulf Coast Landfill, Phase III Closure FL 15 Hillsborough County Pleasant Grove Class I Landfill FL 11 Immokalee Landfill, Closure FL 24 Lake County Lady Lake Landfill FL 2 Medley Landfill, Phases 1A, 1B, 2, 3, 4, 5 Closures FL 84 Monarch Hill Landfill, Phases 1-7 Closures FL 110 Naples Landfill, Naples, Phase 2 Closure FL 11 Okeechobee Landfill, Phases 1-5 Closures FL 98 Polk County North Central Class III Landfill FL 11 Royal Oaks Ranch, Titusville, Final Closure FL 30 SCMM Landfill, Phase 1 Closure FL 23 Volusia County Plymouth Ave.
    [Show full text]
  • “Forgotten by God”: How the People of Barren Island Built a Thriving Community on New York City's Garbage
    “Forgotten by God”: How the People of Barren Island Built a Thriving Community on New York City’s Garbage ______________________________ A Thesis Presented to The Faculty of the Department of History Brooklyn College ______________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts By Miriam Sicherman Thesis Advisor: Michael Rawson Spring 2018 Table of Contents Abstract 1 Acknowledgments 2 Introduction 3 Chapter 1: Early History, Landscape, and Population 22 Chapter 2: Outsiders and Insiders 35 Chapter 3: Work 53 Chapter 4: Recreation and Religion 74 Chapter 5: Municipal Neglect 84 Chapter 6: Law and Order 98 Chapter 7: Education 112 Chapter 8: The End of Barren Island 134 Conclusion 147 Works Cited 150 1 Abstract This thesis describes the everyday life experiences of residents of Barren Island, Brooklyn, from the 1850s until 1936, demonstrating how they formed a functioning community under difficult circumstances. Barren Island is located in Jamaica Bay, between Sheepshead Bay and the Rockaway Peninsula. During this time period, the island, which had previously been mostly uninhabited, was the site of several “nuisance industries,” primarily garbage processing and animal rendering. Because the island was remote and often inaccessible, the workers, mostly new immigrants and African-Americans, were forced to live on the island, and very few others lived there. In many ways the islanders were neglected and ignored by city government and neighboring communities, except as targets of blame for the bad smells produced by the factories. In the absence of adequate municipal attention, islanders were forced to create their own community norms and take care of their own needs to a great extent.
    [Show full text]
  • New York City Area: Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch
    MAPS INSIDE NEW YORK CITY AREA Health Advice on Eating Fish You Catch 1 Why We Have Advisories Fishing is fun and fish are an important part of a healthy diet. Fish contain high quality protein, essential nutrients, healthy fish oils and are low in saturated fat. However, some fish contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health. To help people make healthier choices about which fish they eat, the New York State Department of Health issues advice about eating sportfish (fish you catch). The health advice about which fish to eat depends on: Where You Fish Fish from waters that are close to human activities and contamination sources are more likely to be contaminated than fish from remote marine waters. In the New York City area, fish from the Long Island Sound or the ocean are less contaminated. Who You Are Women of childbearing age (under 50) and children under 15 are advised to limit the kinds of fish they eat and how often they eat them. Women who eat highly contaminated fish and become pregnant may have an increased risk of having children who are slower to develop and learn. Chemicals may have a greater effect on the development of young children or unborn babies. Also, some chemicals may be passed on in mother’s milk. Women beyond their childbearing years and men may face fewer health risks from some chemicals. For that reason, the advice for women over age 50 and men over age 15 allows them to eat more kinds of sportfish and more often (see tables, pages 4 and 6).
    [Show full text]