NEW YORK—U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar on Monday proposed a series of steps to link New York City parks and open spaces as a part of America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) Initiative.
The AGO Initiative was signed by President Barack Obama last April to promote outdoor space conservation, which includes completing the New York Harbor trail between New York City and New Jersey. The one-mile section from Rockaway Peninsula to the Jamaica Bay Greenway will also be developed to complete the greenway bordering the harbor.
“We want every citizen of the New York area—particularly the children—to have easy and accessible access to outdoor recreation and the cultural and historical heritage that makes this part of the country unique,” Salazar said, speaking on the Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
There are number of other parks initiatives also being pursued. The National Park Service plans to develop the largest urban campground in the country at Floyd Bennett Field, expanding from 5 campsites to 90 two years from now.
Salazar also suggested reaching out to a younger demographic via social media with historic stories of the area. The National Park Service will be featured in video podcasts available on iTunes and six more smart phone applications.
The secretary is proposing a Center for Urban Ecology to be located at Fort Tilden in the Rockaways to serve as a hub for residents, scientists and labs, a library, office space, lodging, and more. He suggests coordinating with the 17 agencies and nongovernmental partners of the Jamaica Bay Task Force to secure private funding for the center.
The AGO Initiative was signed by President Barack Obama last April to promote outdoor space conservation, which includes completing the New York Harbor trail between New York City and New Jersey. The one-mile section from Rockaway Peninsula to the Jamaica Bay Greenway will also be developed to complete the greenway bordering the harbor.
“We want every citizen of the New York area—particularly the children—to have easy and accessible access to outdoor recreation and the cultural and historical heritage that makes this part of the country unique,” Salazar said, speaking on the Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn.
There are number of other parks initiatives also being pursued. The National Park Service plans to develop the largest urban campground in the country at Floyd Bennett Field, expanding from 5 campsites to 90 two years from now.
Salazar also suggested reaching out to a younger demographic via social media with historic stories of the area. The National Park Service will be featured in video podcasts available on iTunes and six more smart phone applications.
The secretary is proposing a Center for Urban Ecology to be located at Fort Tilden in the Rockaways to serve as a hub for residents, scientists and labs, a library, office space, lodging, and more. He suggests coordinating with the 17 agencies and nongovernmental partners of the Jamaica Bay Task Force to secure private funding for the center.
