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Sallie Phillips,
We know that we are preaching to the choir,
Save the Beaches
people know well the importance of keeping our shore environment
debris free, but,
we beg everyone
Virtually everything
that is strewn along the beaches and Ocean Parkway has a very good
chance
of becoming airborne and ending up in the ocean or bay.
Liquids dumped along any south shore road may
find their way, via storm drains, into the water.
And, absolutely everything thrown off a boat is in the water.
Many things, like plastic bags, balloons, shards of Styrofoam, cigarette
filters, etc., look like food to fish and other aquatic creatures.
When they are ingested they can choke the animal
immediately or starve the animal by filling up its stomach without
providing necessary nutrition.
Some things, like broken glass, sharp metals, pointed or hooked instruments,
etc., can directly injure the aquatic animal by contact.
Some receptacles contain chemical substances or other liquids which can pollute
and/or poison sea life directly or human consumers indirectly.
Heavy floatable items thrown overboard can, when propelled by currents or
waves, injure or kill an animal or person on impact.
Many of us are fortunate enough the enjoy a fine life close
to the Atlantic shore and it is incumbent upon us to be good stewards
of our beloved waters and the creatures who inhabit them or depend
upon them.
Pass the word
Please Do Not Throw Trash out of Your Car or Boat.
Take a bag with
you that can be used to dispose of your trash properly when you
get home.
FOLLOW THESE 7 PRINCIPLES
2. DISPOSE OF TOXIC ITEMS SAFELY
3. BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL SHOPPER
4. PRACTICE SOUND GARDENING
5. BE A SENSITIVE BOATER
6. ADOPT RESPONSIBLE FISHING
HABITS
7. ENCOURAGE YOUTH PARTICIPATION
1. CONSERVE WATER
Install faucet aerators and water-conserving shower heads. Take short showers and keep water taps
turned off when not actually in use. Make certain you check for and fix all leaks. Place a half gallon container of water
in the toilet tank. Wash
only full laundry loads. Keep
a bottle of drinking water refrigerated. Above all, pass on your water conserving habits to neighbors
and schoolmates.
2. DISPOSE OF TOXIC ITEMS
SAFELY
Clean with non-toxic items (i.e. baking soda or salt) when
possible; otherwise use the least toxic cleaning products available. (A little old-fashioned elbow grease never
hurt either.) Return
used motor oil, anti-freeze and all other fluids, and old car batteries
to automotive vendors or the Town of Babylon drop-off center (*). Learn which products are dangerous if
disposed of improperly and participate in the hazardous waste collection
days.
3. BE AN ENVIRONMENTAL
SHOPPER
Think environmentally before you shop. Purchase reusable items rather than disposable
ones: buy only products with minimal or recyclable packaging and
write to companies where there are environmental packaging concerns. Repair broken items before acquiring new
ones. Reduce unneeded
purchases by borrowing or renting infrequently used items; donate
old
4. PRACTICE SOUND GARDENING
Plant only those species that are insect and/or disease resistant. Selecting the least toxic pest control
approach will encourage birds to nest by providing them with a suitable
environment. Make certain
soil is tested before applying nutrients or lime and maintain proper
pH to assist with nutrient uptake. Spreading compost, mulch and lawn clippings will help nurture
and recycle those nutrients. Use permeable paving materials or ground
covers to control runoff; splashbacks under gutter downspouts will
help prevent erosion. For
both sound gardening and water conservation, grow plants which require
little water. Install soaker or trickle irrigation hoses,
and use a broom or rake instead of hoses to clean walks and driveways. Above all - PLANT TREES
5. BE A SENSITIVE BOATER
Be careful not to create a wake; wakes erode the shoreline
and disturb wildlife. Be
certain to empty holding-tank waste at home or at a boat pump-out
facility. Furnish your boat with reusable containers;
retrieve trash found in the water and return all waste to shore
for proper disposal. Make
sure that your boat does not leak gas or oil; do not top off the
gas tank; and do use a bilge pillow to remove oil. Dispose of all contaminated gas, used anti-freeze and engine
batteries properly (*). Try
to find non-toxic materials for cleaning your boat; at the very
least, clean the boat away from the water to prevent toxic substances
from polluting. Apply currently certified bottom paint
- and only when necessary.
6. ADOPT RESPONSIBLE FISHING
HABITS
Limit catches to what can be consumed and practice catch-and-release
fishing. Participate
in fish stocking and tagging programs. Protect coastal wildlife and habitats by using alternatives
to lead sinkers; by disposing of fishing line properly and by not
discarding garbage at the fishing sites. Comply with size and bag limits and report fishing harvest
violations to the proper authorities.
7. ENCOURAGE YOUTH PARTICIPATION
Encourage schools to conduct environmental education programs. Remember to include the young in the environmental efforts we’ve talked about such as recycling, composting and planting. Join them in participating in the NYS DEC “Adopt” programs to clean up wetlands, streams and highways. Teach them, too, about proper fishing practices such as catch-and-release and involve them in helping to improve wildlife habitats. Get them to join you in volunteering for beach cleanups, storm-drain painting, water quality monitoring and planting programs to help reduce stream, river and coastal beach erosion. Do not be afraid (and encourage them not to hesitate) to share your and their environmental concerns with our elected representatives.
BEACH PERMITS By Sallie Phillips, No 2 / 2003
In Babylon that's located in Town Hall at 200 E. Sunrise Highway,
Lindenhurst (631-957-3058).
A permit is issued only when the construction
meets with all of the aspects of the building code specified by
the zoning of the location of the project. Items like set-backs,
building height, construction requirements, etc. all come into consideration.
The Town of Babylon now has one person who acts as the "Plans Examiner"
and the "Building Inspector" for the beach communities.
There is
now a Federal Building Code which had to be adopted by all states
by March 1, 2003 and thereafter by all communities in each state.
This means that there have been some requirement changes in the
Town Building Code
of which professional architects and engineers
should be aware.
The Town Building Department also enforces the
Flood insurance requirements which,
because Babylon is a Federal
Emergency Management Agency compliant community, have been adopted
into the Town Building Code.
But, before the Town Building Department
can act on a building permit application, other permits, if required,
must be in place.
The Building Department asks the Town Department
of Environmental Control to conduct a review, as required,
and
"comment" on the permits submitted from other agencies.
The Town has adopted the New York State Code and is therefore the
issuing agency for coastal erosion zone matters.
the builder will
need a "wetlands permit" or a letter of exemption from the New
York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
On Long
Island the NYS DEC is at SUNY Stony Brook (631-444-0365).
The NYS
DEC regulates activities within 100 feet of freshwater wetlands
and within 300 feet of tidal wetlands,
which may be defined by a
beach, a shoreline or a marsh edge.
A project may be exempt from
the permit process
if there is an intervening functional structure
or road which has been continuously in place since before 1977.
Forms and instructions for filing may be downloaded from www.dec.state.ny.us .
it will require a United States Army Corps of
Engineers permit.
Their office is in Manhattan (212-264-6730).
Their
concern is with keeping the water both clean and navigable and they
will issue permits when their criteria are met, case by case.
Rules,
forms and instructions may be downloaded from www.nan.usace.army.mil.
At this time, the forms may be completed on a computer but they
must be filed by mail.
Suffolk County Board of Health will have to issue a permit
for a wastewater system, whether new, modified or rebuilt.
They
are located in the County Office Building in Riverhead (631-852-2100).
However, if the project serves multiple
residences, a new well becomes a community water system,
and the
Suffolk County Board of Health will enforce the New York State Clean
Water Regulations.
The phone number for well water testing in Suffolk
County is 631-853-3076.
If a project requires a community water
system,
the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
will also have to approve it and issue a permit.
a permit may be required from
the New York State Parks Department located at Belmont Lake
State Park (631-669-1000).
The information is specific to the Town
of Babylon, the County of Suffolk and the State of New York; however
coastal beaches and wetlands across the United States are protected
and managed by similar agencies and regulations.
we asked if he would send a
list of the different birds that he identified. The following is
his list and narrative.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, 1
Downy Woodpecker, 1
Yellow-shafted Flicker, 1
Traill's Flycatcher, 1
Eastern Phoebe, 4
Red-eyed Vireo, 2
Red-breasted Nuthatch, 1
Carolina Wren, 1
American Robin, 4
Gray Catbird, 17
European Starling, 1
Cedar Waxwing, 1
Yellow Warbler, 5
Magnolia Warbler, 3
Black-throated Blue Warbler, 3
Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler, 12
Black-throated Green Warbler, 2
Pine Warbler, 1
Palm Warbler, 2
American Redstart, 1
Common Yellowthroat, 31
Eastern Towhee, 4
Field Sparrow, 1
Savannah Sparrow, 2
Song Sparrow, 15
Swamp Sparrow, 14
White-throated Sparrow, 12
Dark-eyed Junco, 1
Northern Cardinal, 1
Indigo Bunting, 2
Red-winged Blackbird, 4
Common Grackle, 1
Total species: 32; Total individuals: 148 (a low total; loss of
the pines has reduced numbers)
I have permits from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the New
York State Department of Environmental Conservation to capture birds,
put a numbered metal band around one leg, and let them go unharmed.
The US Fish and Wildlife Service supplies the bands and keeps track
of the numbers.
I catch the birds in Japanese mist nets stretched between poles
in my yard.
I had nets up on thirteen days (mostly Sundays) during
spring and fall 2004 (the migration seasons, when birds are passing
through).
One or two of these birds may be caught somewhere else
by other banders in future years, so we can tell where they go and
how long they live.
Each year I recapture a few birds that I have
banded in earlier years, and one spring day a few years ago
I recaptured
a Field Sparrow that had been banded in Massachusetts the previous
fall by someone else.
Sallie Phillips
Catch-and-release fishing
is a system that the fisherman employs to preserve his/her resources. It is very important to the saltwater
angler’s conservation efforts to learn the proper releasing
technique to insure the continued health of the fish.
1.
Land the fish quickly; don’t fight it to exhaustion.
2.
Leave the fish in the water if possible while dislodging any hooks
(use pliers, a de-hooking device, etc.). If it is too difficult to remove the hook cut the leader
near the hook which will eventually work out of the fish’s
mouth.
3.
If you must handle the fish: keep it from thrashing about to reduce injury; use a wet
glove or rag to hold the fish; do not put fingers in the fish’s
gills; turn the fish on its side or back and cover its eyes with
a wet towel to calm it.
4.
Place the fish back in the water gently; if necessary, move it back
and forth to pass water through its gills.
Conservation minded fishermen
should also consider participation in a tag-and-release program. Through tag-and-release programs anglers
can assist scientists and fishery managers in gaining knowledge
on fish migratory patterns, growth rates, and length of life.
Many tagging programs offer
rewards for returning tags. When catching a tagged fish it is important to estimate the
length of the fish for growth data. Write down the size and other necessary information and return
the tag to the address provided on it whether you are keeping or
releasing the fish.
The
two tagging programs in the Northeast are:
American Littoral Society
Sandy Hook
Highlands, NJ 07732
Narragansett Laboratory
South Ferry Road
Narragansett, RI 02882-1191
Bud Maaser
To prevent rot, wood used
for structures in the marine environment is often treated with chemicals,
commonly Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA), which gives the wood a
greenish color. There
is now evidence that some of the toxic components of CCA leach out
of the wood and are picked up by marine organisms.
Green algae were collected
from wood treated with CCA and fed to marine snails. Within four weeks all of the snails were
either dead or dying, showing that CCA is taken up by attached algae
and can be toxic to grazing plant eaters. Moreover, oysters collected from a CCA-treated dock had levels
of copper twelve times that of oysters from clean areas. Even crabs living near CCA wood had elevated
copper levels, showing that the CCA material was leaching out and
traveling through the water.
This article was provided
by Bud Maaser with information from the Journal of Experimental
Biology and Ecology.
New York Sea Grant, Number 4 of 2000
*** Clean Water Product Alternatives ***
Drain Cleaner: Pour 1/2 cup baking soda down drain, add 1/2 cup white vinegar, cover for 1 minute.
Window Cleaner: Use 1 cup white vinegar in 1 quart water, rub dry with newspapers to remove grease; or use 1 teaspoon ammonia in 1 quart water.
Silver Polish: Soak silver in 1 quart water, 2 tablespoons baking soda, 1 tablespoon salt and a small piece of aluminum foil.
Toilet Cleaner: Baking soda; or 1/4 cup liquid bleach; or mild dish detergent and toilet brush.
Powdered Cleansers: Baking soda or mild detergent, elbow grease.
Use your consumer power to protect the environment. Substitute homemade or commercially available nontoxic cleaners for hazardous products that you currently use.
No mariner worth his salt
would wander far off shore without a compass or loran system on
his or her vessel. But
now there is a more sophisticated system to prevent getting lost
at sea. To find their bearings at sea, boaters can rely on electronic
receivers tied into the Global Positioning System (GPS) operated
by the U.S. Air Force. The system provides 24-hour, worldwide,
three dimensional positioning service to anyone with a GPS receiver.
The service is made possible
through the Department of Defense's $12 billion constellation of
24 Navistar satellites. Originally
intended for precise guidance of U.S. military weapons and troop
deployment around the world, they are now the foundation of a growing
assortment of civilian applications of the GPS. A GPS receiver uses simultaneous readings from three different
satellites to "fix" the user's longitude and latitude. Relying on satellites rather than ground stations makes the
system far more precise than conventional navigation technology. However, to deter military foes and terrorists from taking
advantage of GPS, a timing error is introduced to the signal. Only authorized users can receive the
exact reference code that guarantees greater accuracy. Available accuracy to civilian users is
deliberately degraded to 100 meters, an occurrence which is known
as Selective Availability (SA). However, the U.S. Coast Guard provides a service to mariners,
known as Differential GPS, which provides accuracy of approximately
one meter to anyone within 100 miles of the coast. This is done through the use of a receiver maintained by
the Coast Guard known as a base, master or reference receiver, which
uses knowledge of its own position and GPS satellite positions to
calculate errors and corrections. The differential GPS (DGPS) corrections
are then broadcast from a Coast Guard transmitter for use by other
GPS receivers to cancel errors such as timing errors, atmospheric errors, satellite clock and satellite
orbit errors. To use the DGPS network provided by the
Coast Guard, you need a GPS receiver that accepts real-time differential
corrections, as well as a beacon receiver to obtain the corrections
from the Coast Guard's base receiver.
Besides the obvious use of
steering boaters around dangerous reefs, the non-military sector
continues to find uses for the GPS. Satellite-based navigation for land vehicles is being used
by truck drivers to map their routes and by motorists to find their
way in unfamiliar areas. Surveyors
were among the first to capitalize on using the GPS to do their
surveying work on land. We can expect an increase in the use of GPS as the price
of the receivers drop from the present price range of $1500 to $3800.
Sallie Phillips No 1 / 2001
As I look out over the salt meadow I see a huge swarm of hundreds of starlings, 12 foot high phragmites completely engulfing a neighbor’s shed, a squirrel running along the power lines, and a house sparrow on a bird feeder. What’s wrong with this picture? None of the aforementioned are natural to the outer beach environment. In fact starlings, house (English) sparrows and phragmites are not even native American species.
Starlings were introduced to New York in 1890. The short-tailed and fat bodied iridescent black birds from Europe had no difficulty finding a home and they rapidly spread throughout North America. They are one of our most abundant birds. They generally feed in open country, probing the soil for insects, larvae, seeds and other food but in the evening they assemble in large noisy hoards in communal roosts. While starlings eat many harmful insects and plant pests, their original purpose for import, they also damage crops and compete with native birds for nesting sites. Starlings nest in holes in trees, in crevices or on buildings. The female lays 4 to 6 pale blue eggs which both parents incubate. The male and female are indistinguishable, iridescent black with a yellow bill in the summer and spotted with a brownish back in winter. They average 6 inches in length. Starlings are with us all year round.
House sparrows or English sparrows were officially introduced to the Americas in 1853 to control the cancer worm. Some folks still believe that they stowed away on the Mayflower. Never far from human habitation they are not true sparrows but weaver finches. Like other introduced species the house sparrow turned out to be a pest. This noisy aggressive bird steals the nesting sites of other native hole-nesting birds. Building crude nests of straw, feathers, human trash and fabric these home breakers raise as many as three broods of young each year. At 5-7 eggs each laying that can amount to at least 15 new house sparrows per nesting pair. It’s no wonder that they are also one of America’s most abundant birds. House sparrows run a little longer than 5 inches and the female with its brown streaked back is hard to distinguish from other native sparrows or female buntings. The male house sparrow is recognized by his black bib and bill and white cheeks. The top of his head is grayish and his belly whitish. House sparrows have shorter legs and wider beaks than the native American sparrows. They are non-migratory.
All of the ponds and lakes that dot the south shore of Long Island have several pairs of mute swans. Large birds, they need “their space” both to provide adequate feeding grounds and room to take off into flight. Since one pond can only support so many pairs of swans it’s no surprise that mute swans now inhabit the inlets and coves along the north side of the barrier beaches. Introduced from Europe, they are the only swans that breed in the Eastern United States. The other North American swans breed in Canada and Alaska. The mute is a majestic white bird at least 40 inches long with a wing span up to 60 inches. It has an orange bill with a black knob. When swimming it holds its neck in a graceful S-curve with its bill pointed downward. Mutes swans dip their heads and necks into the water to feed on bottom vegetation. Even if they upend themselves to reach deeper they still favor fairly shallow ponds, lakes and coves. They can also browse on shore grasses. Swans mate for life and a pair can be a formidable force as they are extremely territorial and aggressive. Mute swans in the US are not migratory.
Generally, animal species were introduced to our shores to meet a specific purpose at the time. Starlings were supposed to take care of insect pests, but they were never as efficient as native birds and they aggressively compete for nesting sites. Mute swans were intended as ornamental additions to private ponds and lakes of the wealthy. While there are native foxes and Canada geese in North America, the red foxes and resident, non-migratory Canada geese on Long Island now are the descendants of pairs introduced for hunting purposes.
There are many-many examples of introduced plants. Some plants have been introduced for ornamental purposes by landscapers and some have been introduced for more noble purposes. Even more have been introduced accidentally by seeds which accompanied other imports. Some non-native plants are viewed as providing a positive effect, some have become troublesome.
It’s hard to believe that dandelions were intentionally imported by early colonists. Cultivated in Europe, its leaves were used for salad greens and potherbs and its flowers for wine, sometimes. Once introduced the yellow flower/weed did some impressive colonizing of its own. Its flower heads contain as many as 200 individual flowerets, each of which sets seeds without need for pollination. The seeds float off in their downy puffs taking root far and wide.
Day Lilies were introduced from Europe and Asia because they were good garden plants. They are resistant to disease and insects and thrive in many soils in both the sun and shade. Their hardiness made it possible for them to withstand the long ocean voyages of the settlers who first imported them. They have long ago escaped cultivation and they are widely established along barrier beaches as well as most of North America.
Saltwort is a prickly herb that flourishes on beaches because it tolerates dry, sandy soils. Introduced from Europe, this plant grows up to 3 feet high with spine tipped leaves and small green flowers. When this annual dries out in the fall, it breaks free from its roots and tumbles along with the wind so it is not very effective as a beach stabilizer.
An important beach stabilizing plant is dusty miller. It was introduced from Asia and cultivated because of its attractive grayish foliage. But, since escaping from gardens it has become a common eastern seashore plant. Its felty gray-green covering protects its leaves from drying out in the sun, wind and salt spray as its sprawling stems take root across the dunes.
Purple loosestrife was introduced from Europe in the 19th century for its attractiveness. It’s a showy perennial with spectacular spikes of magenta which bloom from June through September. It is now widespread throughout the saltmarshes of North America. Considered “invasive” by the US Government, each plant produces 2.7 million seeds per year and spreads to 1
million acres of wetlands each year. It is so prolific that its impenetrable tangles of stalks and roots have crowded out native wetland plants. Since it provides no real food or cover it has also displaced native wildlife.
Phragmites, a reed widely spread through the wetlands of eastern North America, is considered an “Invasive Non-Native Species” by the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Water. It is interesting to note that phragmites comes from the Greek “phragma” which means screen or fence. And, this introduced reed grass surely provides a thick wall of dense vegetation along wetland areas. Growing as tall as 12 feet it has numerous upright stems and purplish-brown plumes of tiny flowers. These flowers rarely produce seed so this plant is spread by its vigorous rhizomes which travel underground as much as 30 feet from the parent plant. Pieces of these rhinzones are also responsible for the start of new colonies when tides, currents, birds and other animals transport them to an area occupied by a weaker plant species. Phragmites have overgrown and replaced native plants and offer little wildlife food value.
The topic of non-native species is extremely broad and not all environmentalists agree on what is considered native and what is considered alien. And, on this subject, just like real estate, it’s location, location, location. For instance, spartina alterniflora, which is native to our east coast wetlands, is considered an alien species on the west coast. To quote the EPA’s statement on their Office of Water web site, “Not all non-native species become pests, or even survive, in new locations. But when they do, they often displace a whole suite of native species to become dominant. They then take on new labels: invasive exotics, or non-native nuisance species, to name a few. Their impacts are insidious because they often invade the open space areas we have reserved for native flora and fauna. How big is the problem? Huge, and increasing.”
The article, entitled "Reducing Your Pet's Ecological Paw Print", references an on-going study by a wildlife parasitologist from the University of California - Davis. This scientist has been recording deaths of wildlife caused by parasites carried in the feces of non-native species and domestic cats. The parasite, toxoplasmosis, which infects cats that eat birds and rodents, becomes part of the runoff which reaches waterways and infects filter feeders such as shellfish. When the infected shellfish are ingested the parasite is passed on to the eater. The solution is to keep cats indoors where they won't defecate outside (and where they won't kill songbirds) and bag their kitty litter instead of flushing it in the toilet. The chemicals used to treat water at sewage plants may not be able to kill the hearty parasites.
Dogs also present a problem. In a Vanderbilt University study, dog feces were found to be a major cause of water pollution in urban areas particularly following a period of heavy rain. The Tennessee environmental engineer recorded higher levels of contamination in the waterways where there were more pets. Runoff taints rivers, streams, and bays killing the aquatic life. Parasite-carrying animal waste, which when left on hard surfaces such as streets, parking lots, and lawns, is less likely to decompose and more likely to get washed into storm sewers, drains, and ditches that flow into waterways. Dog droppings should be bagged and disposed of with garbage and trash.
According to the National Wildlife article, pets' poop isn't the only possible harm to the environment. The toxic chemicals used to battle fleas and ticks contain nerve poisons that can settle in homes, yards, and waterways. Further, children because of their small size and hand-to-mouth habits are especially at risk for exposure to pesticides used on pets. Pet owners should consider adding natural flea repellents, like brewers yeast and garlic, to their pet's chow.
Piping Plovers are small, endangered birds that live in dry, sandy
patches along the edge of the dune grass. They prefer solitude and
will let you know if you are getting too close for comfort by making
noise and running around like crazy. They also lay eggs that are
a camouflaged tan color to blend in with the sand - which protects
them from predators but makes them really easy to step on.
I have lived at West Gilgo Beach for my entire life of 16 years
and I have been hanging out over by the ocean since I was a baby.
But up until this last summer, I didn't have the slightest idea
about what the Piping Plovers were or where they lived. I don't
even recollect seeing them before I began work to protect them.
This is why our work is so important. Beach goers must realize that
these small birds are some of the most demanding and fragile birds
that exist in our ecosystem. Any small amount of stress or environmental
change can immediately cause these birds to abandon their nests,
leave the area, or even die. Their dwindling population has caught
the attention of the federal and state governments who have passed
laws to help preserve their future.
To try to protect this threatened species, my fellow Plover Stewards and I took part in a long series of carefully executed procedures including spotting and counting birds and bird pairs, strategic searches for any possible nests, daily bird counts at every nest location, and construction and destruction of nest enclosures to keep out possible predators. Every one of these steps had to be done with absolute care to try to avoid unnecessary stresses on the birds.
Despite the fact that this was the first year for this program being introduced in Babylon, the success at the end of the season proved it a wise choice. Statistics show that the successful fledged chick count for our area was at a height that had not been reached for some time. This basically means that we did our job with almost complete success-most of the young chicks survived.
"Who cares about those stupid birds anyway?" was just one of many ignorant statements that we plover stewards met with during our work. Why go through all this trouble for a tiny bird? My answer to this question came while working on this project. These plovers serve a higher purpose in our ecosystem than just an inconvenience; they keep the balance. One example is that without these birds on our beaches, insects and other annoying pests could take over. But the plovers eat them so we all can enjoy our nice hot sand and catch a tan without being harassed or bitten. Also, don't forget about the food chain. Every animal in this environment serves a purpose in the big picture. If we do not protect the ones that need protection, the ecosystem will fall apart.
Many people think that when we put up those protective net enclosures, they are to keep foxes and other predators from eating the birds and disturbing the nests. But over this last season, those nets have also been used to protect the plovers from their worst enemy - MAN. We only lost a few chicks and birds this season to natural causes. All other casualties were due to human mistakes or most importantly, deliberate acts of vandalism. Someone in the area got the idea to go around and bust open the enclosures to steal plover eggs. I'm not sure why they would do this since the eggs are so small they wouldn't make good omelets (just kidding). Whatever the motive behind this offence, it is a federal crime to destroy a threatened species and it is punishable by a hefty fine or even a prison term-so, I suggest not to do it!
I learned a lot over this last summer working with the birds. While
most of my friends spent time as lifeguards, sitting around watching
the chicks in bikinis, I spent time walking on the beach, watching
chicks in enclosures-and I don't regret a second of it. I learned
a lot about the local environment and how fragile it really is.
I also learned the importance of human intervention into threatened
and endangered species-if we don't do our part, no one will. This
is why we have to continue to watch what we do. Good examples are:
don't litter because your trash ends up on the beach or killing
some poor animal. And don't go cruising in your SUV and cut through
those string fence areas to save time-you could be killing entire
colonies of birds or other animals. Don't throw stuff out your windows
on Ocean Parkway or any other road because it will definitely end
up in the water. And most importantly, be aware of your own surroundings.
Watch where you step or where you put your beach blanket. Try to
help out to preserve this wonderful place we live in - if not for
the animals' sake, then for our own.
Chris Kluesener is an Junior at Babylon High School.
Peter Leavitt, Certified Meteorologist,
Chairman of Weather Services Corp., Member of the National Council
of Industrial Meteorologists and Speaker to the National Academy
of Sciences on Aviation Weather Services, came to speak to an interested
audience at the Oak Beach Community Center again this Summer. He divided his talk into three subjects:
Tropical Storms, the State of the Art of Meteorology and Myths of
Meteorology - true or false.
In discussing tropical storms,
Mr. Leavitt displayed several graphs and charts with an overhead
projector to demonstrate the history of tropical storms. His charts classified, located, evaluated
and enumerated the storms occurring from 1886 to 1992. To mention one statistic - there have
been 904 tropical storms (an average of 8.4 per year) and there
have been 527 hurricanes (an average of 4.9 per year) in that time
period, He talked about regimes, or periods when
the storm occurrence is either higher or lower than average. 1910 to 1930 was a low regime (3.5 hurricanes
per year) and 1944 to 1992 was a high regime (5.7 hurricanes per
year).
Using predictors like the
Southern Oscillation and El Nino, Bill Grey, an academic meteorologist,
predicted the 1994 storm season. In November 1993 he predicted 9 tropical storms and 4 hurricanes;
in March he changed the prediction to 8 and 3 and in August he corrected
it to 6 tropical storms and 2 hurricanes. Tropical storms are declining in recent years. One of Mr. Leavitt's charts showed the frequency of storms
within a season. The
period of maximum frequency is the first 10 days of September. Further, 40% of the storm season is generally
completed by August 31st. 1994 had only experienced 3 named storms by that date.
Storms tend to follow the
same track and patterns are repeatable, explained Mr. Leavitt. The so-called "100 year" return rate should
be applied to the pattern not to the magnitude of an individual
storm. The tracks of
early season storms are clues to the tracks of future storms in
the same season.
The characteristics of the
5 categories of Hurricanes was described, - category-1 being the
weakest and category-5 being the strongest. Since 1886 only 3 category-5 hurricanes have hit the U.S.;
Andrew was a category-5. There
has never been a cat-4 or cat-5 storm to hit Long Island. The 1938 storm was a cat-3 and Gloria was a cat-1. Of the 9 storms to hit L.I. , pre 1992,
there have been 5 cat-3, 1 cat-2 and 3 cat-1.
Mr. Leavitt showed a map that
tracked the storms which affected Long Island - 1938, 1944-Great
Atlantic Storm, Carol, Edna, Diane, Donna, Belle, Gloria and Bob. He showed 9 other maps which demonstrated
the tracks of hurricanes which are typical during each time period
in the season. They
all showed storms curving east well south of the Long Island coast.
The state of the art of weather
forecasting was discussed next by Mr. Leavitt. He explained that skill in forecasting
is not the same thing as accuracy in prediction. Weather tends to persist, particularly
in the north east section of the U.S. New York and New England are in an area of the most even
(no drastic seasonal differences) weather in the world. To predict that tomorrow will do what
it did today doesn't take skill in forecasting. There are two types of dynamic weather
forecasting: now-casting and computerized weather predicting. As an aside, we were told that because
of an abnormal southern oscillation during August 1994, abnormal
weather events could occur in the following three months.
Weather lore involving, groundhogs,
wooly bear caterpillars, squirrels and crickets was reviewed and
appraised for validity by Mr. Leavitt. Looking at the sky to foretell the weather is thousands of
years old. A ring around
the moon, a mackerel sky, and red sky at night were explained and
they seemed to have some reason and merit.
Before discussing the current
popular myth of global warming, Mr. Leavitt explained "orders of
magnitude", which is a concept that the general public has trouble
grasping. As an example
he asked us how long a trillion seconds was. The guess was 10 years, the answer was 31,380 years. The obvious conclusion is that we can
all be misled if we can't comprehend the "orders of magnitude" as
they are used by scientists.
The greenhouse effect is real;
it is what keeps us in a livable climate. But, Mr. Leavitt asked, does an increase
in CO2 mean an increase in the temperature of the earth? Will removing CFC's prevent and increase
in the size of the ozone hole? Looking at graphs, we noted that the temperature variation
from 1935 to 1984 in the U.S. was less than 1 degree Centigrade
and from 1975 to 1991 the global temperature variation, as tracked
by satellite was also less than 1 deg. C.. In 200 years in Austria the mean temperature rose 1 degree
Fahrenheit from 1890 to 1990 but it had fallen 1 deg. F. from 1790
to 1890. CO2 is increasing;
it was 300parts/1,000,000 in 1905 and 360parts/1,000,000 in 1991
but it is not doubling in this century as doomsday threats have
predicted. In any case, is there evidence that CO2
creates warming?
The question posed was, should
we research the situation. The answer, yes. Should
we spend billions of public funds to look into it? In 1988 a NASA expert predicted global
warming. In 1992 Congress
appropriated $1,100.000,000, in 1993 - $1,300,000,000, in 1994 -
$1,400,000,000 to study the doomsday prediction. The reality is that to do scientific research funds must
be raised and to get money from congress the research must be about
cataclysmic consequences. Furthermore, there is no incentive to finalize a research
project so the scare stays in the public domain. Peter Leavitt believes that the probability is stronger against
the doomsday global warming occurring via a runaway greenhouse effect.
By Sallie Phillips No 2 / 2004
Because Save the Beaches will be hosting an informational presentation by the Long Island Offshore Wind Initiative, it seems appropriate to learn something about wind power.
The earliest know use of wind power was the sail boat, which is believed to date from 1000BC. Although they couldn't explain the physics involved, ancient boaters understood lift and used it successfully. Around 500AD The Persians developed windmills to automate jobs like grain grinding and water pumping. These Persian windmills used vertical blades made of bundles of reeds which were attached to a central vertical shaft. The Chinese also used vertical-axis windmills, which were documented by 1219AD, although it is commonly believed that the Chinese used windmills for water-pumping and grain-grinding many centuries earlier. By the time that windmills showed up in Western Europe, they utilized a horizontal-axis configuration, probably modeled after the horizontal-axis water wheels in use before 1300AD. These European windmills used wooden cog and ring gears to translate the horizontal shaft's motion to run the vertical movement to turn the grindstone. The main improvement of the Western windmills was the use of sails that generated aerodynamic lift, thereby providing more speed and better rotor efficiency than the Asian windmills.
The pre-1875 windmills were the motors of pre-industrial Europe. Their uses ranged from grain grinding, processing of spices, tobacco, cocoa, paints, and dyes, saw milling of timber, and well-water pumping, as well as irrigation and drainage pumping. With the increased use of steam in the 19th century, windmill use declined for large applications. Small systems, particularly in rural areas continued in use well into the 20th century. Between 1850 and 1970 more than 6 million small output wind machines were installed in the US. Their primary use was water-pumping for stock and farm needs.
In the late 19th century the American multi-blade windmill design was used to build a large wind machine to generate electricity. This system in Cleveland, Ohio operated for 20 years. Meanwhile, in Europe an electrical output windmill was developed, incorporating aerodynamic principles, using four airfoil shaped blades. By the end of World War I electrical output wind machines operated throughout Denmark. Then in Europe, as in the US, cheaper and larger fossil-fuel steam plants soon put the wind power plants out of business. Still, small output systems continued to operate farm machinery and home appliances in the rural US. By the late 1930's and 40's even these small systems died off, partly because of the increased need for more electricity on demand and also because the Federal Government, to stimulate the depressed economies, extended the electrical grid throughout the US.
In 1931, the Russians developed utility-scale wind energy conversion system which operated for only two years, but later experiments with wind power plants took place in Denmark, France, Germany, England, and the US from 1935 on. Most experiments showed that large-scale wind turbines could work but large electrical applications seemed remote. For decades wind power development generally heated up at times of shortages of fossil fuels and higher energy costs and slowed when lower fuel prices made wind energy uncompetitive.
At this time the worldwide wind power capacity is 39,294MW (megawatts) which is enough to power 10 million US households. Europe dominates the growth of the wind industry with 30,000MW of installed wind power. The US generates a total of 6,374MW of wind power from land wind farms, mostly in California and Texas. To date there are no offshore wind farms in the US. The European Conference for Renewable Energy has set a goal of 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2012. An increase of 150,000MW from wind power, including 46,000MW from offshore facilities, is part of that goal. Ireland is constructing an offshore wind farm in the Irish Sea which will help meet 10% of Ireland's total electricity needs.
Reported in the New York Times, the proposed Long Island offshore wind farm will include 35 to 40 steel towers which "will rise 425 feet from the ocean surface to the top of the arc swept by the three rotating resin blades. Depending on the location, 40 to 70 feet of the tower will be underwater. The base will go an additional 60 to 80 feet underground into the seabed. The towers will be 15 to 30 feet thick at water level and placed a third of a mile to half a mile apart… The blades will rotate 8 to 20 times a minute, swiveling and tilting to catch the wind, and generate 3.6 megawatts of power. The entire group will generate 100 to 140 megawatts, enough for 30,000 homes."
The Long Island Offshore Wind Initiative people enthusiastically promote the use of wind power citing, "Wind power doesn't pollute our air or emit harmful greenhouse gases … . Unlike the wind, which is FREE - fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas are a finite resource that will become more expensive in a volatile world market."
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