Gateway National Recreation Area

Feb 20
2010
Maritime Forest Winter Walk
Join a national park ranger on Saturday, February 20 at 1p.m. for a winter walk through the Maritime Forest trails at Great Kills Park, Gateway National Recreation Area. Learn how the plants and animals survive the winter, and enjoy the quiet and peacefulness of this hidden treasure. Bring binoculars and dress appropriately for trail hiking. Meet at the Great Kills Park Education Field Station. Contact Jean Holloway, Fort Wadsworth Visitor Center at 718-354-4500 to make a reservation.
National Park Service decision to end deal with failed Fort Hancock redeveloper is upheld
October 20, 2009, 1:55 pm
An independent arbitrator has upheld a decision by the National Park Service to end its contract with a failed developer who proposed a massive renovation of nearly three dozen historic buildings on Sandy Hook. The ruling, announced today by U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-6th Dist.), affirms the park service’s cancellation in August of its contract with Sandy Hook Partners which had been pending for eight years while the developer tried to secure financing.
National Park Service ends lease with Sandy Hook developer
August 13, 2009, 2:08 pm
The National Park Service has canceled its lease agreement with a developer who, after eight year of trying, failed to secure sufficient funding for a massive renovation project in the historic heart of Sandy Hook. The decision was hailed by members of a grass-roots group who viewed the contract with Sandy Hook Partners as an inappropriate use of public land by private business concerns.
Sandy Hook traffic flows Sunday despite previous weekend's jams
July 27, 2009, 3:07 pm
Sandy Hook traffic is now flowing, state Department of Transportation officials say.One week after last Su
Goats slip past security fence near NYC bridge
August 8, 2008, 4:14 pm
NEW YORK - It was a report calculated to send chills through those charged with anti-terrorist vigilance in New York City: Bearded intruders secretly penetrate heavily guarded transportation site. But it turned out the would-be trespassers were goats imported by the National Park Service to clean up poison ivy and other unwanted weeds at historic Fort Wadsworth, a 200-year-old Revolutionary War rampart on Staten Island near the Verrazano Bridge.
Natural World

Natural Features & Ecosystems Grasslands Phragmites grasslands cover vast areas of Gateway, and are subject to frequent burning. Remnants of other more diverse grassland types, particularly at Floyd Bennett Field, are significant remnants of former habitats. Throughout Gateway, barrier beaches like Breezy Point and sand spits like Sandy Hook and Crooke's Point are constantly being sculpted and changed by long shore currents and storms. Plants Phragmites

Plants

Plants Phragmites Phragmites, Phragmites australis, also known as Common Reed, is an aggressively growing species, which outcompetes many other native plants. It can grow to a height of ten feet, and often grows in disturbed areas. It forms a "monoculture," which lowers biological diversity. Phragmites reproduces mainly by underground runners, with one plant often giving rise to dozens of shoots. It is also the main fuel for fast-moving and dangerous grassland fires at Gateway. Poison Ivy

Animals

Animals The Golden-crowned Kinglet is a common migratory species at all units of Gateway. Located on the Atlantic Flyway, over 300 resident and visiting bird species have been recorded at Gateway.

Sights to See

Collections The Gateway Museum Collection The Gateway National Recreation Area museum collection contains a great variety of objects ranging from artillery shells to sea shells. Aircraft to insects, this collection contains something of interest to everyone. The museum holdings relate to the history of the park and include significant archival and historical collections related to the military, aviation and recreational stories and sites throughout the park. These holdings also include an archeological and a natural history collection.

History

HISTORY & CULTURE Gateway National Recreation Area's three park units all trace the rich history of the nation and harbor. Historic forts, former airports, recreation areas and America's oldest operating lighthouse tell fascinating stories of defense, aviation firsts, navigational safety and healthy living. Sandy Hook Light and Keepers Quarters

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