6th Annual Thomas Pell Wildlife Sanctuary Cleanup

Sunday, September 20, 2015, 9am–3pm
Volunteers will assemble on the southwest corner of
City Island Rd. and Shore Rd., Bronx, NY (across from the Pelham Bit Stables). The BX29 bus stops right there.

Parking will be available in the Turtle Cove Driving Range parking area on City Island Rd.

The goals of Thomas Pell Wildlife Sanctuary Cleanup Project are to bring the existence of the Thomas Pell Wildlife Sanctuary in Pelham Bay Park to the community’s attention and to continue the cleanup of the debris (bottles, plastic,tires, etc.) that is found on its one and a half mile shore on the east bank of the Hutchinson River. The Pell Sanctuary is the largest salt marsh habitat in New York City outside of Jamaica Bay. It is only accessible from the Hutchinson River. It is impossible to reach this shore from the land because the land is swampy and devoid of trails. Because of this limited accessibility, the only way to approach the cleanup area is by boat. So that the sanctuary nesting cycle is not disturbed, access is limited until Summer’s end. The third limit is overall working environment,
weather and tides. Experience has shown that rising tide is the major factor. Considering these limits,
Sunday September 20, 2015 has been selected. The volunteers will be taken to the cleanup sites by canoe or power boat. At the sites the cleanup parties will place recovered trash in bags which will then be placed in the power boats and taken to the shore processing point. The power boats will continue to return to the cleanup sites until all bags and volunteers are recovered.