Manorhaven Honors Pat Valente For Native Garden Project

A local Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener, Valente is an avid gardener who also knows that re-introducing plants that flourished on Long Island for thousands of years is important to the local environment.

To acknowledge and thank Valente for her extensive work in organizing this project and continuing to oversee future improvements to the garden, the Village of Manorhaven presented her with a citation during the August board of trustee meeting.

“This award is really a recognition of the many volunteers (Residents for a More Beautiful Port Washington, Master Gardeners, etc), benefactors (The Peter and Jeri Dejana Famiily, Hefferin Tree Service) and the Village government. Everyone came together to support the Long Island Native Plant Garden,” Project organizer and Village resident Pat Valente said. “The Manorhaven Nature Preserve is a hidden jewel in the rough that will hopefully link the Bay Walk along Shore Road with Manorhaven in the near future. I hope this project and award inspires others to do more to improve our community, our home.”

“It is amazing what was accomplished in just a few hours by this terrific group of volunteers led by Pat Valente,” Manorhaven Mayor Jim Avena said. “The preserve looks so much better than it did last year and I know it will look better and better as the plants mature and additional work is done.”

The next phase for the garden will be to plant along the other side of the trail with Long Island native plants, which are indigenous to the area and flourished long before people arrived. The Manorhaven Nature Preserve is located on Manorhaven Boulevard between the Port Washington Senior Citizens Center and Manorhaven Beach Park.