An afternoon of song, dance and experiencing the natural wonders of the great outdoors took place in the back courtyard of the Salt Marsh Nature Center (SMNC) on Sunday, April 27th, to celebrate Earth Day and the Nature Center’s 25th anniversary at 3302 Avenue U.
With the beauty of the Salt Marsh at low tide exposing the historic wooden remnants of the old Gerritsen gristmill in the tidal waters of Gerritsen Creek as a backdrop, birds sang and flew in unison to the music that was carried in nature’s strong breezes that day. Attendees were greeted and then treated to a full program of song, dance and entertainment arranged by the Salt Marsh Alliance (SMA) and the Brooklyn Dance Company.
“The Brooklyn Dance Company reminds us that natural areas in Marine Park inspire people in different ways,” SMA Program Director Debra Sturm said. “Recreation, reflection, meditation, yoga, enjoyment, birding, dance and music, and that’s what we’re doing today.”
The all-volunteer entertainment was generously provided by the performers who offered a variety of artistic expressions. The eclectic program included solo and group dance performances from the Brooklyn Dance Ensemble and musical selections by a local cover band, Don’t Wait Up, featuring classic rock and pop music.
Marine Park residents and artists, John Henry Sheridan and Yoko Miyamoto Sheridan, helped to round out the programming with several musical selections and offerings, many of which were original works.
Located by the water and across the street from the main land portion of Marine Park, the largest park in Brooklyn, the SMNC first opened its doors on Earth Day, April 22, 2000, but officially opened on August 10, 2000, according to city records. It serves as a support base for the natural Salt Marsh ecosystem as an educational and environmental hub, community space, and home base for the NYC Urban Park Rangers and volunteers who help them to carry out their vital work to educate the public and help preserve the surrounding Salt Marsh, Forever Wild Preserve, trails and waters.
Over the years, the SMNC has weathered Superstorm Sandy, the effects of COVID-19 on its operations, and a six-year renovation that began in 2017 and was completed in 2023 (see “With Renovations Complete, Salt Marsh Nature Center Officially Reopens,” Canarsie Courier, October 5, 2023).
Supporting the SMNC and the natural wonders of the Salt Marsh is the SMA, first established in 2002 and currently a 501 (c)(3) environmental organization. “I was involved before the Nature Center was even here,” SMA Treasurer and Board Member David Schulman said.
“We were fighting to make sure the community would get the Nature Center — that was when the Friends of Marine Park and Gerritsen Creek was around — after that, they went out of business and the Salt Marsh Alliance was formed.”
They work in partnership with the NYC Urban Park Rangers in a variety of educational programs and activities, and in the operation of the SMNC as a volunteer and financial resource. Schulman said that the SMA administers $150 every month through their funding to help take care of and feed the animals in the building and purchase supplies requested by the park rangers.
Their organization plays a pivotal role in maintaining the natural areas, gardens and trails by the SMNC as well as enhancing the smooth operation of the Nature Center itself. They have partnered with numerous groups, including the Wild Bird Fund, the Gotham Bat Conservancy, the Billion Oyster Project, the Lott House, Native Plant Gardening, Gerritsen Mill and others.
In addition, the SMA has developed its own independent programming that educates and inspires others to value and preserve the natural environment, history and culture of the area. Visit https://saltmarshalliance.org/ to learn more or join the SMA in its support of the SMNC and the vital work that is done there.
