Brookside preserve clean up this Saturday

Brookside preserve — located on North Brookside Ave on the border of Freeport and Baldwin — is in need of a clean up.

And fortunately, that’s just what it’s getting on Saturday April 20 at 10AM.

The 22 acre freshwater preserve provides a needful peace from the hustle and bustle of modern life, as it has since the South Shore Audubon Society joined with Nassau County in 1988 to protect the land of the preserve from development.

A number of critters, from migratory birds — over 50 bird species inhabit the land — to other resident animals find refuge in Brookfield Preserve.

In addition, the preserve serves as an outdoor educational facility for the study and — by permission — the biological research of freshwater wetland and upland plant communities.

In 1989, the County designated the land as a perpetually preserved green space and contracted the South Shore Audubon to manage the property.

The society did so until just before last Summer, when they ceased managing the property.

Now, with no one managing the preserve, it finds itself in need of community action.

“The preserve really needs an extreme amount of help, because due to neglect, and pollution,” said Christopher McBride, representative of a group called Friends of Brookside Preserve and a Freeport resident.

“The creek — which is called Milburn Creek — that flows right through the preserve from the top to the bottom and the creek has become dammed up.

“And so the water — thousands of gallons every day — (is) pouring onto the forest floor.”

The water has covered the trails and the dry area of the forest, resulting in preserve morphing into a bog/marsh.

The problems also include pollution, with local youth apparently throwing trash and cut wood into the creek, resulting in the damming up of Milburn.

“This is county property,” said McBride. “And it’s not being managed by anybody.”

At the same time that the group seeks to impel the county into providing a replacement to manage the property, they’ve decided to take matters into their own hands, organizing a clean up for this coming Saturday, April 20.

“We’re taking it into our own hands to remove the garbage in the wood so the water can flow,” said McBride. “Hopefully (that alleviates) some of the pressure on the ecosystem.”

The community clean up event will be taking place at Brookside Preserve in Freeport, and the meet up location will be across Glacken Park.

Groups involved in the organizing of the event include Friends of Brookside Preserve, The Green Army, The Freeport and Merrick Rotary Club, Splash, the South Shore Conservation Society, and Freeport Schools.

In addition, Nassau County Legislators Debra Mule and Seth Koslow will be present at the event for clean up activities and to support the initiative.

Volunteers of all ages are encouraged to attend, as well as to wear long sleeves, long pants, boots, and gloves.

“We are looking forward to local residents joining us for a critical Earth Day event at Brookside Preserve… as we race against time to reverse the damage and environmental abuse and neglect inflicted upon this once-thriving ecosystem,” said Jose Cuevas, a Freeport resident and another member of Friends of Brookside Preserve.

“Give back to the planet and stand with us in solidarity as we advocate to restore this precious eco-system.

Rsvp to melissa.munfakh@icloud.com or (914) 500-5915.