By:Scott Brinton
The nine-member panel of environmentalists and developers passed a resolution last Wednesday recommending creation of a "passive" park in the forests. The measure follows a recent, seven-part Herald series in which the decayed state of the woodlands came to light. In a passive park, no buildings are permitted, and human activities are limited to hiking and, at times, bicycling.
Receiving the committee's nod represents an important first step toward eventually seeing the woodlands preserved. Right now, the forests are designated simply as government properties and can be used in the future for widening the Meadowbrook Parkway or for other construction projects.
Along with its recommendation for a park, the committee also called for: ownership of the Meadowbrook woodlands to be defined; the properties to be measured (they are estimated to run into the hundreds of acres); and the forests to be cleaned up.
The committee issued the same resolution for the woodlands that run along the Wantagh State Parkway.
Currently, no government agency at the state, county or town levels is specifically assigned to protect the woodlands along the Meadowbrook, because ownership of the properties is in question.
Instead, vandals have the run of the forests, tearing up walking paths with dirt bikes, dumping mounds of garbage in the woods and water, setting fires, holding keg parties, cutting down trees to construct stunt-biking courses and spray-painting graffiti.
Question of ownership
The Open Space Advisory Committee's resolution is non-binding. It now goes to the Nassau County Planning Commission and then to the county Legislature for final approval. Elected officials note, though, that the proposal cannot move forward until the question of land ownership is resolved.
Nassau County Legislators David Denenberg (D-Merrick) and Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow) are seeking a conference at the end of June among state, county and town officials, as well as local civic leaders and environmentalists, to determine ownership of and develop plans for restoring the woodlands. Denenberg said they are shooting for Monday, June 24 as a target date for the meeting, which will likely be held at the Legislature building in Mineola.
Gonsalves said a final date for the conference will be set once the New York State Department of Transportation and Parks Department issue a joint "action plan" for cleaning up the Merrick reservoir and surrounding woodlands. State Sen. Charles Fuschillo Jr. (R-Merrick) ordered the plan after reading in the Herald about the numerous environmental threats at the reservoir. Sources say the plan should be ready within the week.
Denenberg wants to take the proposed June conference one step further and hold public hearings before the Legislature's Planning, Development and Environment Committee, which he chairs.
With hearings, said Denenberg, "This whole issue can get to the forefront, and we can create a record and use that record to perpetually preserve and/or designate as parkland these corridors [the woodlands]."
He noted, though, "I'm not sure if everyone wants to go along with that."
Gonsalves isn't convinced that hearings are needed. Hearings, she said, are "premature at this point. Let's see what comes out of the conference, and we'll take it from there. At the present time, I think we should take one step at a time."
Both Denenberg and Gonsalves agreed that the woodlands should be parklands.
Gonsalves said, "I certainly support the concept [of a park], especially for passive use, walking, hiking. If those who respect the [Meadowbrook Parkway] corridor use it for positive purposes, those who abuse will not really have the opportunities to abuse it."
Denenberg said, "I think there would be bipartisan support for [a park] if it got to the Legislature."
The Merokean, who is an attorney and environmental engineer, believes the only way to save the woodlands is to designate them as parklands and to bring them under one jurisdiction -- either state or county. Now, even small sections of the woodlands, some measuring not more than 75 acres, are sub-divided among state, county and town.
"This multi-jurisdictional overlap leads to neglect," said Denenberg.
Operative word -- passive
Richard Schary of North Bellmore, an environmentalist who sits on the Open Space and Parks Advisory Committee, said the panel is "emphasizing passive" for any parks that might be created along the Meadow and/or Wantagh parkways.
Schary said several residents have expressed concern to him that the proposed parks would become like Nassau County's Eisenhower Park, with manicured lawns and picnic areas. They fear that such parks would attract thousands of visitors, who would leave cars in front of residents' homes for hours and trample upon their lawns.
Schary said the open space committee envisions nothing of the sort. A passive park is untouched. A better term for it would be nature preserve.
Schary also said that parking lots and/or spaces would be designated in areas away from homes, so that residents would be undisturbed by park attendees. He said the Town of Hempstead's Twin Lakes Preserve in Wantagh, which the town leases from New York State, would serve as the model for the new parks.
He added that the state, county and/or town could jointly run the new parks, but that specific enforcement tasks would have to be assigned to each government branch.
Schary noted that, if the woodlands become parklands, prices of homes surrounding the properties would likely rise 10 to 15 percent. The reason: The woodlands' survival would be ensured. Right now, the forests could go for parkway-widening projects, which would destroy local home values. Already, Schary noted, the state DOT has proposed enlarging the Meadowbrook and Wantagh parkways as part of its Long Island Transportation Plan 2000.
Robert Young, a Merrick civic activist who is fighting to save the woodlands, said he appreciates the open space committee's resolution and the possible conference and/or hearings that might be held over the woodlands.
He, though, is eager to see the government act over the forests. "I think this is all great, but my question is, who is going to pick up the garbage?" said Young. "Like with anything, the politics should be separated from the work, and I just want to see the work gets done."
