Idlewild Park natural areas

149 Ave., Rockaway Blvd., Jamaica Bay bet. James Brown Pl. and Brookville Blvd.

Visitors to Idlewild Park's 188 acres of natural areas can spot freshwater and tidal wetlands, woodland, meadow, and grassland dune-scrub habitat all within the park. The 150-acre tidal wetland was once a contiguous salt marsh stretching to Hook Creek and Jamaica Bay, but is now confined by Brookville Boulevard, Rockaway Boulevard, and other development. The tidal connection to Jamaica Bay now flows through constructed culverts under Rockaway Boulevard to Thurston Creek. The tidal marsh supports nesting saltmarsh sparrows (Ammospiza caudacuta) in addition to seaside sparrows (Ammospiza maritima), and clapper rails (Rallus crepitans), and more than 180 bird species have been spotted throughout the park. The 23-acre coastal grassland/shrubland habitat adjacent to Thurston Creek is a high-quality nesting site for diamondback terrapins (Malaclemys terrapin).

A significant amount of the associated upland is filled historical wetland and restoration of the wetlands at Idlewild Park has been ongoing since the 1990s. Several joint projects between NYC Parks Natural Resources Group and the NYC Department of Environmental Protection have been completed including the restoration of 23 acres of woodland, wetland, meadow, and dune-scrub communities (1997 to 1999) and a 3-acre tidal wetland and shrubland/grassland restoration project (1999-2003). Thin layer sediment placement on degraded areas of the tidal marsh is being tested to slow erosion and the negative effects sea level rise.