Sanctuary gets protected status

By THE JOURNAL NEWS (Original publication: May 22, 2001)

GARRISON — Gov. George Pataki has named the Constitution Marsh Sanctuary a State Bird Conservation Area, a move designed to protect thousands of migratory birds in the 270-acre preserve on the east shore of the Hudson River.

Pataki also announced the opening of a newly completed boardwalk at the marsh dedicated to James P. Rod, the sanctuary's longtime manager who died in 1998. The 700-foot boardwalk, dubbed "Jim's Walk," replaces a 330-foot wooden walk that Rod built by hand in the 1980s by wading into the murky waters.

"The Constitution Marsh Sanctuary is one of those unspoiled places that must be protected because it will provide future generations of New Yorkers with a special place to learn about nature," Pataki said in a release. "The 'Jim's Walk' boardwalk is a fitting tribute to Jim Rod, who was renowned for his knowledge of the environment and his ability to teach children and adults alike about the importance of nature."

Pataki and Rod canoed together through the tidal wetlands, and the governor spoke at a memorial service for Rod in July 1998.

The Bird Conservation Area designation, established by law in 1997, is based on scientific criteria and aims to safeguard and enhance bird populations and habitats under guidelines developed by the state. The Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary is already protected as a National Audubon Society preserve. The state designation establishes protocol to protect migratory birds at the sanctuary, state parks spokeswoman Wendy Gibson said yesterday.

Constitution Marsh, which is across the river from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, is operated by the state Office of Parks and the Audubon Society. The new boardwalk is designed to give visitors a look at the inner workings of the sanctuary while causing minimal impact to the environment. The boardwalk was built with $650,000 in state money.

Sanctuary Director Eric Lind said the new boardwalk would challenge the center's staff to strike a balance between nature and the people who want to see it up close. The center gets between 5,000 and 6,000 visitors a year. Most of them are schoolchildren. The center's parking lot can accommodate only eight cars, Lind said, and less when a school bus is there.

Lind suggested people interested in visiting the sanctuary call ahead weekdays at 845-265-2601 for the best time to visit. The sanctuary is open year-round and each season can provide a different encounter with nature, he said.

"Every time of year, there's something great to see. Bald eagles in the winter, migratory ducks in the autumn, wild flowers in the summer. We have a dual mission to protect the habitat and educate our visitors," Lind said.

The Constitution Marsh wetland is host to a variety of birds, including least bitterns, Virginia rails, marsh wrens and swamp swallows. A number of threatened and endangered species uses the site during migration or the winter, Lind said. These include pied-billed grebes, ospreys, bald eagles, northern harriers and peregrine falcons.