Tag Archives: lisa schroeder

 

First Bronx River beaver sighted in 200 years

The most exciting news about New York City environmental conservation is the report of a wild beaver seen building a nest in the former toxic waste dump of the Bronx River. His mud and stick house was spotted in the river earlier, but it wasn’t until Wednesday, February 21, 2007 that biologists caught the beaver on videotape, thereby confirming his existence. Beaver, once abundant around the Bronx River, were heavily hunted for their fur and have not been seen in the area since the early 1800s.

Since last fall, scientists began monitoring the river after several reports of beaver sightings from residents. Previously dismissed as the more common muskrat, the biologists changed their tune when they discovered a 12-foot-long dirt and twig habitat near gnawed-off trees by the riverbank this definitely pointed to a beaver. And the actual beaver sighting on Wednesday showed him swimming around looking for more building materials for his growing lodge. The scientists believe the beaver is a young male about two to three years old who is looking for a female partner.

The beaver is named José in tribute to U.S. Representative of the Bronx José Serrano, whose commitment to Bronx River cleanup was cemented with $15 million in government funds.

Beavers are especially meaningful to New York State because they are the official state animal. They appear on the City of New York’s official flag twice as well as on the official state seal.

Bronx River woes
The history of the beaver trapping along the Bronx River began in the early 1600s when Europeans came to the area, then known by the Mohegan Indian name Auqehung. The river soon became an industrial mill zone, the water powering several plants such as paper and flour mills. Jonas Bronck was the mastermind behind the mills; after buying some 500 acres of land from the Native Americans, soon the river was known as “Bronck’s River.” By the early 1800s, when the last beaver was sighted, the river area was still an ecological wonder with thick forests and pristine drinking water. However, by the mid-1800s, the river changed into an industrial waste zone and its degradation would continue until the 1970s. The Bronx River Restoration Project began in 1974 to begin the cleanup that 33 years later led to native species like the beaver returning. Organizations like the Bronx River Alliance lead the way for environmental protection of the river.

Beavers are vital for the environment
Beavers create sustainable habitats that are essential for surrounding flora and fauna alike. They naturally prune and rid areas of foliage and, in doing so, create a thriving environment for the leftover vegetation. The dams they build create a natural filter, slow erosion, and build wetlands for birds and reptiles. Beavers also naturally regulate their population by breeding only once a year and instinctively know when to have more or less babies, called kits. For more about these critters, click here.

Environmental cleanup does have substantial success as evidenced in this case of the first beaver to be spotted in the Bronx River in 200 years. The rewards and environmental benefits that native species bring to an ecological area are so positive that, by changing our polluting habits, we are also greatly improving our own lives.

keeping the earth ever green

 

New York City’s commitment to clean transportation

New York City is one of the most populous cities in the U.S. where eight million people live in close proximity to each other meaning sharing space is a big issue. And this is most apparent in the air that residents breathe. Toxic fumes are spewed out by road vehicles like buses, taxis, and cars every day. Luckily, unlike most sprawled-out, freeway-taken-over American cities hello, L.A. New York is compact enough and has a good public transportation system that is a faster, more economical, and overall better choice than owning and driving a car. And for those who take taxis around the city, environmental controls like stricter emissions standards and alternative fuel taxis help control air pollution as well.

In recent years, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), which oversees New York’s public transportation, has actively regulated the system by buying and using hybrid buses.

According to the 2005 MTA report, more than 200 hybrid-electric buses are in service and 216 more were to be introduced in 2006-7. With annual bus ridership at about 740 million, the use of hybrid buses makes a noticeable impact. The hybrid buses use a combination of clean-burning diesel fuel and electric battery power, therefore using less gas and leading to less pollution, which equals overall better air quality. Hybrid buses are being introduced to every borough in the city, so taking the bus is becoming a good way of reducing your contribution to air pollution.

The MTA also environmentally upgraded recently merged private bus companies’ fleets. This included replacing older buses with hybrids, using clean-burning, ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel, and taking buses out of service that did not conform to strict fluid-consumption rules.

In addition to the hybrid buses, New York City taxis must be clean as well. At the start of 2005, a new emissions test called OBD II became a requirement for all licensed taxi vehicles. The test regulates emissions more closely, making it difficult for taxicabs to skirt around. In 2006, the auction for taxi medallions (licenses needed to legally run a cab) required that a large percentage would go to alternative fuel or hybrid vehicles. The Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) already has a growing list of approved “green” vehicles legal for use as taxicabs.

The growing commitment that New York City has toward environmentally friendly transportation helps clean the air and create a healthier and more livable city. New York City is a leader in environmental change, and hopefully other cities and states will be inspired by the example and follow suit.

For more on the toxic gases spewed into the air, please read a recent ever green post about the danger of non-odorous gas.

keeping the earth ever green