National Park Service

The U.S. Department of the Interior awarded the National Park Service with $329.8 million for clean-up of storm debris and repairs to national park units along the eastern seaboard, as well as $47.5 million for historic preservation grants to States. Learn more about featured projects below.

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Four Years After Sandy: Updates from the National Park Service (NPS)
National Park Service, Climate Change, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
Rebuilt dock at Fire Island. Credit: NPS
10/27/2016

The National Park Service (NPS) has invested more than $57 million in federal funding for Hurricane Sandy recovery to restore and enhance the resiliency of coastal parks and monuments in areas where Sandy significantly affected resources, specifically New York and New Jersey. Projects include rehabilitation of boardwalks, electrical systems, visitor services, future management planning, and more.

NPS Highlighted Projects of 2016
National Park Service, Climate Change, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
The restored Canarsie Pier. Credit: NPS
10/26/2016

NPS Highlighted Projects of 2016

A Scientist’s Aerial Documentation of the Fire Island Wilderness Breach
National Park Service, Climate Change, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
Aerial photo of the Wilderness breach at Fire Island National Seashore. Credit: John Vahey
10/26/2016

The storm surge and high waves that occurred during Hurricane Sandy caused barrier island breaches across eastern Fire Island, Long Island and one on the Westhampton barrier beach just east of Moriches Inlet. Two of the breaches were immediately closed by USACE, but the Wilderness breach on Fire Island National Seashore, one having the greatest impact on the back-bay areas of Great South Bay, was left untouched and open to the ocean by the National Park Service. 

Hurricane Sandy Silver Lining: Structures Destroyed by Storm Allow for Additional Acre of Federal Wilderness on Fire Island
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Restoration, External News
caption: Views of the ocean beyond the lush backdune habitat at Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness in Patchogue, New York. Credit: NPS
10/29/2015
On Wednesday, October 21 in Patchogue, NY, the National Park Service announced that the last acre of "potential" wilderness has been added to the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness, the only federally designated wilderness in New York State. Hurricane Sandy destroyed structures on the land, making it eligible for designation and addition to Fire Island National Seashore's wilderness area.
Local youths help their own communities recover
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Urban Projects, Press Release
Youth clean up for National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH). Credit: NPNH
10/23/2015

A variety of youth programs managed by the National Parks of New York Harbor (NPNH) have helped parks severely damaged by Hurricane Sandy to work their way back to pre-storm conditions. Each year, programs such as New York City’s Summer Youth Employment Program, Youth Conservation Corps, United Activities Unlimited and the Student Conservation Association have employed more than 80 young people through NPNH to clean up beaches, plant beach grass, remove invasive plants and repair infrastructure.

Beyond the storm: restoring Battery Weed Seawall
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
Sandy damaged Battery Weed seawall. Credit: NPS
10/23/2015

NPS rebuilds Battery Weed seawall at the entrance to New York Harbor

Beyond the storm: NPS opens Ellis Island facilities
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
New boilers on platform in the Ellis Island Power House. Credit: NPS
10/23/2015

NPS replaces main utilities at Ellis Island to withstand future storms

Beyond the storm: NPS replaces visitor boardwalks at Fire Island National Seashore
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
View of Fire Island Lighthouse tower from east, October, 2012. Credit: NPS
10/23/2015

NPS works to replace damaged boardwalks with more sustainable and resilient materials at Fire Island.

Beyond the storm: docks reopen at the Statue of Liberty
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
Dismantling damaged Liberty Island work dock after Sandy. Credit: NPS
10/23/2015

Visitors return to the Statue of Liberty on rebuilt docks.

Beyond the storm: opening visitor promenade at the Statue of Liberty
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
Statue of Liberty promenade and wall damage after Sandy. Credit: NPS
10/23/2015

The promenade around Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty is open to the public.

Studying resilience in urban coastal ecosystems: the Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Restoration, Press Release
Gateway National Recreation Area. Credit: Erin Finicane, NPS
10/23/2015

The Department of the Interior’s Hurricane Sandy Mitigation funding is supporting research projects throughout Gateway National Recreation Area’s Jamaica Bay aimed at advancing our knowledge of resilience in urban coastal ecosystems. Ten research projects are underway, each conducted by partners of Science and Resilience Institute at Jamaica Bay.

Wilderness breach at Fire Island National Seashore: a natural process maintains long-term resilience of the coastal ecosystem
National Park Service, Climate Change, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
Aerial photo of the breach at Old Inlet, Fire Island National Seashore, June 24, 2014. Credit: Charles Flagg
10/23/2015

Studies are ongoing to evaluate the ecosystem responses to a Hurricane Sandy created breach at Fire Island National Seashore with the findings supporting science-based breach management decisions at Fire Island and other Seashores.

Submerged habitat mapping: understanding responses to major storms
National Park Service, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Restoration, Press Release
Research vessel used for submerged habitat mapping. In addition to sonar and biological sampling equipment, the research vessel is outfitted with several computers during data collection missions. Credit: Monique LaFrance Bartley/URI-GSO
10/22/2015

Scientists are exploring the submerged marine resources of coastal parks to understand how these habitats are changing in response to storms, sea-level rise, ocean warming and other factors so that effective protection and management strategies can be implemented.

Preparing for future storms: powered by geospatial data
National Park Service, Climate Change, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
The University of Rhode Island's Environmental Data Center is developing the tools that will guide national parks for assisting with future pre- and post-storm assessments. Credit: The University of Rhode Island
10/21/2015

Complex spatial data sets must be readily available for park personnel to determine how storms have impacted park resources. The Geospatial Data Management project will guide parks in their geospatial preparedness, response, and procedures in future storm events.  

Researchers collect critical elevation data that informs sound management and increases coastal resilience in national parks
National Park Service, Climate Change, Hurricane Sandy, Recovery, Press Release
Vegetation data collection - Reina Galvan (Mosaics in Science Intern), Jes Cressman (Univ of RI) and Erica Brown (NCBN, NPS Bio Tech) estimate the percent cover of each vegetation species in one of our sample plots. Vegetation data are being collected as part of the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network's long-term monitoring program as well as part of a salt marsh resiliency project funded as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Credit: Erika Nicosia/NPS
10/21/2015

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the National Park Service is working with researchers to collect critical, high-resolution elevation data that will inform sound park management and increase coastal resilience.

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