Midsummer Coastal Plant Dune Walk at Gateway

Join naturalist and photographer Sandra Mechanic and explore the unique challenging beach habitats of both dry and salty conditions for plants. We will now find this year's new green plants including Winged Pigweed, Common Lambs quarters, evergreen Prickly Pear Cactus (native to Staten Island), Seaside Goldenrod, Sickle leafed Golden Asters, Dune grass, Salt marsh grass, the evergreen False Heather, Earth Stars (a kind of puff ball) and loads of sprouting Pinweeds that few recognize even when they are mature and flowering, but they are all over this area. We may see some summer bird visitors on the open lawns along with our typical residents and many shore birds if the tide is low. Meet at the Hylan Blvd. parking lot to Great Kills Park, Gateway, opposite Buffalo St., a stop on the #78 bus line. Drivers pick up passengers there at 10 a.m. then drive into the park about a mile to the first parking lot and park at the beach side in the first near corner to your left. If time permits, we will walk over to the educational building in front of which the Ranger Jackie Duhon and Protectors planted a Wildflower Garden with several hundred plants of 9 wildflower species, 4/14/07 last year and again May 10 this year. Refreshments provided. You may wish to bring extra water. For more information phone Dick Buegler (718) 761-7496.

Venue:  Protectors Of Pine Oak Woods
80 Mann Avenue

Date: Sunday, August 10, 10 a.m. to 12 noon.