Inventory & Monitoring at Gateway National Recreation Area


A boardwalk by a sandy shore with shallow waters and lined with trees
Boardwalk at Gateway National Recreation Area.

James Lynch / NPS Photo

About the Park

Gateway National Recreation Area spans 10,644 hectares divided across three distinct areas: Sandy Hook Unit in New Jersey, and Jamaica Bay and Staten Island Units in New York City. The park’s vibrant nature has earned its designation as a site of high biodiversity and a special natural waterfront area. It's the ocean’s gateway to New York Harbor, welcoming millions of visitors each year.

Gateway's dunes, beaches, and salt marshes are habitats for nesting gulls, waterfowl, herons, and rare plants. Grassland birds nest and forage in the park’s upland areas, and resident and migratory fish teem in its wetland channels. As an urban park, however, Gateway faces challenges with extensive pollution from residential, commercial, and industrial developments. Sewage treatment plants and nutrient runoff have led to turbid waters with excess nutrients. Additionally, increases in road kills, pet predation on native wildlife, habitat fragmentation, marsh loss, and general human disturbance all impact Gateway’s ecosystems.

Our Work with Gateway

Gateway is a critical breeding and nursing ground for hundreds of species of birds and fish, and a connection to nature for urban dwellers. To ensure its wildlife and habitats are well-protected into the future, the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, along with Gateway staff, collects ecological monitoring data for several ecosystem vital signs. Learn about our work below.

Monitored here:

Coastal Shoreline
Coastal Topography
Salt Marsh Elevation
Estuarine Water Quality
Weather & Climate

Publications

Source: Data Store Saved Search 5648. To search for additional information, visit the Data Store.



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    Last updated: October 3, 2024