Gowanus/Newtown Projects, Tips and Tricks
Conservancy has been involved with regular vegetation mapping. The Ghost Stream project has
been a useful, media friendly opportunity to introduce more environmental GLAM projects is an
example of something that came out of vegetation surveys of the area.
Recommended to look for similar local/historical points of interest around Newtown to
encourage community and media awareness/support. Media strategy in general is a useful and
important tool in so much as it can help garner the kind of attention that will allow us to carry out
the environmental work which might not be as readily understood.
When mapping, consider also taking separate pictures of things with special relevance to the
project. Targeted pictures are critically effective and are good at providing high impact “smoking
gun” images in context with larger composite images.
Working with local groups that might enjoy having aerial images taken of their project or work
in action is useful in garnering community support (for instance: gardens concerned about
condos, architects interested in that a tower might look like). Making projects accessible to
students is great. Outreach and programming through Proteus Gowanus has been a great way to
be involved with the neighborhood.
Possibilities for a February/March mapping? Snow is useful as an environmental indicator:
looking for places where roads or water don’t freeze, indicating a presence of chemical or change
in temp.
The Gowanus CAG has become the forum for Gowanus efforts. Discovery of still flowing water
changed the boundaries of the superfund plans by a city block.
Sewage generally not covered by SF, however CAG was interested and EPA was eble to find
enough toxins in sewage to justify getting involved. CAG is also a force that can make sure that
when there are multiple groups and programs involved in an area (such as: Brownfield
Opportunity Area, City Rezoning , Harbor Estuary Program (driven by army corps and tristate),
NYC resiliency plan (superfund is in there) they don’t overlap or get in the way of one another.
Media presence! DEP vs EPA probs can be overcome with media pressure (and great images)
In Newtown Creek, SUperfund has to decide dredge/cap/remediation, but going ahead with
aeration pipes in with contaminated sediments (bubbling up is aerosolizing particulates). They
admit some possible risk, feel it's not a big deal, not seen as a community issue.
By generating more community activities on these sites, you help to change the use of the
waterway, making standards, puts pressure on EPA and DEP to make things safe for humans.
Surrounding areas Newtown/Gowanus are pretty different.
Newtown: Look at community air health survey and test amount of particulate churned up in
comparison to other in the area hazards.
With public lab: study before and after turbidity issues with spectrospocy or photos.
Seasonal and Weather Related Mapping (natasia)
Plans for the year. Recommend a core group of volunteer coordinators. Gena started a seasonal
mapping project, goal to map shoreline 4x a year. In 2011 got all 4, never got whole canal.
GLAM project slowing. Make base wide and use PLOTS, target schools and groups.
Practicality: where canoes should enter, what pics necessary, tides, etc.
Mapping change of land use. Target changing use of space. Regular and broad scope of mapping
often has the benefit of accidental capture of things we might be interested in (example of
hosing down oil trucks).
What about unexpected event?: release of sediment from whole foods column site. Officially
wasn't supposed to be happening. Both areas on either side are now boomed off. When PLOYS
photographed there was a melt line (salt? chemical?). Not in the EPA's phase one survey.
Camouflaged outflow, missed by the corp employed to do the EPA survey.
Don't be confrontational. We can offer special, community sourced microdata! We are useful!
Should start collecting more water/other samples on these trips.
Standard of replicability not possible. Nothing really admissible in court, but we can pick up
data about certain moments and design tests/call for support for things we see happening. The
more samples the better.
GLAM would like to do another winter mapping
"fun" mapping is great for PR, take goofy pictures of community and volunteers, goodwill from
neighbors. Especially industrial gas suppilers (chalk hearts in front of liberty gas). Make friends
with industrial neighbors!
Liz is giving out samples! (DIY foldable spectrometer, water testing vials). Liz is ordering bulk
blue lasers for scanning petro products, is doing bulk order of them. If collecting soil , soak in
mineral oil and ues eyedropper
Money!
There is going to be a challenge "spectral challenge". We would like to get samples of known
oils to gather data, easier to id and pick out unknowns
Getting some known samples from engineering firm. Proteus Gowanus might be able to hold on
to samples.
End of the Agenda (also end of legible notes, will edit/update asap)
Liz is interested in trying to do smog/horizon spectromotry. We're not doing gas sensors, but we
are doing stickypads (particulates stick to it) aircaster is an iphone app.
Lise is trying to think of things that could be part of a walk around queens court plaza
(wayfinding without smartohones) breaks in the grid are interesingl download stream maps
David rumsey look for orig street maps of the areas. Why did people take this path that survived
this grid. Mitch waxman newtown pinacle. NYOL has map geo referencer. Map warper. Other
ones is david rumsey historical maps.
Fishpoles for on the fly aerial photos.
GOwanus conservancy wants to get in involved with a shoreline mapping project/oyster
restoration.