The Post
Morrow Preserve is located on the west side of Bay Road and
includes much of the east bank of Beaver Dam Creek. This 60-acre
property, consisting of deciduous woodlands, marshes and a small
pond, is administered by a foundation established by the owner, the
late Elizabeth Post Morrow. Educational nature trails are planned
for this valuable wildlife preserve.
In addition to the above preserves, there is an
area on the north side of Montauk Highway that includes the
headwaters of Beaver Dam Creek. This area of deciduous woods
and swampland is particularly vulnerable to development due to the
close proximity on either side of commercial enterprises. It is
hoped that it can be preserved in its natural state and thus protect
the creek from pollution.
Environmental Organizations
Brookhaven Village Association was founded
back in 1906, primarily to preserve the rural atmosphere of the
community. Recently, the BVA has been much involved with the
operation of Squassux Landing and the needs of the growing boating
community. The association, which currently has a membership of over
375 residents, has always been an essential watchdog on the
preservation of open space within the boundaries of the Hamlet. A
vital factor in the groups effectiveness has been the concern and
dedication of the BVA Board members, who meet frequently.
Open Space Council was founded in the
1970s. While concerned with the preservation of open land in the
Hamlet, OSC is also involved with environmental matters affecting
the rest of Long Island. The councils membership is over 400, and
it is currently involved in a lawsuit aimed at preventing a
gigantic, unneeded shopping mall in the center of the Island, east
of the rural Yaphank area. There are far too many shopping malls
already in our area, and the older ones have mostly gone out of
business, superseded by their successors.
Brookhaven Town Natural Resources Committee
is now defunct, but it has an important history, since it was the
forerunner of the prestigious Environmental Defense Fund. Founded in
the 1950s, it was composed of a group of concerned citizens who met
informally to discuss environmental problems within Brookhaven Town.
In the early 1960s, the committee was concerned with the widespread
use of the pesticide DDT by the Suffolk County Mosquito Control
Commission. Since it was evident that this broad-spectrum chemical
was adversely affecting many non-target organisms, the BTNRC
initiated a lawsuit in 1966, which convinced the court that DDT was
indeed hurting many of Long Islands natural resources. Since then,
the Suffolk County Mosquito Control Commission has never used this
chemical. From this small but significant local victory came the
founding of the EDF in 1967.
Students for Environmental Quality was
formed by Bellport High School1 students in the 1950s to tackle
local environmental problems. By lobbying, petitioning and other
means, SEQ has had many worthy achievements, including obtaining
protection of the harbor seal in New York State, preserving sections
of the Carmans River, supporting the beverage container deposit law,
and enhancing garbage-management practices.
1
Bellport High School is a misnomer. The high
school is located in the middle of Brookhaven Hamlet.
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