Four Sparrow Marsh, a preserve managed by the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, though still not formally mapped as parkland, is threatened by the development of what is being called the Four Sparrows Retail Center.

The marsh was named because it is home to nesting populations of threatened salt-marsh sparrows, along with song, swamp and savannah sparrows. Over sixteen bird species breed in the marsh. In addition the marsh is home to clapper rail and Wilson's snipe and provides important foraging habitat for herons, egrets and many other species. The proposed retail complex, on the uplands adjacent to the marsh, may threaten water quality, disrupt site hydrology and directly kill birds as a result of collisions with windows.

A scoping meeting, at which the public expressed their concerns about the project was held in Brooklyn on Thursday, February 17. Dozens of environmentalists, local business-people, and others spoke against the project.Susan Elbin, PhD, New York City Audubon’s Director of Conservation and Science, emphasized to the NYC Economic Development Corporation that the proposed car dealership and big-box retail center will:

• * Disrupt nesting, foraging and stopover habitat of saltmarsh, seaside, swamp and savannah sparrow, as well as willet, Wilson’s snipe, clapper rail, snowy egret and American black duck;
• * Present a threat of toxic contamination in run-off from paved surfaces to the saltmarsh; and
• * Increase risk of bird collisions with glass in new buildings.

An appropriately designed retail project, with adequate buffers to protect this critical habitat and a design sensitive to the waterfront and to birds could be an asset to the city.