Caretakers' actions at Sands Point Preserve spur concern

When a not-for-profit friends group took over management of Nassau County's 216-acre Sands Point Preserve, the partnership was touted as a model for private benefactors supporting public parks.

But since Friends of the Sands Point Preserve took over daily operations in January, observers are questioning how the group is maintaining the grounds that overlook Long Island Sound. The group's board members say they understand the concerns but defend their care of the park.

Last month, the president of the North Shore Audubon Society, the executive director of the Science Museum of Long Island, the president of PW Green and co-chairs of the Port Washington Parks Conservancy cosigned a letter to County Executive Edward Mangano urging the county, which owns the land, to step in.

In the July 1 letter, they outlined issues ranging from removal of trees, brush and the disappearance of eggs from the nest of a migratory bird.

The authors of the letter said they were especially concerned about the missing eggs of the killdeer, which is related to the endangered piping plover. Local ecologist Herb Mills, who is a member of the Audubon Society and PW Green, said there was concern that the area around the nest had been mowed and disrupted the bird's habitat.

Karli Hagedorn, who chairs the friends group, said it's not clear what happened to the area surrounding the nest. There is weekly routine mowing and noted it is a part of the park trafficked by people and raccoons.

She said only trees that were considered unhealthy or a safety issue were removed, and only with county approval after consulting with an arborist. "The county needs to be come up with better guidelines," she said. "They gave us absolutely no suggestions about what to do."

County commissioner of parks, recreation and museums Carnell Foskey, in the light of the letter, said he will work more closely with the group, acknowledges some of the criticism and points out that it is a new group.

He also questioned the "commercialization" of the preserve, noting the site has been used by the park's benefactors for events like filming and parties, but added he understood it was necessary for fundraising.

The county pays salaries for caretakers hired by the friends groups. Any other expenses are covered through the group's fundraising.