Brooklyn pol looks to turn southern Brooklyn into ecotourism destination

Southern Brooklyn may soon become a popular hub for ecotourism.

Thanks to a plan put forth by Charles Ragusa, Democratic District Leader of District 47 – which encompasses Bath Beach, Bensonhurst, Gravesend, Dyker Heights and Midwood – the area might see an influx of both jobs and educational opportunities by making use of untapped ecotourist locations throughout southern Brooklyn, such as Calvert Vaux Park in Gravesend.

“As an educator, I know how important it is to capture students’ interest,” said Ragusa, who worked as a teacher and dean at Boys & Girls High School in Bedford Stuyvesant. “While formal classroom instruction is essential, I believe that field studies are important adjuncts to education, especially for STEM programs. Southern Brooklyn can not only provide a superb natural laboratory but the foundation for ecotourism, which will provide a wide variety of jobs.”

Parks such as Calvert Vaux are perfect for field biology programs due to their varying types of habitats and unique shorelines, according to Ragusa. Similar areas easily accessible by bus or train can also be found in southern Brooklyn and Queens, such as Jamaica Bay, Kaiser Park and Marine Park.

Among the biggest reasons ecotourists may flock to southern Brooklyn’s natural areas is bird watching, due to a wide variety of bird species being attracted to parks such as Calvert Vaux. In fact, the parks of southern Brooklyn attract more species of birds than Central Park, according to Ragusa.

In his plan, Ragusa cites U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports which show that bird watchers spent $15 billion on trips and $26 billion on equipment in 2011, leading him to explain that, “ecotourism provides a significant portion of the economy of other states, for example, Alaska and the nation of Costa Rica. New York City is sitting on top of a financial and educational bonanza that is literally at our doorstep.”

Ragusa  has discussed his plan with local environmental groups and is looking to meet with elected officials in the coming weeks.

“We have everything to gain and nothing to lose,” said Ragusa. “Everything is already in place – transportation, eateries and a large workforce. Ecotourism would provide jobs for not only naturalists and scientists, but jobs for landscapers, bus drivers, restaurant workers and tour guides.”