Take Care of

Flushing Waterways

Guardians of Flushing Bay envisions a healthy and equitably accessible Flushing Waterways, stewarded by a thriving collective who takes care of the water, its coastal lands, and each other.

We are a coalition of human-powered boaters, park users, and local residents advocating for a healthy and equitably accessible Flushing Waterways. We accomplish our goals through family-friendly waterfront programming, community science and stewardship, and grassroots organizing.

Our Challenges

An Overwhelmed Sewer System

The greatest threat to a healthy Flushing Waterways ecosystem is the city’s overwhelmed sewer system, which releases over two billion gallons of raw sewage and polluted storm water into the bay and creek every year and can cause local flooding.

The onslaught of contamination leaves Flushing Waterways’ ecological communities choked of oxygen and its populous boating community paddling in sewage. And, as seen during Hurricane Ida, the flooding impacts can be catastrophic for our local communities.

Short-sighted Planning and Development

The Flushing Waterways has both historic and present day planning challenges. Transformed from a coal ash dump into the site of two World's Fairs, much of Flushing Waterways is encircled by highways and hemmed in by parking lots.

Today, the waterfront is under increased speculation for redevelopment. Many of these redevelopment projects have been decades in the making and threaten the health and resilience of local ecologies and environmental justice communities.

Lack of Public Access

Flushing Bay and Flushing Creek have many physical and economic barriers to access. Flushing Bay is surrounded by highways and parking lots, making it difficult to access without a car, boat, or bike, and Flushing Creek does not have any spaces for publicly accessible direct-water access whatsoever.

As a result, many residents in the surrounding low- and middle income communities of color are unaware that these natural spaces and their recreational opportunities exist.

Our Approach

A Three-Part Strategy

At GoFB, our work addresses the most pressing issues facing Flushing Waterways through three distinct but related programs.

Land Use Equity

There’s lots of growing interest in developing the land around Flushing Waterways! GoFB builds, sustains, and supports grassroots coalitions that organize for equitable development and environmentally just resilience planning in our watershed.

Ecosystem Repair

Flushing Waterways contends with decades of contamination and sewage pollution. Through habitat restoration, rain garden maintenance, coalition-based organizing, and community science, GoFB and our volunteers are hard at work to realize the healthy waterways that our communities and ecologies deserve.

Getting People to the Water

The first step to taking care of Flushing Waterways is getting to know it! GoFB connects communities to Flushing Waterways through boating tours, walking tours, artist workshops and more!

Our Successes

Since our inception in 2015, GoFB has responded to the challenges facing Flushing Waterways with creativity, collaboration and tenacious perseverance. Here are some of the accomplishments we’ve celebrated along the way.

Vision Planning

Designed a restored shoreline for Flushing Creek. The wetland complements the Army Corps of Engineers’ habitat restoration project for Flushing Creek.

Connecting People and Place

Connected thousands of NYC and Queens residents to Flushing Waterways and its waterfront through dragon boat tours, artist-led walking tours, and shoreline cleanups.

Sensible Ways to LGA

Built and sustained the Sensible Ways to LGA coalition. After 5 years of organizing, the coalition successfully stopped the LGA AirTrain, which would have obstructed over a quarter of our public waterfront promenade alongside local environmental justice communities.

Improving Water Quality

Managed the collection of local water samples across 18 sites for two regional water quality initiatives.

Strengthening Community

Played a key role in establishing the Flushing for Equitable Development and Urban Planning coalition. FED-UP developed the Phoenix Meadows Vision Plan, a community-driven vision for 65-acres of threatened parkland.

Community-Centered Design

Created the Flushing Waterways Vision Plan, a community-generated report with over 50 recommendations. The Plan represents the first stage in GoFB’s community visioning process, which strives to realize community-based solutions to resilience and ecological health.

Oyster Research Stations

Introduced over a dozen Billion Oyster Project Oyster Research Stations (oyster cages that students monitor and steward) to the waterways.

Become a Guardian

Taking care of Flushing Waterways takes all of us! Read on to learn about how you can take care of the bay your way.

Volunteer

Want to lend a hand? Click here to learn more or complete this form to figure out how to plug into our work in a way that works best for you.

Attend an Event

We host regular events all year, in person and online. Visit our events page to learn more.

Help Us Report Pollution

See something? Say something! Click here to learn about all the ways you can report pollution or illegal dumping.

Donate

Our work would not be possible without the support of our community! Click here to learn how to become a sustaining donor today.

Join Us!

Take a Ride with Us

The best way to learn about Flushing Waterways is to spend time with it! Check out this video about our organizing work on Flushing Creek to get up close and personal with your local water neighbor.

See you on the Shore!

Sign up to be the first one to know about our events, volunteer opportunities, and community organizing. We can’t wait to collaborate with you!

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