When I knew I had to choose a natural area at home to compare to the Sea Caves for my phenology project, I didn’t even have to think because I knew I was doing the beach. I live in Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York, a small beach community on a peninsula which is home to one of the only beaches in New York City. It only takes a couple of minutes to walk the two blocks between my house and the beach so it is very easy to reach for everyone in the community.
Rockaway Beach is the only place in New York City that interacts with and borders the Atlantic Ocean. This makes for a very unique ecology compared to the rest of the city which doesn’t have many natural areas as it is. Compared to my phenology spot in Arthur Park, Rockaway Beach is not that similar. The Beach has very limited plants as they have to grow directly from the sand, and the only plant I was able to identify while I was there were searockets. While the plants grown here aren’t similar, the environment they grow from is, as the plants in Arthur Park also have to grow from a sandy soil. Rockaway Beach is also home to man-made groins of large rocks that are made to control the tides where people swim. These groins can also support life like black mussels and gutweed. This beach is a special place because it gives the people of the big city a natural place to relax.
