Nearly 90% of the world’s wetlands have been degraded since the 1700s, and we are losing wetlands three times faster than forests. At the same time, wetlands are critically important ecosystems that contribute to biodiversity, climate mitigation and adaptation, freshwater availability, world economies, and more.

Idlewild Park, an ecological jewel in Southeast Queens, is the sixth largest park in Queens, NY. One of NYC Parks Forever Wild sites, it is one of the largest expanses of salt marshes in Queens, “contains sandy grasslands, a unique dune swale, and one of the richest salt marshes in southeast Queens.” Idlewild, over the years, has been threatened by so-called economic development and industrialization. In tandem with the preservation and restoration of wetlands in Idlewild, Eastern Queens Alliance has worked tirelessly to establish the Idlewild Park Salt Marsh Environmental Science Learning Center. The center is now complete. It officially opened in April 2022.

With this event in our new space, we will raise national and global awareness about wetlands in order to reverse their rapid loss and encourage actions to conserve and restore them.

For this upcoming World Wetlands Day, we will Tour Idlewild Park, see a demonstration of the importance of wetlands, and create nature-inspired collages. Feel free to bring your own collaging supplies. Images will be printed from cellular devices (not mandatory for the collage).

By combining images, printed material, and even found objects, artists- like you and your child- can create striking works of collage that dazzle the eye and offer a unique perspective on the nature of art and the art of nature.

Time: 11:00 AM — 1:00 PM EST

Free!

Registration