While walking his dog along the west side of the Bethpage State Parkway, also known as the right of way, a local resident spotted something in an opening of the woods.

As he walked deeper into the woods, the man observed a canopy set up in the woods equipped with couches, roofing shingles for a floor and other furniture and debris scattered about. He said he thought to himself, "I guess these dopey kids made themselves a nice little drinking spot."

Upon further inspection, the man, who does not want his name mentioned, saw a swastika spray-painted on a piece of furniture, the word "Jews" spelled out with duct tape and expletives written around the area, which is at the rear of Hemlock Drive between Lawrence Street and Yale Place.

The resident immediately posted his discovery on a community board on www.Fdale.com and was contacted by Concerned Citizens Association of Farmingdale President Mike Grello. Grello, in turn, called the New York State Police. Sergeant Timothy Heins responded to the scene.

"This is a fort that some teenagers made that they were drinking in and we had DOT [Department of Transportation] come in and destroy it," Heins said. "We didn't handle it as a bias incident because it wasn't like it was spray painted on a synagogue or directed at anybody. So we just handled it as a kids' fort and it was destroyed."

However, Grello views this as an extremely serious incident that deserves much attention and action. Grello, Friends of the Massapequa Preserve President Rich Schary and Long Island Greenbelt Conference Boardmember Lisa Schary recently met with Assemblyman Joseph Saladino to discuss plans for the further protection of the wooded area of South Farmingdale.

"I am outraged to learn that such callous and prejudiced individuals would not only deface our environment, but do it in a matter which is so hurtful to our community," Saladino said.

At the meeting, which was held at Saladino's district office on Boundary Avenue in Massapequa, they discussed problems such as litter, trash, dumping, the congregation of groups of teens and young adults and the heightened use of all-terrain vehicles in this area.

"Over the years, I have watched a beautiful environmental area degenerate to a point where I see less and less of animal and plant species," Grello said. "I am asking for the state to come to the rescue of this vast wonderland. I would also like to ask the people to be the eyes and ears and report any abuses in these woodlands."

Environmental advocates Rich and Lisa Schary said that right now people are unaware of who to notify if there is a problem and few consider it a park.

"We hope that the Bethpage Parkway Right of Way will become an extension of the Bethpage State Park, which would give this natural wooded area a lot more protection," Rich Schary said.

"People should not be afraid to enjoy the woodlands and the parkway corridors that are so close to their homes," Lisa Schary added. "Working together, all of us can get this situation under control."

For more information about the Friends of Massapequa Preserve, call 541-2461, email friendsmp@longislandnn.org or visit www.fdale.com/FMP/FMP.htm. For more information about the Concerned Citizens Association of Farmingdale call 249-2106, email pres@ccaf-civic.org or visit www.ccaf-civic.org.