Joined at Seaford's Tackapausha Museum and Preserve by Boy and Girl Scouts, other community volunteers and Nassau County Parks employees, Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi kicked off the second phase of his ambitious Parks "Come Back" campaign, involving the cleanup of the county's preserves and natural areas. Nassau County Legislators David Denenberg (D-Merrick) and Dave Mejias (D-North Massapequa) also took part in the clean-up.

"As was the case with our county parks, which we have now successfully renovated, our magnificent preserves and natural areas have suffered from years of neglect and under-investment," said Suozzi. "But we're going to change that. Beginning today in Tackapausha and through the summer months until October, the county will clean up decades of accumulated debris, fix trails and clear out invasive species at 15 of our largest preserves and natural areas."

Accounting for approximately two-thirds of total preserve/natural area acreage in the county's Parks system, these 15 preserves/natural areas include: Bailey Arboretum (Lattingtown); the natural areas in Christopher Morley Park (Roslyn-North Hills); Cow Meadow Preserve (Freeport); the Hempstead Plains at Eisenhower Park (East Meadow); Garvies Point (Glen Cove); Massapequa Preserve; Meroke/Faith Lawson Preserve (Bellmore); Muttontown Preserve; the sand dune area at Nickerson Beach (Lido); Roosevelt South Preserve/Rev. Mackey Sr. Pond (Roosevelt); Sands Point (Port Washington); Stillwell Woods Preserve (Syosset); Tackapausha Preserve and Pond (Seaford); Wantagh Mill Pond; and Welwyn Preserve (Glen Cove).

Suozzi selected the 84-acre Tackapausha Museum and Preserve to launch the preserves cleanup campaign because of its symbolic value: it was the first tract of land acquired by the county for preserve purposes, in 1938.

"The county at that time had the foresight to set aside this land and continued to do so in the decades that followed," said Suozzi. "But during the last 20 years, the county has not lived up to its responsibilities by properly maintaining Tackapausha and the other dedicated preserves. That is unacceptable to me. Our preserves should serve as first-class examples of environmental stewardship and as wonderful natural oasises for our residents, and we are beginning the work necessary to bring them back to that level."

At Tackapausha, some 70 volunteers spent Saturday morning and afternoon planting flowers and clearing trails and woods of debris, filling scores of garbage bags in the process. Among the groups taking part were the Seaford Community Wellness Council; Seaford Chamber of Commerce; officers from the 7th Precinct; Boy Scout Troop 690 and Troop 660; Girl Scout Troop 3133; Cub Scout Pack 239; and sixth-graders from St. William the Abbot.

Suozzi, who earned a reputation as a committed environmentalist while serving as mayor of the City of Glen Cove, joined the volunteers and Parks employees in clearing brush and cutting down invasive species.

"We are delighted to participate in a spring cleanup with members of the community and other local clubs and organizations to help keep Seaford and this preserve beautiful," said Michael DiSilvio, chairman of the Seaford Community Wellness Council, which helped spearhead the volunteer effort.

In a continuation of the innovative approach used in the renovation of the county's active parks and facilities, joint "blitz crews" from the Parks and Public Works departments will operate inside the initial 15 preserves and natural areas to do an aggressive cleanup.

By October, Suozzi said he will merge the county's work with a major volunteer effort that will wrap in environmental and community groups and focus on other preserves and natural areas beyond the initial 15. Within the county parks system, there are 49 locations that are classified as dedicated nature preserves or that include "natural" areas such as a pond with a grassy area or the wooded area of an active park.

The first phase of Suozzi $36-million Parks "Come Back" campaign involved the comprehensive renovation of 10 major "active" parks and facilities. This effort was largely completed by Memorial Day, as planned.