Public agencies, private companies, unions, non-profits and individual citizens took part in the work of salvaging damaged boardwalk after Hurricane Sandy – FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), NYC Parks Dept., NYC Office of Debris Management, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Ashnu International, Local 173, Armster Reclaimed Lumber Co., Sawkill Lumber Co., YANA (You Are Not Alone) and local citizens.
The boardwalk is made from Rainforest hardwoods, sourced in the jungles of Guyana and Brazil – species like Ipe, Cumaru, Greenheart and Angelique – woods that are among the hardest on earth, with almost supernatural resistance to insects and rot.
Over three miles of the shoreline walkway were thrown off moorings by the storm, with large volumes sent to landfills before a coordinated effort was made to salvage the valuable hardwoods. Awareness that boardwalk woods are a cause of Rainforest destruction, and a potential link to the super storm, made reclamation among the symbols of local renewal and global environmental change.
Photos: Beach 106th St., Rockaway Boardwalk. (l) Reclamation work after the storm. (r) rebuilt comfort station with steps constructed from salvaged boardwalk.