MANHATTAN WETLANDS AND WILDLIFE – MWW
In 2008 James Cataldi founded MWW, a grass roots, all volunteer nature conservancy in NYC, to provide environmental & wildlife rescue; and community out reach programming.
For 7 years MWW as provided self funded daily stewardship of Inwood’s rare fragile tidal wetland inlet known as Inwood’s North Cove. MWW initiatives have picked up, sorted and recycled 1400 cubic yards of trash; (more than 14 football fields) and cleaned up 12 large oil spills illegally dumped in Harlem River. (No carbon foot print or tax payer dollars)
So far, 70 different airborne and aquatic species displaced by urban development have visited Inwood’s North Cove Fish & Wildlife Refuge. Fish and migratory wildlife increasingly rely on “Inwood’s North Cove” in annual seasonal migrations to rest, heal & eat while on journeys along Atlantic Coast and in Harlem River Estuary.
North Cove is a: Community gathering place
Educational youth S.T.E.M. boot camp
Home for a wildlife health care program
Stopover for migratory, protected & endangered wildlife
Year round home for local wildlife and feral cats
Mission is: Environmental protection/ Ecosystem restoration & preservation
Wildlife rehabilation & stewardship
Atlantic Flyway/ River Migration Refuge Stewardship
Youth education, environmental science and technology initiatives
Improvement of community through public/ private partnership projects
MWW provides licensed NYS wildlife rehabilitation to capture, rehabilitate and release injured, displaced and orphaned wildlife in NYS. MWW relies on medical resources of federally permitted partners for lab work, x-rays, veterinary, surgery, medicines, and medical supplies.
MWW director, and local resident for 30 years, James Cataldi, is a United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)- Environmental Quality Award Winner (2012), for significant contributions to improve environment and public health. This is the highest honor EPA gives to an individual. “James ‘Birdman’ Cataldi, is that ‘one person’ who is making a difference and who cares a whole awful lot, as evidenced by his understanding of local environmental concern at North Cove.” “Hope has arrived for North Cove” (US EPA) “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better, it’s not” LORAX, by Dr. Seuss. (US EPA award nomination)
“There is currently a great public service project in the Inwood community in Northern Manhattan that is both educational and environmentally progressive. We cannot overstate the incredible value this project has brought to our community, and we hope to see it continue growing.” Adriano Espaillat: State Senator, Ydanis Rodriguez: Council Member
New York Times featured “They call me Birdman” video: bird week 2011; Dali Lama Society selected as video of week; 846 students completed internships or were educational/ leadership youth camp participants |
