FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 23, 2024
MEDIA CONTACTS: Umberto Mignardi, Kevin Higgins, Danielle Benjamin, Michael Anderson – 516-869-7794, press@northhempsteadny.gov
Town of North Hempstead Releases Quail at Hempstead Harbor Trail to Combat Ticks
North Hempstead, NY – Town Supervisor Jennifer DeSena and officials from the Town of North Hempstead joined with Ranger Eric Powers on Tuesday, July 23 at the North Hempstead Aerodrome for the Town’s Eighth Annual Quail Release, during which 50 Northern Bobwhite Quail were released into the forest to combat ticks.
The Town has raised Northern Bobwhite Quail for the past eight years to help several town parks control tick populations without using pesticides. North Hempstead is the first municipality on Long Island to deploy quails in stifling ticks, and the release is part of the town’s broader environmental initiative to use natural, non-toxic methods to control invasive species and disease-carrying pests.
Supervisor DeSena noted, “This release is special on so many levels. We’re not only controlling the tick population in an innovative and healthier way, but also reminding people that they aren’t distant from nature – they’re very much a part of shaping it. The quail are beautiful, and raising and releasing them gives those involved a greater sense of harmony with our environment.”
This year, the Town raised the quail in the Clark Botanic Garden quail flight pen. The flight pen was built by Eagle Scout Daniel Reilly of Troop 423 from Plainview-Old Bethpage as part of his Eagle Scout project.
Video coverage of this year’s quail release is available on North Hempstead TV by visiting www.mynhtv.com or www.youtube.com/@townofnorthhempstead to watch online.
The North Hempstead quail program is led by Ranger Eric Powers of the Center for Environmental Education & Discovery (CEED) and host of the Town’s nature program “Off the Trail.” Mr. Powers also works with dozens of Long Island schools that set up incubators in their classrooms and raise the quail as part of an animal life cycle studies program that teaches science, environmental studies, and responsible stewardship. People can visit www.CEEDLI.org to learn more about Mr. Powers and the CEED program.
For more information call the Town’s 311 Call Center.
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