Watch the video below and visit the Salt Lot, a unique place along the Gowanus Canal that is home to over 250 different kinds of plants and animals. In fact, the Salt Lot is the most biodiverse place along the Gowanus Canal! A diverse landscape with many plant species supports an abundance of wildlife. Grasses, perennials, shrubs, and trees provide habitat for birds, bees, butterflies, and other helpful pollinators and animals. It even provides habitat for fish, crabs, mussels, and other marine life in the Gowanus Canal!
Did you know that if our land is healthy, our waterways are healthy, too? However, if we don’t steward the land, our waterways will also be unhealthy. Gowanus Canal Conservancy volunteers and staff manage the land on the Salt Lot to bring harmony between living things and their environment. From where the Salt Lot touches the water’s edge all the way upland, we nurture a healthy, diverse ecosystem of wildlife along the Gowanus Canal. Take a look at this section illustration of the Gowanus Canal and Salt Lot to see how water and land are connected! What kind of plants and animals do you observe? What plant community do they live in?
At-Home Activities
Just like people, animals need 4 main things to survive in their habitats! These 4 things are food, water, shelter, and space.
A free app that helps you identify plants and animals! You can earn badges for species observations!
We'd love to hear from you!
Share your creations and nature observations with us -- and let us know if you enjoyed this activity! Fill out this Google Form or email education@gowanuscanalconservancy.org. You can also tag @gowanuscanalconservancy on Instagram or @GowanusCConserv on Twitter with photos of your nature observations or work!