Environmental leaders honored

Tackapausha co-directors receive conservation award

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Established in 1965, the Tackapausha Museum and Preserve offers a variety of environmental education programs involving all aspects of Long Island’s natural history. Scores of Seaford children have attended Earth Day celebrations and “jungle bungle” events in recent years, but South Shore Audubon Society leaders said locals might not realize who keeps those programs going. 

To bring their “devotion to and extensive efforts for conservation and wildlife” to the forefront, the organization honored Dennis Fleury and Isabel Fernandez — Tackapausha’s co-directors, who are both 40 — with the fifth annual Elliot Kutner Conservation Award this summer. 

The Audubon Society hosted an awards dinner at Pompei Restaurant and Caterers in West Hempstead in June. President Betty Borowsky presented the award to both environmental enthusiasts, who have a combined 13 years of experience at the nature center on Washington Avenue in Seaford. 

“I felt quite honored,” Fleury said. “We aren’t the type of peoreally happy to be recognized.”

Elliot Kutner was a founding member and president of the South Shore Audubon Society. The award has been given to Long island biologists and other environmental activists for the past five years in honor of Kutner’s contributions.

For Fleury and Fernandez, helping out at Tackapausha is just a part of their lives and in their blood. “This was a very passive museum that only did a little bit of education,” said Fernandez, a Mineola native. “But when we came aboard, we increased the programming and did a lot more outreach.”

Over the years, Fernandez and Fleury have kept the facility thriving through educational programming and outreach events. At the museum, local children regularly see live animal exhibits and presentations about birds of prey, reptiles, amphibians and mammals such as opossums, rabbits, ground squirrels and porcupines. Birthday party packages are available as well as nature walks, campfire circles and bird-watching programs. 

Plenty of local Boy Scouts have earned Eagle rank Gold Awards at the preserve, county leaders said, as Fleury and Fernandez have helped them with environmentally based community service projects. 

“It’s important that nature centers are here on Long Island,” Fernandez noted. “Today, children are so disconnected, and we’re here to help them care about preserving habitats and protecting birds.”

In 1997, the 1,800-member South Shore Audubon Society formed an adopt-a-park agreement with the county to keep Tackapausha clean and updated. Since then, the group has aided the nature center with community events and various fundraisers.

“It’s great that the Audubon Society is recognizing people and groups who do good things for nature, especially in the Seaford community,” said Fleury, a Bethpage native. “Tackapausha fosters the stewards of tomorrow, and we help children develop a mindset that is going to make them not abuse nature.”

For more information about upcoming programs and services available at Seaford’s Tackapausha Museum and Preserve, visit www.nassaucountyny.gov or call the facility at (516) 571-7443.