Women’s History Month: Honoring the "Everyday Hero" Who Removed 107 Tons of Debris from NYC Shorelines

Barbara Cohen (center, holding plaque) and her husband Mickey receive the American Littoral Society Lifetime Achievement Award from former NE Chapter Director Don Riepe (L) and Kathleen Gasienica, former president of the Littoral Society Board of Trustees.

This Women’s History Month, we are proud to honor the legacy of Barbara Cohen, a woman and longtime member of the American Littoral Society whose volunteerism and passion advanced coastal conservation in New York. While we sadly said goodbye to Barbara in 2024, her impact remains visible on every shoreline across the state. ​

A lifelong educator with a degree in Art History from Hunter College, Barbara’s journey into environmentalism was fueled by a deep-seated commitment to activism. Alongside her late husband and "best friend," Mickey Maxwell Cohen, she spent decades marching for civil rights and anti-war causes before turning her formidable organizational skills toward the protection of New York’s natural spaces. 

Barbara was a driving force behind the New York State Beach Cleanup program, which is celebrating its 40th year in 2026 and is a cornerstone of the American Littoral Society’s Northeast Chapter. When she took over as lead volunteer coordinator in 1994, the program consisted of just four cleanup sites. Through her tireless advocacy, Barbara grew that effort into a massive network of 100 cleanup locations, coordinating an incredible 10,000 volunteers to participate in the International Coastal Cleanup. 

In 2024, more than 3,000 NYSBC volunteers collected 11,383 pounds of trash, with the most common items being cigarette butts, food wrappers, plastic/metal bottle caps, and small plastic pieces. 

Her leadership led to the removal of a staggering 107+ tons of debris from New York City’s beaches and natural areas. Beyond the cleanup, Barbara was instrumental in establishing Bayswater Point State Park, serving as its first caretaker alongside her husband Mickey. Her expertise and dedication earned her a seat on the Board of Directors for both the New York City Audubon Society - now named NYC Bird Alliance - and the New York State Marine Education Association. 

Barbara’s lifelong service was recognized with some of the highest honors in the field, including: 

• The Environmental Quality Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 
• ​The Matthew Fontaine Maury Award from the NYS Marine Education Association. 
• The Grass Roots and Longtime Service Awards from the NYC Audubon Society. 
• A Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Littoral Society. 

Named an "Everyday Hero" by New York Newsday, Barbara remained an active volunteer well into 2019. Her legacy lives on in the cleaner sands of the Rockaways and the thousands of volunteers she inspired to care for our coast.  ​

Special thanks to the Cohen family for sharing their memories and photos with us to help honor Barbara’s incredible contributions to coastal conservation. 

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