Fran Dunwell Hudson River Estuary Coordinator Hudson River Estuary Program/NYSDEC

Action Agenda  Clean Water  Resilient Communities  Vital Estuary Ecosystem  Fish, Wildlife & Habitats  Natural Scenery  Education, River Access A blueprint for partnerships to help people enjoy, protect and revitalize the Hudson River and its Valley, providing the benefits of:

A SCIENCE-BASED STRATEGY BUILDING A STEWARDSHIP LADDER FOR THE ESTUARY THE FOUNDATION: ECOLOGY 3 EMPOWER EMPOWER INFORM INFORM ENGAGE ENGAGE

Examples of Recent Progress  Access: one per community along the estuary  Habitat restoration: projects at Gay’s Point, Tappan Zee, Iona Island, Saw Kill & more  Water quality: “Albany Pool” pathogen reduction, Saw Mill Daylighting, WQ projects in Hudson, Kingston & more  EJ projects in Albany, Yonkers, NYC, Newburgh Poughkeepsie, and more…

Some 2015 objectives:  Enhance river access for recreation (ADA/EJ)  Provide outdoor learning for schools and families (Day in the Life of the River)

and ….  Restore habitats in the river and on the tribs  Improve water quality using grey and green infrastructure  Promote conservation land uses

Nexus with the Comprehensive Restoration Plan

NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Program Benefit Categories Hudson River Target Ecosystem Characteristic Vital Estuary Ecosystem Estuary Fish, Wildlife & Habitats Clean Water Access, Recreation and Education Resilient Communities Natural Scenery Tidal/Intertidal Wetlands ×× × SAV/Shallow Water ×× Riparian Buffers and Floodplains ×× × Tributary Connectivity and Barriers ×× Waste/Storm Water × Contaminants (Brownfields) × Sediment Quantity and Quality ×× Water Access and Navigability × Estuary Education Centers and Opportunities × Resilient Waterfronts and Shorelines × Commercial and Recreational Fisheries ×× Native (Biological) Communities × ×

150 Years of Habitat Loss  Modern day air photo near Castleton, NY  Historic shoreline (red/orange) & present day (blue)

Hudson River Estuary Habitat Restoration Plan Key Elements:  Focused on critical habitats that have been lost or degraded  Includes a climate resiliency and adaptation strategy  Forms the basis for partnerships with federal agencies and non- governmental organizations

Priority Restoration Habitats Share 3 Characteristics  History of loss or degradation due to human action  Important role in ecosystem  Feasibility restoration opportunities exist Miller, Bowser and Ekerlin 2005

Restoration Actions Preserve existing estuary habitats Restore side channels Promote and implement fish passage, dam removal and culvert right-sizing Promote and implement use of ecologically enhanced shoreline treatments Implement programs to control invasive plant and animal species