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

2. 2015-2020 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:

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

4. 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…

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

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

7. Nexus with the Comprehensive Restoration Plan

8. 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 × ×

10. 150 Years of Habitat Loss  Modern day air photo near Castleton, NY  Historic shoreline (red/orange) & present day (blue)

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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