With its lush greenery and protected estuarine waters, Hudson River Park serves as a much-needed habitat and travel corridor for numerous fishes, birds, crustaceans and insects. Monitoring the frequency with which these animals use the Park’s land and waters provides valuable information about the health and future of these populations.
Information gathered from Hudson River Park’s environmental monitoring initiatives helps Park managers make informed decisions about Park management and operations. In addition, these environmental monitoring projects are opportunities for students and the public to engage with the Park’s River Project in interactive, hands-on ways. Data from these projects also supports larger research initiatives that are helping protect and restore wildlife and natural resources on local, regional and national levels.
Surveying fish helps to determine species diversity and abundance in Park waters. The Park conducts two projects focused on fish, including a fish ecology survey and environmental DNA research.
Plastic pollution harms our local waterways and wildlife. The Park is committed to addressing this issue through microplastic research, shoreline debris surveys and the Park Over Plastic initiative.
Microplastics, plastics smaller than 5mm, are an emerging environmental issue that scientists are surveying to understand how they impact waters and wildlife world-wide.
Oysters are filter feeders that clean waterways, protect our shorelines and build habitat. The Park leads several studies to research and restore this keystone species in the Estuarine Sanctuary.
For 20 weeks starting in May, nearly 70 volunteer citizen scientists from local boathouses and community groups collect weekly water samples for the Citizens’ Water Quality Testing Program (CWQTP) at boat launches and docks from Yonkers to Jamaica bay.
The Hudson River is a dynamic system, and the Park measures local water quality using two continuous monitoring stations in the Park and a seasonal study on pathogens in the Estuary.