Hudson RiverNet
News from the Hudson River Estuary Program

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Hudson River Estuary Program and of carrying out our mission to help people enjoy, protect, and revitalize the Hudson River and its Valley. We could not do this work without the help of our many state, federal, academic, and environmental partners; local communities and watershed groups; and citizen science volunteers, who all share the vision of a healthy Hudson River.

As the sun sets on 2017, we thank you and make note of some of this year's accomplishments:

- The Estuary Program provided $3,005,925 for 37 local projects in 69 locations.

- More than 3,000 volunteers participated in our citizen science and stewardship programs, including:

• 500 people who planted 3,300 native trees and shrubs at 30 sites, restoring 4.5 acres along 1.5 miles of stream;
• 188 people who helped DEC monitor striped bass;
• 800 people who counted and released over 91,000 eels into upstream habitats;
• 34 people who monitored roads and assisted amphibians during migrations to vernal pools; and
• 900 participants who counted 1,325 fish during the 2017 Great Hudson River Estuary Fish Count.

- The Estuary Program and its partners provided science-based training to more than 1,000 municipal officials, agency staff, and conservation groups on topics related to climate change, sea level rise, water resources, habitat conservation, and land use and watershed planning.

- 86 Hudson Valley communities have signed the Climate Smart Pledge to date. Climate education programs reached 970 municipal officials, planners, and members of the public.

- The Estuary Program helped 28 municipalities inventory and conserve natural resources. We are working to promote source water protection with 23 municipalities across seven counties that include 12 public water systems.

- The 15th annual Day in the Life of the Hudson and Harbor brought more than 5,000 students to 90 waterfront sites from Troy to New York Harbor to collect scientific data on the river’s ecology using hands-on field techniques.

- More than 5,380 acres of open space lands along or in sight of the Hudson River shoreline have been conserved by New York State since 2015.

We look forward to continuing this work with you in 2018 and wish you a healthy Hudson and a Happy New Year!