About the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve

Four unique wetland sites make up the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve

Tidal wetlands are important for water quality and fish and wildlife habitat in the tidal Hudson River. Four very distinct wetland sites make up the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve. They serve as field laboratories for estuarine research, stewardship and education. These nearly 5,000 acres of tidal wetlands and upland buffer represent the diverse plant and animal communities of the Hudson Estuary at Stockport Flats in Columbia County, Tivoli Bays in Dutchess County, Piermont Marsh, and Iona Island in Rockland County.

The Reserve’s offices are at Norrie Point Environmental Center, located inside Mills-Norris State Park in Staatsburg, Dutchess County

The Reserve holds many public events and workshops. Education and outreach events include guided canoe programs, lectures, interpretive exhibits, and community events for the general public; information and training sessions for coastal decision makers; workshops for teachers; and field-based programs for middle school, high school, and post-secondary students.

Reserve staff and partners conduct estuarine research studies of physical, biological, and chemical characterizations; ecosystem processes; and exchanges between wetlands and the Hudson’s main stem. Research provides a solid foundation for all Reserve programs in education, outreach, training, stewardship, and restoration. The Sustainable Shorelines Project, an initiative of the Reserve, aims to develop science-based recommendations for shore zone management to preserve or enhance natural benefits while meeting engineering needs. It is a multi-year, multi-partner effort. The Reserve also participates in the Hudson River Environmental Conditions Observing System (HRECOS), a river-wide monitoring collaborative.

The Reserve is part of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, which includes 28 reserves representing different biogeographic regions. The Reserve was designated in 1982, operates as a partnership between New York State and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and relates to four federally-designated and state-protected sites along 100 miles of the Estuary.

The Reserve’s Management Plan provides a framework to guide its direction and activities. This plan was approved by NOAA in 2009, and was updated in 2019.

Norrie Point Environmental Center
256 Norrie Point Way
Staatsburg New York, 12580
hrnerr@dec.ny.gov
845-889-4745