Sunken Meadow Salt Marsh Restoration

Sunken Meadow Creek is a 135 acre tidal marsh complex in Sunken Meadow State Park that has experienced severe alteration caused by human disturbance, invasive species, and sea level rise. Audubon NY is currently designing a 78 acre marsh restoration project for this section of creek that will focus on coastal resiliency and improvements to high marsh habitat that will attract priority bird species such as the Saltmarsh Sparrow. In order to accomplish this plan, we will restore low and high marsh systems, elevate marsh platform through sediment placement, remove and control invasive species (such as Phragmites australis), improve drainage of marsh by creating new marsh channels and eliminating old mosquito ditches, and planting native species. The view from this location will show seasonal changes in the marsh, as well as the improvements occuring through habitat restoration and management over time.