Esopus Meadows

Overview

At this Scenic Hudson property in the Town of Esopus, an existing degraded building, shoreline armoring, and impervious surfaces were removed and replaced with an erosion-resistant shoreline that has natural features which have improved habitat and recreational access. Although this site was damaged in a spring 2007 storm, subsequent adaptive management resulted in a tougher shoreline that successfully withstood Hurricanes Irene, Lee, and Sandy in 2011-2012. 

Lessons Learned

  • Restoration sites with fully-developed root systems are much more likely to survive major storms. 
  • It takes time for plants to become established, and temporary protection such as fencing or wave-breaking structures may be needed for long-term success. 
  • Monitoring and maintenance is strongly recommended for 3-5 years until vegetation is firmly established.
  • Just over six months after the initial restoration effort, before the root systems had time to establish, this shoreline sustained significant damage from a storm in spring 2007. Creative adaptive management after the storm, including working with the storm-modified slope rather than attempting to rebuild the pre-existing structure, helped to salvage the project and stabilize the site. The re-created shoreline sustained minimal damage during Hurricanes Irene and Lee in 2011, and Hurricane Sandy 2012.