Protecting and restoring habitats
The Hudson River watershed is home to a breathtaking diversity of life. Protecting and restoring our aquatic habitats is critical for their renewal and for a healthy future for all life in the watershed
The challenge
Pollution, degradation, climate change, physical alteration, and unchecked development are threatening many of the Hudson’s critical habitats.
Our collective home needs guarding and rejuvenating
From headwaters to wetlands and tributaries, the Hudson River watershed includes complex interconnected habitats that are home to countless animal and plant species. Without healthy, protected, and naturally functioning habitats, wildlife will struggle to thrive.
And flora and fauna are not the only ones impacted — degraded habitats can have ripple effects on our communities, from reducing air and water quality, to limiting buffers against extreme heat, and reducing protection from flooding and storm surge. While humans have had a dominant role in degrading ecosystems and natural environments, we can also improve the environment by working to combat the continued threats to the vitality of the Hudson’s habitats and restoring the natural grandeur and environmental health of the watershed we all call home.
4,000
acres of shallows, wetlands, and intertidal habitats lost by the construction of the Erie Canal
1
million additional acres of wetland protected by New York’s modernization of wetlands protections, passed in the 2022 state budget
$10,000
invested in oyster reef restoration from successful legal campaigns brought by Riverkeeper
- Focus areas
- Habitat and wildlifeWater quality
What we're doing
Supported by data and science, we lobby for legislation, organize community voices, and pursue legal avenues to protect and restore our critical and life-sustaining natural spaces.
Protecting freshwater wetlands
Wetlands carry out many functions that make them valuable to society, including providing critical habitat, reducing flood risk, improving water quality, storing carbon, and purifying drinking water – all of which become more important with increasing climate impacts.
The State Legislature originally passed the Freshwater Wetlands Act in 1975 to preserve, protect, and conserve freshwater wetlands, and to regulate their use and development. Riverkeeper and many other environmental organizations fought for amendments to expand and strengthen the state’s authority to protect freshwater wetlands. Riverkeeper actively participated in both the legislative and rulemaking process leading to the revised Freshwater Wetlands Act in 2022 and wetland jurisdiction and classification regulations (6 NYCRR Part 664) in 2024. Riverkeeper continues to advocate for protections to safeguard these critical resources through strong regulations, clear and limited general development permits, and increased public awareness highlighting the value of these ecosystems.
Defending critical habitat
Houghtaling Island, one of the largest parcels of land in the Hudson River, was created by the Army Corps as a disposal site for dredge spoils — sediment and organic matter that accumulates on the bottom of a body of water that is removed during dredging. Dredge spoils containing varying levels of PCBs, heavy metals, and other contaminants have been disposed of on the island for decades, a practice which continues today. Shallow water spawning was lost by the creation of this island, and Riverkeeper is working with our partners to restore the function of those habitats. Restoration activities such as creating angular channel cuts through this sediment island will allow the Hudson to flow into the backwaters shallows, aerating the water and improving the habitat for the species that rely on it.
We are working with state agencies through public comment and advocacy efforts to prevent further dumping and, in time, restore these shallow water spawning grounds.
Funding Hudson River restoration
State and federal funding is critical in our mission to renew regional watershed habitats.
In 2022, we helped secure the passage of the New York – New Jersey Watershed Protection Act, which authorized millions of dollars annually to protect and restore the Hudson-Raritan watersheds. This funding helped back projects that help iconic species like American shad, bluefish, striper and American eel rebound, and halt the decline of our wetlands, streams and floodplains so that these ecosystems and the species that rely on them can thrive once again.
Paying it forward
As part of our legal work, Riverkeeper often secures environmental benefit funds that we can then use to support projects to restore habitat, protect water quality, and address other pressing environmental issues. These projects include the restoration of a riparian area along the Wallkill River where 300 native trees were planted, as well as a fund enabling farmers to adopt best management practices that safeguard our water resources by reducing runoff and improving soil health.
In addition, Riverkeeper is part of the Champlain Hudson Environmental Trust (CHET) Governance Committee, which oversees the spending of the $117 million dedicated to protecting, restoring, and improving aquatic habitats and fisheries resources in the Hudson River Estuary, as well as the Harlem and East rivers.
Preventing invasions
Riverkeeper is working to minimize the threat to the river from aquatic invasives resulting from the presence of the Erie Canal. We are seeking to disconnect discrete sections of the canal to proactively prevent invasive species from gaining access to our high-quality aquatic habitats.
Reconnecting river habitats
We were instrumental in one successful side channel restoration project at Gay’s Point, where a shallow backwater was connected with the main stem of the Hudson in an effort to restore lost shallow water spawning habitat for fish and other wildlife. The success of this project demonstrates the potential and need for similar restoration efforts across the watershed.
Updates
Update
October 3, 2025
Standing up for wetlands
Event recap
October 2, 2025
Whales and dolphins headline a true NYC restoration success story
Update
September 26, 2025
By defending wildlife, we’re strengthening New York’s future
Related campaigns
Dam removal
By removing old, obsolete dams, we are healing the ecosystem and restoring life to the Hudson and its tributaries
Saving Hudson River fish
Protecting iconic species vital to our local ecosystems
Invasive species
Protecting the Hudson includes defending it against outside threats