Marshlands Conservancy

Marshlands Conservancy is a native wildlife conservancy of 147 acres, including one-half mile of protected shoreline, in Rye, NY, owned and operated by the Westchester County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. A watershed area nestled above Milton Harbor, an inlet of Long Island Sound, Marshlands Conservancy comprises five distinct natural areas that are designated as critical habitats and bio reserves for the preservation of species: forest, meadow, tidal salt marsh, marine shoreline and ponds. Three miles of hiking trails provide access to all the habitats. The conservancy is favorite of birders and photographers, and anyone looking for quiet enjoyment of nature.

Most of the walking trails at the Conservancy wind through the woodland area, allowing visitors to see several different stages of forest succession. The American Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) grove, a relatively young forested area, is one of the most northern naturally occurring stands of these typically southern trees in the country. In the southeast section of the Conservancy, a significant portion of the old growth forest remains, consisting primarily of oak and hickory. However, the rest is predominately second-growth forest, full of Red (Quercus rubra), White (Quercus alba) and Chestnut Oak (Quercus montana), which often hybridize in the wild. There are also native Wild Black Cherry (Prunus serotina), tulip trees (Liriodendron tulipifera), North American Beech (Fagus grandifolia), and others.

With limited staffing the conservancy still manages to offer educational programs for the public and for school groups, as well as a summer nature camp program. Conservation projects include a native understory shrub project, and a research project of planted oak seedlings. Additionally, the staff has initiated an herbarium project, a moth survey, and an Eastern Box Turtle study.