National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Final Programmatic Report

Project Name and Number: Bronx River Restoration (NY) #2006-0102-003 Recipient Organization/Agency: Bronx River Alliance, Inc. Recipient Organization Web Address: Date Submitted:

1) Summary of Accomplishments In four to five sentences, provide a brief summary of the project’s key accomplishments and outcomes that were observed or measured. 2007: The Alliance reached out to at least 9 community organizations through the Bronx River Restoration Workshop. (June 9, 2007)

Bronx River Conservation Crew enhanced habitat in areas totaling one acre by restoring native tree and shrub community in Concrete Plant Park and establishing salt marsh grass (Spartina alterniflora) within the estuary section of the river.

The Alliance’s Crew removed 109 tons of debris and 2563 tires from the river corridor. 2008: The Alliance’s Conservation Crew completed erosion control projects in Shoelace Park and Fort Knox Park.

Invasive vegetation was removed from approximately 40,000 square feet of the Bronx River Corridor.

The Bronx River Alliance helped NYC Parks Greenstreets to select a site for a stormwater capture greenstreet (intersection of Crueger Ave, Sagamore Ave and White Plains Road) and to complete a draft conceptual design for the project. The project partners also started to put together a watershed-wide greenstreets plan based on areas most in need of stormwater capture.

2009: The Greenstreet was installed at Sagamore and Crueger and the Conservation Crew visited the site on a weekly basis, providing trash removal and reporting on conditions to the Greenstreets staff.

The Conservation Crew continued with their work to remove blockages and debris, control invasive vegetation and plant native species in targeted areas.

2) Project Activities & Results

If your grant agreement included an approved logic framework, paste the logic framework table here.

Post-Project Predicted Predicted Project Baseline Activities → Outcomes Indicator → Project Post-Project Outputs → → Outcome → Output

Design and Completed Capture and During rain event, On On construct one design retention of volume of water impervious completed stormwater capture documents water flowing into site site: stormwater bioretention facility for during minus water volume capture site: within Bronx River stormwater storms flowing out into site ≤ Volume into Watershed capture volume site > system out, volume out Reduction depending of on storm Replacement stormwater Number of plants of volume on site and At least 50% impervious flowing into vegetation type Little to no vegetative surface with sewer plants on cover— vegetation system site. Plants, plants are above a if any, are native and subsurface poorly flood gravel bed Increased Number of suited to tolerant Community designed for stormwater students and inundation support for stormwater infiltration, community and agency storage which leads members visiting Zero visits At least 50 acceptance to increased site for to site for visitors to of base flow in interpretive interpretive site through stormwater Visible, Bronx River sessions sessions 2 -3 capture attractive interpretive projects will stormwater sessions help capture during first Alliance to garden year after implement Use of construction more stormwater stormwater capture retrofits system as within the educational watershed and community outreach tool, and to facilitate local, state and federal agency support Activities → Project Post-Project Indicator → Baseline Predicted Predicted Outputs → Outcomes → Project Post-Project → Output Outcome

Eradication of Removal of Decreased Acres of 3 acres Less than Reduced exotic invasive invasive survival forestland dominated one quarter level of plants in Bronx vegetation in threat for dominated by by acre invasive River Forest the Bronx native invasive species invasives dominated resurgence River Forest vegetation by invasives due to species removal methods used Re- Native Enhanced Number and 650 shrubs More diverse establish/strengthen shrubs habitat and species of native planted over plant native plant planted on soil shrubs planted one acre community communities in west riparian stabilization dominated Muskrat Cove and slope of by native Bronx River Forest Muskrat species Cove and east slope of Bronx River Forest Remove blockages, Cleared Improved Tons and types of All More floatable debris, river access to debris removed blockages visitors to trash, and other channel and river for removed the Bronx human pathways pedestrians, within 1 River due to disturbances cyclists and month; 30 improved boats tons of access debris removed Organize Planting, Community Number of At least 6 Increased community clean-up and input organizations organizations community involvement in educational incorporated reached interest in Bronx River events into Number of the Bronx restoration Alliance workshop sessions 2 Workshops River’s activities workplans held health and and how they can restoration Number of contribute to activities attendees at 30 its workshop/planting individuals improvement Increased projects participating awareness of river restoration

Activities Describe and quantify the primary activities conducted during this grant (refer back to your approved logic framework, if applicable). Briefly explain discrepancies between the activities conducted during the grant and the activities agreed upon in your grant agreement. Results Describe and quantify progress towards achieving the project objectives or outcomes described in your grant agreement. (Quantify using indicators from your approved logic framework, if applicable, or by using new indicators not included in the application.) Briefly explain discrepancies between what actually happened compared to what was predicted to happen. Provide any further information (such as unexpected outcomes) important for understanding project activities and results.

Note: This project was amended on 11/12/08 to reflect the fact that the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation Greenstreets Program was able to cover the design and materials costs for the Bronx Greenstreets installation. Therefore, the role of the Bronx River Alliance shifted to one of monitoring and maintenance. The Conservation Crew monitors the site weekly, removes debris and invasive plants, and assisted in the installation of monitoring equipment at the site. In the spring of 2008, the members of the Bronx River Alliance’s Ecology Team visited the Greenstreet to learn about the stormwater capture project. Other informal visits have taken place throughout the project period. Once the NYC Department of Parks finalizes the installation, additional trips will be scheduled to showcase the project to the community.

Design and construct one stormwater capture bioretention facility within Bronx River Watershed

On completed stormwater capture site: Volume into site > volume out. At least 50% vegetative cover—plants are native and flood tolerant. At least 50 visitors to site through 2 -3 interpretive sessions during first year after construction.

Community support for and agency acceptance of stormwater capture projects will help Alliance to implement more stormwater retrofits within the watershed.

During three days of fieldwork (on July 31, August 1 & 2, 2007) the Alliance contracted with the Center for Watershed Protection to conduct field visits in the Bronx River watershed to generate a prioritized list of recommended stormwater management locations. This was accomplished through pre-visit map analysis followed by three days in the field of detailed site examinations. This work helped to inform the overall watershed plan for the Bronx River as well as creating concept level plans for a few priority greenstreet sites.

The Bronx River Alliance helped NYC Parks Greenstreets to select a site for stormwater capture greenstreet (at the intersection of Crueger and Sagamore Avenues and White Plains Road), and complete a conceptual design for the project. This site was identified through area surveys conducted by the Bronx River Alliance, and was designed to maximize stormwater capture at the site. The greenstreet was installed by NYC Parks Greenstreets, with the assistance of the Alliance in assessing the site, installing monitoring equipment, and developing and placing educational signage. Following installation, the Bronx River Alliance continued to maintain the site through weekly visits to remove debris, as well as monitoring the water and plant conditions at the site. The project partners also started to put together a watershed-wide greenstreets plan based on areas most in need of stormwater capture.

The Bronx River Alliance is actively working on educating the public about stormwater issues, through our work at the SWIM (Stormwater Infrastructure Matters) Coalition, our rainwater harvesting project, and other stormwater capture projects, both planned and in progress. Members of the Crew will be using a demonstration model of a rain barrel installation to present to the public and cultivate interest in future installations.

The Bronx River Alliance Ecology Team visited the Greenstreet site to learn more about the project, such as implementation challenges and the development of monitoring protocols. Other informal visits have taken place, and when the installation is complete, the Alliance will organize interpretive site visits for the public.

Eradication of exotic invasive plants in Bronx River Forest Less than one quarter acre dominated by invasives Reduced level of invasive resurgence due to removal methods used

The Conservation Crew continued with their ongoing work to remove invasive vegetation, river blockages and debris and plant native vegetation at restoration sites along the Bronx River, notably in an ongoing Japanese knotweed eradication project in the Bronx River Forest.

Under the direction of the Conservation Manager, during the grant period the Conservation Crew completed erosion control projects in Shoelace Park and Fort Knox Park. These areas exhibited extreme increases in erosion during the unusually wet spring of 2008 and were therefore high priorities for bank protection projects carried out during the summer of 2008.

Since 2006 the Conservation Crew has cleared 164,617 square feet of invasive vegetation (3.78 acres), including Japanese knotweed, garlic mustard, and other invasives. An Invasive Plant Management project is underway to track and monitor the different techniques being used by the Conservation Crew to evaluate their effectiveness under varying conditions.

Re-establish/strengthen native plant communities in Muskrat Cove and Bronx River Forest 650 shrubs planted over one acre More diverse plant community dominated by native species

Since 2006 the Conservation Crew and volunteers have planted appropriate native species totaling 20,778 trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants along the Bronx River. Ongoing monitoring, including adoption of an “adopt a plot program” for school and community groups, is conducted to ensure that native species successfully re-establish themselves.

Apart from work carried out at Muskrat Cove, Shoelace Park and the knotweed eradication/native plant restoration in the Bronx River Forest, an example of a particular restoration is at Concrete Plant Park, where the Bronx River Conservation Crew enhanced habitat in areas totaling one acre by restoring a native tree and shrub community and restored a salt marsh by establishing mattresses of salt marsh grass (Spartina alterniflora) within the estuary section of the river along the banks of Concrete Plant Park and upstream at Starlight Park.

Remove blockages, floatable debris, trash, and other human disturbances All blockages removed within 1 month; 30 tons of debris removed More visitors to the Bronx River due to improved access

During the course of the grant period the Bronx River Conservation Crew cleared 32 river blockages and removed over 117 tons of trash and debris from the Bronx River and its immediate environs. The consistent maintenance and clearage of river blockages has enabled the recreational use of the Bronx River through the Alliance’s program of conducting full- and part- river canoe trips to school and community groups as well as the general public, plus a series of short “Community Paddles” held at selected neighborhoods along the river to introduce children and adults to the river. The Alliance’s recreation program has enjoyed increasing popularity, with over 1,300 people canoeing on the river in 2009, and on average hosting 1,240 people a year between 2006 and 2009. Maintenance and improvements, coupled with the opening of such new parks as Hunts Point Riverside Park and Concrete Plant Park, have made the Bronx River’s environs increasingly popular and accessible for non-water-borne recreation as well. In all the Alliance draws about 4,000 people to its public events each year.

Organize community involvement in Bronx River restoration activities At least 6 organizations reached; 2 Workshops; 30 individuals participating Increased community interest in the Bronx River’s health and how they can contribute to its improvement

In addition to volunteers (over 500 participants in Ecological Restoration activities in 2009 alone, and over 800 for the Alliance overall,) the Conservation Crew engages trainees from such community organizations as Sustainable South Bronx’s BEST (Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training) Academy and Wildcat Services Corp., preparing them for future employment in the expanding field of “green collar” jobs.

Community involvement is crucial to carrying out restoration activities. For example, in 2008 and 2009 the Conservation Crew engaged the community in field work through NYC’s Million Trees program, as well as corporate volunteer work days, with partners that included Goldman Sachs and Bloomberg LLP. The Alliance also reached out to at least 9 community organizations through the Bronx River Restoration Workshop on June 9, 2007, and has actively engaged the community in developing programming for the new Concrete Plant Park as well as in the master planning process for Shoelace Park.

Community input on restoration planning was solicited at Ecology Team meetings that were held six times during 2008 and six times during 2009. Annual work plans for the Ecology Team are developed based on input from participating community groups, to establish goals and priorities for restoration work on the Bronx River.

3) Lessons Learned Describe the key lessons learned from this project, such as the least and most effective conservation practices or notable aspects of the project’s methods, monitoring, or results. How could other conservation organizations adapt their projects to build upon some of these key lessons about what worked best and what did not?

This project helped point out the need for a standardized format for tracking and monitoring restoration work. The Bronx River Alliance is partnering with the New York City Parks Department’s Natural Resources Group to develop a standardized monitoring form. The data collected on this form will go into a shared database to track invasives control and planting done along the River. Information such as invasives control techniques employed, frequency of maintenance, and planting practices will be tracked to develop a record that can help inform future restoration projects. In addition, GIS will be used to generate maps that indicate the status of work along the river.

Improved best practices for riparian restoration using geotexiles, by evaluating results in varying locations. These fabrics are no longer used at the water’s edge, to allow for natural processes such as sedimentation.

The Bronx River Alliance is investigating ways to improve access to the island in the Bronx Forest, to facilitate carrying equipment and providing better access for volunteers.

The Alliance has improved our knowledge of salt-tolerant plants and safe working distance from roads. We now select salt tolerant species for use within 10 to 20 feet from the Bronx River Parkway. In the past, as plants failed next to the Parkway, the invasive species were able to return unimpeded.

4) Dissemination Briefly identify any dissemination of lessons learned or other project results to external audiences, such as the public or other conservation organizations.

The Bronx River Biolog is a regular feature on our website, www.bronxriver.org. This blog, written by the Conservation Crew, highlights their restoration work on the river.

The experience and results gained from this restoration project were used to inform the annual Bronx River Ecology Team Plans and Priorities, a document developed with input from community partners to outlines goals and priorities for Bronx River restoration.

The Greenstreet installed in the Bronx represents a successful collaboration to identify appropriate sites for stormwater retrofits in a highly urbanized setting. The project demonstrated the need for ongoing communication and monitoring, to insure maximize effectiveness for future stormwater capture installations.

5) Project Documents a) Include with your report 2-10 representative photos from the project. Photos need to have a minimum resolution of 300 dpi. b) Include with your report publications, GIS data, brochures, videos, outreach tools, press releases, media coverage, and any project deliverables per the terms of your grant agreement.

POSTING OF FINAL REPORT: This report and attached project documents may be shared by the Foundation and any Funding Source for the Project via their respective websites. In the event that the Recipient intends to claim that its final report or project documents contains material that does not have to be posted on such websites because it is protected from disclosure by statutory or regulatory provisions, the Recipient shall clearly mark all such potentially protected materials as “PROTECTED” and provide an explanation and complete citation to the statutory or regulatory source for such protection.

Approved: ______Date: ______Signature

__Linda R. Cox, Executive Director______Print name and title

National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Matching Contribution Eligibility and Documentation

This document is intended to help determine whether contributions received by a NFWF Recipient are eligible as Matching Contributions and how they should be documented.

Eligibility

Matching Contributions, whether in the form of cash, contributed goods and services, volunteer hours, or property, must be:

1. Non-Federal in nature. Federally appropriated or managed funds are ineligible (e.g., Pittman-Robertson, Dingell-Johnson, Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act, North American Wetland Conservation Act, Coastal Wetland Protection and Restoration Act) as match for NFWF Federal funds. NFWF Recipients are advised to discuss sources of funding with their Project Administrator to verify eligibility and to ensure that they are not Federal funds administered by a non-Federal third party. Depending upon the program, some NFWF non-Federal awards may be matched with Federal funds.

2. Committed directly to the Project. Matching Contributions in the form of cash, contributed goods and services, volunteer hours, or property must be used within the Period of Performance identified on Page 1 of the Grant Agreement. Services rendered in connection with: (a) the preparation of a Pre-Proposal and the Full Proposal and negotiation of the contract between the NFWF Recipient and NFWF; or (b) fundraising, will not qualify as Matching Contributions.

3. Voluntary in nature. Funds presented for fulfillment of mitigation, restitution, or other permit or court-ordered settlements are not eligible (e.g., Natural Resource Damage