Groundwork Hudson Valley gets $50K grant for Saw Mill River wetland restoration

Groundwork Hudson Valley Inc., a Yonkers nonprofit, was awarded a $50,000 grant by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Groundwork Hudson Valley will use the funds to restore 2.5 acres of wetland along the Saw Mill River at the northern end of Yonkers. The EPA said the wetland is critical to providing habitat to a wide range of fish and wildlife. In addition, restoration of this wetland will protect upland areas from flooding, including residential and commercial property.

The organization will perform the restoration work with the help of its Green Corps youth program, volunteers, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and partners associated with the Saw Mill River Coalition.

“The restoration and protection of the wetland along the Saw Mill River will benefit surrounding communities both environmentally and economically,” said EPA Regional Administrator Pete Lopez.

Groundwork Hudson Valley Executive Director Brigitte Griswold said the grant will help the organization improve stormwater management, reduce flooding and improve water quality.

Groundwork Hudson Valley is a nonprofit that aims to create sustainable environmental change in urban neighborhoods through community-based partnerships that promote equity, youth leadership and economic opportunity.

The grant was awarded through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation”™s Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program, which supports projects that develop community stewardship of natural resources and address water quality issues in priority watersheds across the country.

The Groundwork Hudson Valley grant was among 59 Five Star and Urban Waters Restoration Program grants awarded totaling $2.2 million. Winners were selected from a pool of more than 250 applications.