CASE STUDY:

Habirshaw Park Tidal Marsh

Shoreline
Yonkers, NY

2016
12 years old

Presented by:
Sven Hoeger, Restoration
Botanist
Creative Habitat Corp., White

How To Construct A Marsh From

Scratch
Physical site conditions
Soils; Tidal amplitude; Salinity; Wave energy; Debris; Ice
history

Biological considerations
Reference site(s) & Data; Predators; Potential weeds & pests

Beczak Environmental Education Center

Wish List:
Seining
beach
Tidal
pool &
channel
Breakwat
er

Dune
planting

Polishing
trench

Tidal
marsh
Bridg
e

What did we do
?
Site analysis (tides, salinity, waves, etc.)
Search for Reference sites (plan
development)
3,200 cyds excavation (estimate)
1,900 cyds clean fill (estimate)
Stone/ gravel filter separates fill from
Brownfield soil
Intertidal zone enlarged 2.5 times (from
4K to 10,000 sq.ft., includes dune)
Breakwater constructed from large armor
stone

Planting Medium
A special mix of sand, bentonite and organic coir dust

200
3

As-built: project is planted

total area of marsh and dune ca.
10,000 SF

June
2004

A living shoreline
it requires

maintenance!

Debris removal,
2005

Raising the
height of
the
breakwater
cost
effectively

200
8

Replacement
plantings

200
9

Goals & Objectives

Achieved!
Ignoring the obvious:
Compliance with an Order on Consent
Capping a Brownfields site, Public access,
etc ..
1) Improving an outdoor classroom
2) Showcasing an example of a natural
shoreline
3) Replicating a functional marsh from
scratch
In 2012,nine growing seasons after planting in 2004,
4)
Creating
wildlife
habitat
the Beczak Center reported among others the following
inhabitants of the marsh: Banded killifish,
Mummichog, Fiddler crabs, Shrimp (shore and
sand), Blue crab, Mud crabs, Great blue heron,
Green heron, Canada goose, Mallard ducks,

Available
on:
www.hrnerr
.org