The county presents these awards annually for activities and projects that best promote the conservation, management and restoration of soil and water resources in Westchester County. The 45-acre Hunter Brook Preserve in Yorktown -- located on Beekman Court off Hunter Brook Road -- straddles Hunter Brook, an important tributary of the Croton Reservoir.
The area is under increasing development pressure and the preserve protects the stream habitat and the quality of the water that flows into the Croton Reservoir. Natural habitats on the preserve include the stream and riparian corridor, wetlands, scrub/shrub and upland forest. There is a trail system on either side of the brook providing visitors with miles of trails and beautiful views of the stream. Recognizing that the bank along Hunter Brook is being eroded by fast-moving storm water runoff -- an unwanted consequence of developing land in the area -- WLT began a Habitat Enhancement Initiative at the preserve in 2011 to help protect the floodplain from further erosion, protect against future storm and flood damage and improve the brook’s overall water quality as it feeds into the Croton Reservoir. Since that time, WLT has led five separate planting projects, installing 214 trees and plants along a 3-acre riparian corridor.
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