World-renowned writer, filmmaker, and editor Jon Bowermaster along with VP of Patrol Program, John Lipscomb of Hudson Riverkeeper were kind enough to share this incredibly important message about the Coeymans shoreline with cameos made by our own, CAC director, Barbara Heinzen. Others interviewed for the story include Riverkeeper director, Rebecca Martin, and Riverkeeper staff attorney, Victoria Leung.
Riverkeeper’s mission is to protect and restore the Hudson River through advocacy rooted in community partnerships, science, and law. The organization focuses on three overarching problems facing Hudson River communities like Coeymans: Restoration of the Hudson River ecosystem, protection of New York City’s drinking water supply and improving public access to the Hudson River.
The Hudson River is not your typical river. In fact, most of the Hudson is actually a tidal estuary where saltwater from the ocean combines with freshwater from northern tributaries. This “brackish”, or mixing, water extends from the mouth of the Hudson in NY Harbor to Poughkeepsie, approximately 100 miles.
Because the Hudson River is a tidal estuary, meaning it ebbs and flows with the ocean tide, it supports a biologically rich environment, making it an important ecosystem for various species of aquatic life. For many key species, it provides critical habitats and essential spawning and breeding grounds.