Constitution Marsh facts for kids
Constitution Marsh is a special place where fresh water from the land mixes with salty water from the ocean, creating a unique "brackish" tidal marsh. It covers about 270 acres (109 ha) and sits between Constitution Island and the Hudson River in Garrison, New York. Along with 80 acres (32 ha) of nearby forests, it's known as the Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Wildlife Sanctuary, managed by the National Audubon Society. This society works to protect birds and their habitats.
Constitution Marsh is part of Hudson Highlands State Park and is one of only five big tidal marshes along the Hudson River. It's so important for birds that it's called an Important Bird Area by Audubon and a New York State Bird Conservation Area. It's also recognized as a significant home for fish and wildlife, and a beautiful spot in New York State.
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Amazing Animals and Plants
A Home for Many Creatures
A small creek called Indian Brook flows into the Hudson River through the marsh. The area where the creek meets the river is like a special nursery for many animals. You can find lots of different fish, crabs, and frogs here. Some of these animals are quite rare in this part of the world.
Birds, Birds, Birds!
Over 200 different kinds of birds have been seen at Constitution Marsh! Some birds live here all year, while others just stop by during their long journeys, called migration. In the fall, as many as 4,000 waterfowl (like ducks and geese) gather here. These include American black ducks, wood ducks, and mallards.
Other migrating birds that visit are pied-billed grebes, ospreys, northern harriers, and peregrine falcons. In winter, you might even spot between 2 and 30 bald eagles! Years ago, up to 100,000 swallows would gather here in autumn, though their numbers have gone down a bit since the 1990s.
More than 50 types of birds actually build their nests and raise their young in the sanctuary. Some of these include the least bittern, worm-eating warbler, Virginia rail, Louisiana waterthrush, northern cardinal, spotted sandpiper, gray catbird, common yellowthroat, marsh wren, eastern phoebe, swamp sparrow, and willow flycatcher. The wood thrush also breeds in the forest near the marsh. Studies in 1986–1987 and 2005 showed that while many birds still live here, the red-winged blackbird is becoming the most common breeding bird.
Fish, Turtles, and More
Besides birds, the marsh is a very important place for fish to lay their eggs and for young fish to grow. You can find striped bass, shad, herring, and mummichog here. About 1,000 snapping turtles call the marsh home, and they often lay their eggs at the nearby Boscobel estate.
However, some unwanted plants and animals, called invasive species, have also moved into the marsh. These include plants like common reed and purple loosestrife, and animals like water caltrop, zebra mussels, and mute swans. These species can sometimes harm the native plants and animals.
History of the Marsh
How Old Is It?
Scientists believe Constitution Marsh is very old, possibly between 4,000 and 5,000 years old! In the 1830s, people dug many channels through the marsh to help grow wild rice. New York State bought the land in 1969, and the National Audubon Society has been taking care of it since 1970.
A Big Cleanup Story
Next to Constitution Marsh is a place called Foundry Cove. From 1952 to 1979, a factory there released a lot of pollution, especially a metal called cadmium. This made Foundry Cove one of the most polluted places in the world for cadmium. Some of this pollution also spread into Constitution Marsh.
In the early 1970s, people tried to clean up the area, but it didn't work very well. So, in 1983, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed the area as a "Superfund site," which means it needed a huge cleanup. A big cleanup project happened in Foundry Cove in 1995, where they removed a lot of the polluted mud.
They decided not to dig up Constitution Marsh because it might have hurt the environment even more. Instead, they knew that clean mud would naturally cover the pollution over time. After the cleanup in Foundry Cove, the cadmium levels quickly dropped. Within eight years, the marsh and cove were much cleaner, even cleaner than the Hudson River in New York City!
Fun Things to Do
Explore the Marsh
Constitution Marsh offers great ways to explore nature. There are hiking trails that lead to a 700-foot (213 m) long boardwalk. This boardwalk lets you walk right out into the marsh and see all the amazing plants and animals up close without disturbing them. The current boardwalk was built in 2001 and was named after James P. Rod, an environmentalist who took care of the sanctuary for many years.
You can also go paddling in some of the man-made channels. From the trails and boardwalk, you get amazing views of the Hudson Highlands, including Storm King Mountain and Breakneck Ridge. You can also see the United States Military Academy across the river.
