Ridgebury, New York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ridgebury, New York
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 Ridgebury, New York
Location in New York
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  New York |
| County | Orange |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
Ridgebury is a small community, also called a hamlet, located in Orange County, New York. It's one of eight hamlets in the town of Wawayanda. Ridgebury is about 65 miles north of New York City.
The name "Ridgebury" was first spelled "Ridgeberry." It got its name because many berries grew on the ridge where the town is located.
Dealing with Invasive Fish
In the spring of 2008, something unusual happened in Ridgebury's waters. Local streams and lakes, like Catlin Creek and Ridgebury Lake, were taken over by a type of fish called the Northern snakehead. These fish are very good at hunting other fish. They are not native to the United States and can cause problems for local wildlife.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) stepped in to help. They removed the snakehead fish from the waters. After the snakeheads were gone, the DEC restocked the lakes and streams with fish that naturally belong in the area. This helped bring the local water ecosystems back to normal.
