The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) in partnership with the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) selected the Louis Berger Group, Inc. of Morristown, NJ to conduct a natural resource inventory (NRI) of the Binnen Kill tidal wetland complex, DEC Acting Commissioner Basil Seggos announced today.  The resource inventory will be conducted along the west shore of the Hudson River estuary in Selkirk, a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem (Albany County).  Louis Berger Group, Inc. is receiving $94,160 for the project.

The Binnen Kill is a tidal tributary of the Hudson River estuary. It is surrounded by a tidal wetland complex that includes upland forest, tidal swamp and agricultural fields. The 485-acre study site includes properties that are either owned by Scenic Hudson or are protected by conservation easements and lands owned by New York State. Historically, the location included Shad and Poplar Islands which formed side channels of the Hudson River, which were filled in the early 20^th century during construction of the Federal navigation channel.

The purpose of the NRI is to identify ecological communities, including occurrence of rare or endangered species and other natural features. This information will be used to develop management priorities for the site which may include conservation, preservation, and restoration. The Louis Berger Group, Inc. will also conduct a risk assessment of present and future threats to existing natural resources such as sea-level rise and the spread of invasive species.

DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program, a project of the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, helps people enjoy, protect, and revitalize the Hudson River estuary. For more information about the Hudson River Estuary Program, please visit DEC’s website at http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/5091.html.