The Saw Mill River Coalition

Are you concerned about all of the trash you see on the streets and on our urban trails? Have you ever seen trash in the Saw Mill River and had the urge to get them out? Are you worried about the negative impact this trash could have on local wildlife? Want to get your hands dirty while cleaning up the environment? If so, it’s time to plan your Fall clean-up! If you are in a group that participated in “The Great Saw Mill River Clean-Up” last May or are interested in helping to clean-up the Saw Mill River Watershed, please contact Emily@groundworkhv.org.

Let us know if you, your business, your school, or your community group would like to form a River Stewardship team and adopt a section of the Saw Mill River, a local street in the watershed, or any area along the Saw Mill River!

The Saw Mill River Coalition will help you plan your clean-up and supply all needed materials. If your group commits to doing a couple of clean-ups each year, we can give you picker-uppers and other necessary tools. If you are interested, we can also make a presentation to your group. Let’s think globally and act locally by turning the Saw Mill Watershed into a trash-free zone. This is a great volunteer/community service opportunity and we need your help! Click Here

On Tuesday, November 9, the Yonkers City Council approved the funding to bring back the Saw Mill River to the light of day, hence “daylighting” at Larkin Plaza in downtown Yonkers. This project has been in the works for a very long time.

The US Army Corps of Engineers first covered up this portion of the river in the early 1920s for both flood control and water quality management (the river had become very polluted). In the early 1990′s in the US Army Corps of Engineers’ “Reconnaissance Study,” one of the habitat restoration projects mentioned was to uncover, or “daylight” the Saw Mill River at Larkin Plaza! Full circle!

Daylighting Groundbreaking is expected in early December and we will INVITE YOU ALL! More information about the history of the project and Groundwork Hudson Valley’s involvement will be coming soon.

Upcoming Dates:
Saturday, November 20th at Lawrence Street!
Sunday, December 12th at Farragut Avenue.

November’s vine-cutting will be held this Saturday, November 20th, NOT Sunday November 21st as was previously the plan. Additionally, the vine-cutting will be held at a NEW LOCATION! We will be expanding the project to a new site along the South County Trailway at Lawrence Street in Ardsley/Dobbs Ferry. The time will remain the same, from 9:30am-12:30pm.

The invasive vines are a watershed-wide threat and we are going to try to expand our reach when possible. There will be a simultaneous clean-up going at Lawrence and near-by sites with volunteer river clean-up crews from the Suburbia Roller Derby and Hillside Nature Guides, so it should be a fun day to come out!

Directions to Lawrence Site:

From Saw Mill River Parkway going NORTH: Make a right at exit 16, Lawrence Street. Make immediate left onto frontage road to park. More parking may be available on Saw Mill River Road, east of the parkway.

From Saw Mill River Parkway going SOUTH: Make a left at exit 16, Lawrence Street. Make immediate left onto frontage road to park. More parking may be available on Saw Mill River Road, east of the parkway.

We will meet on the South County Trailway where it crosses Lawrence Avenue. Click here to view a map of the location.

If you have a group that is interested in scheduling your own event or would like help organizing a vine-cutting project, e-mail emily@groundworkhv.org or call 914-375-2151.

Future Vine-Cutting will be held at the Farragut Avenue Site, Meet on trail North of parking lot
Exit 13 (Farragut Avenue),
off Saw Mill River Parkway (going North)
9:30 am – 12:30 pm

From Saw Mill River Parkway going NORTH, exit 13, Farragut Avenue. Turn right into parking lot.

From Saw Mill River Parkway going SOUTH, exit 11, Tompkins Avenue-go left to Saw Mill River Road, turn left. Go to Farragut Avenue and turn left, then turn left into the parking lot. Access also from Saw Mill River Road (Ardsley side).

We will meet on the South County Trail north of the parking lot. Refreshments will be provided. We will supply all of the materials and tools necessary, but if you have your own tools feel free to being them. Please wear close-toed shoes!

Please RSVP if you are going to be able to attend. Hope to see you there!

On April 2, 2010, the NY Times published an article about a 20-year mapping project, carried out by the Brooklyn Botanical Garden.  They are hoping to save dozens of endangered native plants using the information that they have gathered. Read the article or check out the mapping project to find out which native plants are growing near you.

January, 2010 Stormwater Roundtable Keynote powerpoint presentation by Sandeep Mehrotra, Chair of the Hastings Environmental Commission and Vice President, Hazen & Sawyer P.C., Environmental Engineers and Scientists. It covers Low Impact Development/Better Site Design Principles & Techniques – What they are, Why they matter in flooding and water quality.