Restoration Continues at the Widow’s Hole Preserve

Good news for fans of the Widow’s Hole Preserve in Greenport!

The Trust was recently awarded $250,000 for Phase II of our restoration project. The grant came from the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative – an initiative that supports community revitalization and growth throughout New York.

Widow’s Hole Preserve was donated to the Trust in 2012. Only a 10-minute walk from the village, the preserve is located on the corner of Fourth and Clark Streets and extends into Greenport Harbor. Over the years, volunteers and Trust staff have cleaned up debris, removed invasive species, and planted a variety of native plants to beautify and protect the site.

Phase II of the restoration will continue the creation of a living shoreline to reduce erosion, serve as a natural buffer for the impact of storms and runoff, and improve upland habitat. Living shorelines use native plants and materials to protect an area rather than artificial structures like bulkheads. In addition, bi-lingual (English/Spanish) interpretive and educational signs will be installed. This will allow for greater enjoyment and understanding of the preserve.

Interested in learning more about living shorelines? Check out our Zoom program from January 2021 to hear from three experts in the field. Contact Matt Swain, Director of Stewardship and Geographic Information Systems for more information.