2019 Was A Transformative Year For The
Saw Mill River!

Thanks to the Westchester Community Foundation and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program, Groundwork Hudson Valley and the Center for the Urban River at Beczak continued to grow the Saw Mill River Coalition, a group of concerned municipalities and community partners that work together to protect the watershed. During the past year, the Coalition developed a new “State-of-the-Watershed” report with the Saw Mill River Watershed Advisory Board, led by County Legislator MaryJane Shimsky. And, a refreshed Action Plan draft was created to guide the Coalition’s work for the next 5 years.
In April, our annual Saw Mill River Cleanup involved 8 sites and over 300 community members and partners who worked tirelessly to remove litter and other debris.
This summer, Groundwork Hudson Valley’s Green Team youth and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service also planted water-absorbent willow trees along the Saw Mill River banks to abate flooding of commercial and residential property and provide habitat for fish, wildlife and other aquatic species. Thanks to the work of Ruth Walter, Westchester County Legislator-Elect, we just received notice that funding from Westchester County will assist us in continuing this vital work in 2020!
And, thanks to our newest business partner, Lowe’s , visitors to the South County Trail can now enjoy new benches that were built so walkers and bikers can sit and rest along the banks of the river. Take a look at the benches we now have in place!
Finally, say hello to Groundwork Hudson Valley’s new Rivers and Trails Manager, Oded Holzinger! Oded joined the team in March and is working diligently with communities, municipalities, and businesses along the Saw Mill River to protect our precious watershed.

Every dollar of support helps us change places and lives in Westchester County. As 2019 comes to a close, please support us in our effort to restore the Saw Mill River with a tax deductible donation today. By making a year-end, personal donation, you're helping us to exponentially increase our impact.

Make your gift to Groundwork Hudson Valley at https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/1430653?code=home+page





Brigitte Griswold
Executive Director
P.S. Many companies match donations made by their employees! Matching gifts are an important source of revenue for our organization and can make your gift go twice as far. Kindly contact your company HR department or contact Sara Brody at [email protected]  for more information.