QUARRY WATERS PARK ECOLOGICAL MASTER PLANNING

EDD is working as the lead ecological consultant to complete a comprehensive evaluation of the 520-acre former industrial zone and limestone quarry in Kingston, NY, on the western banks of the Hudson River.

The client, Quarry Waters LLC, is planning to transform the area into a public park with heavy emphasis on natural amenities and demonstrating the property’s extraordinary diversity of ecosystems.  The team, in cooperation with The Olin Studio and Hudsonia, conducted an historical and geological review as well as an ecological and hydrological site survey to determine the role that site hydrology and subsurface conditions play in supporting existing habitats.  EDD mapped habitats, soil and surface water observations and prepared a natural resource inventory to inform priority recommendations for habitat preservation and restoration.  Subsurface karst conditions and widespread landscape disturbance have together created a complex surface topology and hydrology.  Through adaptation, the site currently supports diverse microclimates and ecosystems services that are rare within the region, along with some areas that suffer from industrial degradation.  EDD’s recommendations describe a range of interventions for enhancing ecological, recreational, and educational benefits on a local scale while also addressing the site’s larger role in the Hudson River Estuary.