Eastern: Lewis A. Swyer Preserve

Why You Should Visit
A freshwater tidal swamp is formed only rarely, requiring a river bed close to sea level for a long distance from the mouth of the river. At the Lewis A. Swyer Preserve, 120 miles up the Hudson River, the daily tides change the fresh water level in Mill Creek by more than four feet. Frequent flooding of the adjacent flat land has created the freshwater tidal swamp that is one of only five in New York State.

A half-mile boardwalk on the preserve reveals three natural communities to visitors: a freshwater tidal swamp, a freshwater tidal marsh and freshwater intertidal mudflats. Ever-shifting tides reveal different secrets of the preserve with each passing season, and diverse species flourish in and around the swamp's waters.

Location
Stuyvesant, Columbia County, New York

Size
95 acres

How to Prepare for Your Visit
Please see our Visitation Guidelines.

Directions

From I-787, take routes 9 and 20 to Rensselaer.
Turn right on Route 9J and continue through village of Castleton.
About 7.7 miles beyond Castleton, you will go under a railroad overpass.
The small parking area for the preserve is on the right (west) side of Route 9J, about 0.5 miles beyond the railroad.
From the parking area, continue on foot south about 500 feet to the trail entrance on the right, just before the bridge over Mill Creek.
From the south, the preserve's parking area is on Route 9J, 2 miles north of the blinking light in Stuyvesant Landing.

What to See: Plants

Trees: Green ash, black ash, red maple, slippery elm and white oak.
Shrubs: Spicebush, arrowwood, buttonbush and silky dogwood.
Groundcover: Sensitive fern, rice cutgrass, swamp milkweed and skunk cabbage.
In the creek: Pickerelweed and arrow arum.

What to See: Animals
Look for migrating waterfowl and shorebirds, breeding birds including green-backed heron, ducks and passerine birds. Bald eagles nest along the river and kingfishers have been spotted on the creek. Fish in the shallow waters include white perch, minnows, killifish and bluegills.

Why the Conservancy Selected This Site
The Nature Conservancy acquired this site from Conrail in 1989 because it contains a rare freshwater tidal swamp, one of only five in New York State. Mill Creek, a tributary of the Hudson River that is affected by daily tide changes, feeds fresh water into the swamp and floods often. It covers the swamp with nutrients and renews rich habitats for an unusual variety of plants and wildlife.

What the Conservancy Has Done/Is Doing
The Nature Conservancy has added a half-mile-long boardwalk for visitors to traverse the wet ground without damaging plant life. Four interpretive signs explain the uniqueness of the preserve. Since the initial acquisition in 1989, The Nature Conservancy has acquired conservation easements on more than 500 acres nearby to provide added protection to the rare freshwater tidal swamp.