Co-owned and managed by Scenic Hudson and Audubon New York, RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary is home to one of the largest and most productive tidal marshes in the Hudson River estuary. The marsh provides habitat for fish and birds, improves water quality, offers diverse recreational opportunities and can support rare plants and animals.
Visits to the sanctuary begin with a walk down an old meandering farm road. Home to northern mockingbirds, dark-eyed juncos and other birds, this upland area was once an orchard and pasturelands but now is forested with young maples, white ash and a dense understory of honeysuckle and silky dogwood.
The path eventually descends into the tidal swamp forest, where tree composition shifts to a young mix of red maples, swamp white oaks and dense alders. A 28-foot observation tower marks the edge of the swamp and the beginning of the RamsHorn marsh. This structure offers a unique opportunity to observe sanctuary wildlife from a birds-eye perspective.
Beyond the tower the road bisects the marsh, which is dominated by narrow-leaved cattail and woolgrass. Here one can watch red-winged blackbirds weave through the marsh in warmer months and hawks circle above the whole year through. Beyond the marsh and across the bridge spanning the RamsHorn Creek, the sanctuary offers a number of trails for exploration of the forested uplands at the southern end of the property.
A new canoe launch is planned, which will allow visitors to experience the winding creek and abundant wildlife up-close.
Scenic Hudson has been building the property's protected landmass since 1992, but shielding the land from development is only the beginning of our long-term responsibility. We are equally committed to the ongoing stewardship of this special place. To this end, Scenic Hudson and Audubon New York are detailing sanctuary resources and outlining strategies to mitigate threats so that the area can endure for generations. - Leathem Mehaffey |
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| Photo by Seth McKee |
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