Con Edison Supports Cliffdale Meadow Restoration

We’re thrilled to share that Con Edison has awarded Teatown $35,000 to support the restoration of Cliffdale Meadows—one of our most ecologically important landscapes and a cornerstone of our educational programs. This project aligns with Con Edison’s 2025 grant focus on Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation, helping advance nature-based solutions right here in the Hudson Valley.

Cliffdale’s 15-acre meadow, part of the historic 150-acre Ascoli estate donated to Teatown in 1993, is home to warm-season grasses, native wildflowers, and the pollinators and birds that depend on them. But like many meadows across the Northeast, it has suffered from invasive species encroachment and habitat fragmentation.

With this funding, Teatown will launch a multi-year restoration effort to remove invasive plants, increase native biodiversity, and improve habitat for declining species such as bobolinks, meadowlarks, monarchs, and native bees. The project includes developing a long-term management plan, removing a 1,000-foot hedgerow to create uninterrupted open space for grassland nesting birds, and installing hundreds of new native plantings.

With restoration and ongoing stewardship care, Cliffdale Meadows will flourish as a vibrant, resilient habitat—and serve as a living classroom for the more than 2,300 children and countless visitors who explore Cliffdale each year. Interpretive signage, programs, and guided walks will help the community learn firsthand why native plants are essential to healthy ecosystems and climate resiliency.

We are grateful to Con Edison for their continued partnership and investment in a stronger, more biodiverse future for our region.