Restoring Waterways is Crucial January 11, 2013 The tristate
area is only beginning to recover from the destruction wrought
by Hurricane Sandy. As we assess the damage and how we prepare
for a future storm, it is worth noting that work by local
communities, government and nonprofit groups to restore and
stabilize the city's local waterways may well be part of the
answer. Nowhere is this better typified than in the tremendous
strides that have been taken to restore the Bronx River.
Neglected for much of the 20th century, it is now a national
model for reclaiming urban rivers, thanks to a joint effort of
the federal government, the Bronx Zoo and dedicated local
groups. The river named for local merchant Jonas Bronck in the
17th century supported such a density of beavers that Europeans
flocked to the area to acquire their pelts. New York City
enshrined this symbol of its economic growth in its official
seal. But while the beaver's image was preserved, the animal
itself disappeared as the city grew.