Boutillier's Brook
A Stream that Flows from Ravensdale Woods to the Saw Mill River
Planting on Farragut Parkway @Exit 12
Headwaters are critical ecosystems that contribute to the life of rivers. Read this article from American Rivers to understand the imperative for protecting small streams.
The Hastings Conservation Commission has conducted four planting sessions on Boutillier's Brook where it meets the Saw Mill River, thanks to NYS DEC's Trees for Tribs grant program, and with help from numerous volunteer residents and Groundwork Hudson Valley's Green Team. Nine hundred trees and shrubs have been planted. The area was formerly a mound of porcelain berry and Japanese knotweed with areas of mown lawn, all of which are shallow-rooted and provide little sustenance for area fauna. We will continue to remove invasive vines and knotweed and nurture the new plants to bring this riverine corridor to a healthier ecological state. Doing so will not only help mitigate erosion, but will also contribute to the health of the Saw Mill and Hudson rivers downstream.
Email us to join a work session. We will be conducting occasional maintenance.
Plants are tubed to protect them from deer. Thanks to NYSDEC Trees for Tribs for the plants and equipment!
This is what happens when you don't remove invasive vines - #thankyoumatthobby:
Click for: Before-and-After Pics - the full album
Plant List for May 2021
TREES (65)
8 Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
5 Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
12 River Birch (Betula nigra)
5 Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)
4 Black Walnut (Juglans nigra)
2 Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
4 Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
8 Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
6 Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
5 Black Willow (Salix nigra)
4 Basswood (Tilia americana)
SHRUBS (285)
10 Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
20 Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum)
20 Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
25 Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
5 Hazelnut (Corylus americana)
5 Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
10 Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
15 Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)
25 Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
5 Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina)
10 Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)
25 Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris)
15 Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana)
25 Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)
25 Prairie Willow (Salix humilis)
25 Sandbar Willow (Salix interior)
20 Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
Plant List for October 2021
TREES (55)
11 Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
14 Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
2 Serviceberry (Amelanchier Canadensis)
4 Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)
4 Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
5 Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
10 Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
5 Black Willow (Salix nigra)
SHRUBS (245)
5 Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
20 Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum)
20 Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
20 Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
5 Hazelnut (Corylus americana)
10 Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
5 Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
15 Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
10 Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)
10 Black Chokeberry (Photinia melanocarpa)
5 Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
5 Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
20 Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris)
25 Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana)
15 Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)
15 Prairie Willow (Salix humilis)
15 Sandbar Willow (Salix interior)
15 Arrowwood (Viburnum dentatum)
10 Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
Plant List for May 2022
TREES (10)
2 Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
1 Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
1 River Birch (Betula nigra)
1 Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)
1 Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
1 Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
1 Red Oak (Quercus rubra)
2 Black Willow (Salix nigra)
SHRUBS (40)
4 Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
4 Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum)
4 Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
4 Hazelnut (Corylus americana)
5 Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)
3 Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
4 Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
4 Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris)
4 Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)
4 Prairie Willow (Salix humilis)
Plant List for October 2022
TREES (55)
6 Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
4 Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
5 River Birch (Betula nigra)
8 Ironwood (Carpinus caroliniana)
5 Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis)
2 Red Bud (Cercis canadensis)
5 Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
2 Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis)
5 Swamp White Oak (Quercus bicolor)
5 Pin Oak (Quercus palustris)
4 Black Willow (Salix nigra)
4 Basswood (Tilia americana)
SHRUBS (145)
10 Serviceberry (Amelanchier canadensis)
25 Silky Dogwood (Cornus amomum)
20 Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
5 Red-Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea)
10 Hazelnut (Corylus americana)
5 Witch Hazel (Hamamelis virginiana)
13 Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)
5 Spicebush (Lindera benzoin)
3 Northern Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica)
5 Black Chokeberry (Photinia melanocarpa)
8 Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
10 Beach Plum (Prunus maritima)
15 Winged Sumac (Rhus copallinum)
25 Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris)
15 Pussy Willow (Salix discolor)
12 Sandbar Willow (Salix interior)
13 Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
21 Highbush Cranberry (Viburnum opulus)
Application Archive
Round 1: May 2021 Planting
Round 2: October 2021 Planting
Round 3: May 2022
Round 4: October 2023
Planting Plan Archive
Round 1: May 2021 Planting
Round 2: October 2021 Planting
Round 3: May 2022 Planting
Round 4: October 2022 Planting
Our long-term vision. The section we are restoring first is on NYS DOT (Dept of Transportation) property, for which we were awarded a work permit. Not addressed here is our goal of restoring the northern spurs (see right) above Nepperhan Avenue, which are on neglected Village property. The western spur was used as an unofficial dump for years. See this photo album for pics.
Boutillier's Brook's northern spurs. It wends through Village property between Farragut Ave and Farragut Parkway.
19th Century Maps Depicting the Brook
Courtesy: Hastings Historical Society
1870 map of Mrs. T. Le Boutillier's property, over which the brook flowed. Note that the brook starts on Mrs. M. Lefurgy's land in a small pond next to a quarry. That small pond is still there, in a backyard just north of Ravensdale Road at Rosedale. This map shows the brook continuing onto Equitable Insurance Company land, but doesn't show the brook's full course.
This 1867 map, from a slightly different angle, shows the brook, beginning near a quarry, on land then owned by Mrs. Riker. It flows through T. Le Boutilier's land (spelled here with one "L"), crossing Farragut Avenue onto L. Pignolet's property, and finally joining the Saw Mill River on Frank Curry's farm.
The brook's course now runs under Ravensdale Road, through Dan Rile Park, and then under Fenwick and Brandford Roads and Farragut Avenue. It emerges in a forgotten triangle of Village land where it is joined by a western tributary. It then travels behind homes on Nepperhan Avenue, crosses under Farragut Parkway, wends through a wooded section, and recrosses under Farragut Parkway to our present planting site. Finally, it joins the Saw Mill River at the corner of Farragut Parkway and the Saw Mill River Parkway.