Leaders of the New York-New Jersey Harbor & Estuary Program and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program gathered on May 23, 2017, to celebrate the 30th anniversary of both programs and to recognize key partners that have been instrumental in their success at the "State of the Estuary Conference." Included among the honorees were staff from NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration and National Marine Fisheries Service Restoration Center who were recognized with a conservation achievement award for their work in reconnecting tributaries in the Hudson Valley and the Raritan River Watershed. Their work represents important progress toward returning the flow of Hudson and Raritan River tributaries closer to their natural states. Reconnecting tributaries in these systems will improve habitat for numerous species, including migratory fish, and provide benefits to the communities along the waterways. 

The conference was held at the New York University School of Law in New York City. Partners sharing the awards for reconnecting tributaries in the Hudson Valley and Raritan River Watershed included: The Nature Conservancy, the Lower Hudson Coalition of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, Riverkeeper, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Dutchess and Columbia-Greene Counties, The City of Troy, the Town of Ancram, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and STANTEC.