On July 31, 2025, the New York City Department of environmental protection joined the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Design and Construction to announce the completion of a $7 million restoration project for almost three acres of wetlands in Four Sparrow Marsh, in Mill Basin, Brooklyn.
For the restoration, over 9,000 tons of non-hazardous soil was removed, and replaced with fine-graded clean sand and loamy soil to fill the wetland. Salvaged native marsh hummoks and new native seeds and plants were planted along the tidal, transition and upland areas. In addition, 50 trees, 255 shrubs, and almost 40,000 herbaceous plant plugs and quarts were planted.
The project is part of an agreement with the state to replace regulated wetland loss and aims to improve the health of the local ecosystem.
The Department of Design and Construction worked with Galvin Bros., Inc./Madhue Contracting, Inc., Hazen and Sawyer/AKRF and JWP-YOR (JV). The Department of Environmental Protection funded the project. Part of the restored area includes land owned by the Parks Department.
DEP Commissioner Rohit T. Aggarwala stated, “Jamaica Bay is one of New York City’s most important natural areas, and restoring wetlands like Four Sparrow Marsh is key to protecting the health of the entire ecosystem. These efforts strengthen the Bay’s resilience, protect wildlife, support biodiversity, and ensure that the Mill Basin community can enjoy the environmental and recreational benefits of this unique landscape.”
DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley stated, “Restoring and preserving our wetland ecosystems is another way DDC works to improve the City’s environment. The $7 million Four Sparrow Marsh project will prevent the declination of the wetland and will protect the wildlife that inhabits that area. This project is so important for the Mill Basin, Brooklyn community and we thank our partners at DEP and NYC Parks for working with us on this much-needed restoration.”
By: Veronica Rose (Veronica is the Editor of CityLand and a New York Law School graduate, Class of 2018.)