About the Project
Restoring the wild resilience of the Hudson Valley.
Moonbeams Preserve is a 165-acre sanctuary in Orange County, New York. In 2026, a 3-acre field was transformed into a thriving pollinator meadow through science, partnership, and community care.
Project Goal
The objective was to remove invasive species from the 3-acre field adjacent to the parking lot and entrance of Moonbeams Preserve, and to improve the quality of native plant habitat for pollinators and insects.
This was accomplished by installing native plants where they would have the greatest chance of success — placing each species in locations suited to its particular soil and moisture conditions.
In spring 2026, Orange Environment engaged ArcheWild Ecological Restoration Services to perform additional analysis of field conditions, remove invasives, and determine optimal placement for the new plant species.
At a glance
- Grant awarded
- $16,000
- Meadow enhanced
- 3 acres
- Native plants installed
- 683
- Native species added
- 10
- On-site work completed
- June 12, 2026
What We Accomplished
Desktop Analysis
Researched soil types, hydrology, and historical uses of the field from public records and maps, producing a detailed conditions report.
Site Visit
Developed an ecological zone map, took soil cores, identified native and invasive species, and flagged invasives for mapping.
Invasive Removal
Cut and pulled autumn olive, Japanese barberry, and other invasives; brush piles were re-situated to provide shelter and nesting habitat.
Native Planting
Installed 683 native plant plugs in clumps of 5–7 plants, each placed in niche areas suited to its soil and moisture needs.
A Model for Future Stewardship
This meadow restoration focused on a 3-acre field — a small part of the 165-acre preserve — but the approach can serve as a model for preserving the integrity of other meadows facing similar invasive-species pressures.
By removing invasives and re-invigorating the meadow with native plants that serve as host plants for important pollinators, the project tests an approach that can be repeated elsewhere.
It also models future collaborations between Orange Environment, the Orange County Land Trust, and ArcheWild to implement an invasive-management system that sustains these gains.
