The Alley Creek wetlands are located at the mouth of Little Neck Bay, in northeastern Queens, NY. Consisting of a tidal estuary bordered by marsh, meadows, ponds, wetland, and upland forests, this ecosystem hosts a considerable diversity of plant life. After years of neglect, this area is being slowly restored to its natural diverse habitat through ongoing projects. Inspired by the wealth of data and tools employed by the NYBG’s New York City EcoFlora, John Virzi and collaborators have produced a Floristic Quality Assessment of the Alley Creek Wetlands, quantitatively assessing the health of native plant life in light of the recent restoration efforts, and providing a methodological foundation for evaluating urban habitat conservation.
