A Little Context
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site is the home of our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt. Located on the peninsula of Cove Neck on Long Island, New York, and nestled between Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor, Sagamore Hill is an expanse of farmland, oak-chestnut-tulip forest, and salt marsh. Roosevelt purchased it in 1883. After selling part of it to relatives, he built a large country house overlooking the water at the top of the hill. His family later sold off more acreage until Sagamore Hill became the 35-hectare parkland we see today.
Sagamore Hill’s 20-hectare forest makes up much the park, despite having experienced an onset of chestnut bark disease and significant tree loss. Together with Eel Creek salt marsh, the easternmost forest was designated by Congress as a “Natural Environmental Study Area” in the early 1970s. Since Roosevelt’s time, the areas around Sagamore Hill have developed into fragmented suburbs. With it, invasive species – including Japanese and Norway maples, English ivy, wisteria, and tree of heaven – have encroached into parklands, posing a challenge to park management.
Our Work with Sagamore Hill
Sagamore Hill is the cultural heritage of a man and president who appreciated and cared for nature. To ensure the park’s natural resources are well-managed and protected, the Northeast Coastal and Barrier Network, along with Sagamore Hill staff, collects ecological monitoring data for a number of ecosystem vital signs. Learn about our work below.
What We Monitor
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Salt MarshVegetation
Monitoring plants can reveal signs of habitat change and overall salt marsh health
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Salt MarshNekton
Nekton (free-swimming fishes and crustaceans) are abundant and key vital signs of estuarine health
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Coastal ShoresCoastal Topography
As storms approach our shores, coastal landforms are our first lines of defense
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What We MonitorWeather & Climate
Understanding patterns and trends in weather and climate means being prepared to better manage park natural resources.
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What We MonitorAir Quality
Clean air, the thing we can't see yet need. Monitoring it is essential to the health of our visitors and communities.
Monitoring Reports
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Sagamore Hill NHSSalt Marsh Reports
SAHI Salt Marsh Monitoring Reports
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Sagamore Hill NHSOcean Shoreline Reports
SAHI Ocean Shoreline Monitoring Report
Last updated: January 11, 2022