Waterburg Machine with Volunteers
Westchester Parks Foundation (WPF) has resumed its annual Lake Revitalization Project at Tibbetts Brook Park, continuing its long-term effort to restore the ecological health of the park’s 10-acre lake by removing invasive water chestnut and other aquatic vegetation.
The project combines volunteer hand removal with the remote-controlled Waterbug Harvester, now in its third season as part of the Lake Revitalization Project. The Waterbug enables crews to efficiently remove invasive plants from both open water and hard-to-reach areas, complementing the work of volunteers.
Since the initiative began in 2018, Westchester Parks Foundation and its partners have removed more than 121,000 pounds of invasive aquatic vegetation, improving water quality, restoring wildlife habitat, and enhancing recreational opportunities for park visitors. Building on years of support from longtime partner Xylem Inc., the Lake Revitalization Project is now also supported by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Con Edison, whose investments are helping accelerate the restoration of Tibbetts Brook Park’s lake.
Work will continue throughout the summer as crews remove invasive species that threaten the health of the lake and its native ecosystem. At the conclusion of this season’s work, Westchester Parks Foundation and its partners expect to have a clearer timeline for the project’s completion and the lake’s long-term restoration.
Community members interested in volunteering on the Lake Revitalization Project are encouraged to sign up for one of the upcoming removal events at thewpf.org/volunteerevents