About Us

The Mianus River Gorge, Inc. is a private, not-for-profit nature preserve and conservation organization. We protect and manage over 1,100 acres of land in the Mianus River Watershed. The protected lands provide habitat for hundreds of species of animals, plants, and fungi, as well as important microbes in the soil and water. Land in the Mianus River Gorge surrounds the Mianus River and its tributaries, which run directly into the Samuel J. Bargh Reservoir. The ecosystem processes occurring here help maintain clean, abundant drinking water for over 130,000 people in Greenwich, Stamford, CT, and Rye, Rye Brook, and Port Chester, NY.

To better understand the ecosystem of the Gorge and the larger region we live in, the Gorge maintains an ambitious research and education program. Their work, supported by a network of donors, research and education institutions, and partner organizations helps inform better management and conservation decisions.

The Mianus River Gorge as an organization has adopted the philosophy of land management. In the face of numerous negative impacts, it is not enough to simply protect land — one must also conduct management actions to offset negative impacts and endeavor to improve ecosystem health or function.

Founded in 1953, Mianus River Gorge, Inc. is an independent, not-for-profit organization, whose mission is to preserve, protect and promote appreciation of the natural heritage of the Mianus River watershed through land acquisition and conservation, scientific research and public education throughout the region.  A 501(c)(3) non-profit conservation and education organization, Mianus River Gorge:

  • Protects over 1,100 acres in Bedford, North Castle and Pound Ridge, NY and Stamford CT, including one of the last stands of old-growth forest in the northeast US;
  • Manages the 960-acre Mianus River Gorge Preserve, which is open seasonally with more than 6 miles of hiking trails and outdoor exhibits, that includes 41 acres in the Twin Lakes Preserve and Taylor Preserve;
  • Conducts applied research and offers innovative research-based education programs for high school, undergraduate and graduate students; and
  • Works on initiatives to protect the Mianus River Watershed from its headwaters to the Long Island Sound.

The Mianus River Gorge was the first land project of the Nature Conservancy as well as the first National Natural History Landmark in the United States.