Feed: SCENIC HUDSON

Back in April, President Obama announced his "America’s Great Outdoors Initiative" -- a project that seeks to develop a conservation agenda worthy of the 21st century and to reconnect Americans with our great outdoors. As part of the initiative, senior government officials are hosting a series of public listening sessions in cities, towns and rural areas across the country so that citizens can share their ideas about conservation and outdoor recreation.

Late last week, we learned that two of these listening sessions will be here in the Hudson Valley. On Thursday, Aug. 5, from 3 to 5 p.m. a "Youth Listening Session" will be held at the Henry A. Wallace Center at the FDR Home in Hyde Park to give young people from the Hudson Valley a chance to help shape our country's environmental future. The following morning, Friday, Aug. 6, a Public Listening Session and Discussion will be held at the Marist College Student Center in Poughkeepsie.

These sessions are an exciting opportunity for Hudson Valley residents to share their ideas for improving conservation and outdoor recreation in our region with representatives from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. Both sessions are free and open to the public, but people are asked to RSVP via the America's Great Outdoors website so that the organizers can ensure that there is enough space for everybody.

From left, back row, Hudson River Navigator and Putnam County Legislator Vincent Tamagna, State Parks Deputy Commissioner Wint Aldrich, Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan, U.S. Rep. John Hall (NY-19), and Cold Spring Mayor Seth Gallagher; from left to right, front row, Chapel of Our Lady Restoration Board Member Gail Greet Hannah, State Assemblywoman Sandy Galef, and Putnam County Historical Society Foundry School Museum Executive Director Mindy Krazmien. Scenic Hudson/Seth Martel

Our work to create a world-class heritage tourism destination at an 87-acre preserve along the Hudson River received a powerful boost recently. On Wednesday, July 7, Scenic Hudson was joined by U.S. Rep. John Hall, State Parks Deputy Commissioner Wint Aldrich and a host of other elected officials and community collaborators in announcing that Scenic Hudson's West Point Foundry Preserve has been deemed “nationally significant” on the National Register of Historic Places. Members of the press joined us to cover the event -- see this WAMC/Northeast Public Radio report -- as we also celebrated a $600,000 grant from the state through the Environmental Protection Fund. While we still have to raise $1.3 million to make the park upgrades a reality, the new designation will enable us to seek federal grants. The park project will employ 50 construction workers. When finished the park will add significantly to Hudson Valley’s tourism industry -- which is responsible for $4.7 billion in spending annually and 80,000 jobs. Parks and beautiful natural areas also have been shown to be powerful assets in attracting and maintaining businesses and jobs.

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Photo: Jeff Anzevino

On Thursday, June 24, Scenic Hudson convened, for the first time ever, scientific experts on the ecology of Hudson’s South Bay in a symposium hosted by the Hudson River Environmental Society.

Four speakers, Fran Dunwell (New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program), Dan Miller (Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve), Dr. Erik Kiviat (Hudsonia Ltd.), and Dr. Stuart Findlay (The Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies), provided overviews of South Bay’s history and the current state of scientific knowledge about its habitat values, biodiversity, and ecological functions.

An audience of about 30 scientific and community stakeholders attended the symposium, including elected officials from the City of Hudson, a Town of Greenport planning board member, representatives of several community groups and land trusts, staff from New York State Department of State Coastal Management Program, and industrial property owners and operators Holcim (US) Inc. and O&G Industries, Inc.

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Nearly 40 people turned out on Wednesday night, June 16 to discuss their ideas for the city-owned, waterfront property in Newburgh which the city is hoping to develop as a public park. The meeting, held at the City of Newburgh’s Heritage Center, was coordinated by Scenic Hudson with assistance from members of the Newburgh Waterfront Advisory Committee. Scenic Hudson will be providing the city with schematic design assistance as well as developing a cost estimate for the project which can then be used for grant applications to fund the development.

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Former Secretary of the Interior to confer award at June 24 Gala

Kris and Doug Tompkins in Valle Chacabuco, Patagonia, one portion of the nearly 2.2 million acres they have conserved in the region.

Kris and Doug Tompkins together have protected more land than any other private individuals -- nearly 2.2 million acres in Chile and Argentina -- while simultaneously developing dozens of programs that magnify the positive impact of land conservation. The couple's remarkable business success (Kris as longtime CEO of Patagonia; Doug as founder of North Face and Esprit) has been rivaled by their accomplishments as conservationists, based on a similar entrepreneurial approach. Scenic Hudson will honor the couple with its International Visionary Award at our annual gala to celebrate their inspiring work as conservationists.

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61 runners came to Shaupeneak Ridge for the May 2 Spring Sprint 5K Rita Shaheen

Allan Serrano of High Falls (Ulster) set a new course record during Scenic Hudson's Second Annual Spring Sprint 5K on Sunday, May 2, at our Shaupeneak Ridge. Serrano's time of 23:42 beat last year's winning time by more than 90 seconds -- an impressive achievement considering the hot and humid conditions. Sheryl Wheeler of Rhinebeck (Dutchess) was the first female finisher in 27:07. This year's race posted 61 finishers, many of whom were competing for points in the Onteora Runners Club 2010 Grand Prix.

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Education Coordinator Susan Hereth

At a Friday, April 23, ceremony in New York City, Scenic Hudson Education Coordinator Susan Hereth was presented with a 2010 Environmental Quality Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The highest recognition presented to the public by the EPA, the award honors those who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to protecting and enhancing environmental quality and public health.

Susan has been Scenic Hudson's organization’s education coordinator since 2005 and is responsible for formulating and providing hands-on lessons about ecology and the environment for students in area schools. She is the third Scenic Hudson employee to be honored by the EPA. Previous recipients were Steve Rosenberg, executive director of the Scenic Hudson Land Trust, and Rich Schiafo, former environmental project manager. The organization also received the award in 2002.

See this press release for additional details.

On Friday, April 16, Scenic Hudson Senior Vice President Steve Rosenberg and representatives from other environmental and land protection organizations joined President Barack Obama and leaders from the Environmental Protection Agency, White House Council on Environmental Quality and departments of Agriculture and Interior for "America's Great Outdoors Conference" at the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C.

At the conference, President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing the America's Great Outdoors Initiative to "support a 21st century conservation agenda." In his remarks, Obama mentioned four ways that the new strategy will better protect our natural landscape and our history for generations to come:

1. building on successful public-private conservation efforts
2. helping individual farmers, ranchers and property owners with land protection efforts
3. encouraging families to spend more time hiking and biking and getting outside
4. fostering a new generation of community and urban parks

President Obama stressed the economic, as well as environmental benefits of the new strategy: "We're also doing it because it's the right thing to do for our economy. It's how we're going to spur job creation in the tourism industry and the recreation industry. It's how we'll create jobs preserving and maintaining our forests, our rivers, our great outdoors."

Mr. Rosenberg applauded the administration for bringing issues of land protection to the forefront of its agenda: "The Hudson Valley has all of the ingredients for success in the President's vision for community-centered conservation based on public-private partnerships and collaboration. Scenic Hudson is thrilled to have been invited to participate in this exciting conservation gathering convened by the Obama Administration's top environmental officials. It is particularly energizing to those who care about our unique Hudson Valley landscapes for the administration to put conservation on the front burner during these challenging economic times."

The White House Web site features President Obama's complete remarks along with the text of the Presidential Memorandum.

Attorneys will have an excellent opportunity to learn about conservation easements at two upcoming programs hosted by the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA).

Steve Rosenberg, executive director of the Scenic Hudson Land Trust, and Maryanne McGovern, Scenic Hudson's assistant director of Land Conservation, will be presenters at the continuing legal education programs, which are intended to provide attorneys engaged in real estate, land use, environmental, trust and estates, municipal, tax and general practice with a useful working introduction to the planning, drafting and administration of conservation easements. The programs also will allow attorneys with some experience with conservation easements to acquire a comprehensive overview of the issues and challenges these transactions present.

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Several times I've written about Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, which sits atop the former Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge spanning New York's Hudson River. Since opening last October, nearly half a million people have enjoyed the spectacular views, shattering projected visitation figures and boosting local businesses. Yet to help close an $8.2-billion deficit, Gov. David Paterson has proposed closing the park three months a year and opening it only five days a week the rest of the time. It's one of nearly 80 state parks and historic sites slated for closure or cutbacks to save $6.3 million.

Another potential victim is Philipse Manor Hall in Yonkers, the magnificent 18th-century home of one of New York's earliest and most prominent landowning families, which now sits in the heart of the state's fourth largest city.

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