LOOKING BACK ON 2009: Land Campaign Impressive During Quadricentennial Year

Our Saving the Land That Matters Most campaign completed 11 land preservation projects in 2009, for a total of over 1,200 acres of newly safeguarded landscapes.

View of the newly protected property near Shaupeneak Ridge.Robert Rodriguez, Jr.

With the support of Scenic Hudson members and other partners, our land campaign made strong progress this year. The lands Scenic Hudson protected during 2009 are all deemed by New York State to be of the highest scenic, ecological or agricultural importance. Highlights include 76 acres below Shaupeneak Ridge in Esopus (Ulster County), 140 acres of farmland, meadows and wooded ridges along a scenic byway in Clermont (Columbia County), and 37 acres that buffer vital wildlife habitats at Vosburgh Swamp in Coxsackie (Greene County).

"All of the properties we acquired this year were priorities of Saving the Land That Matters Most, Scenic Hudson's Quadricentennial legacy initiative. While the Quadricentennial hoopla may be over, Scenic Hudson will continue making strides toward our long-term 65,000-acre goal--an achievement that will be celebrated 100 years from now." Ned Sullivan

In 2010 Scenic Hudson expects to build on this year's Saving the Land That Matters Most successes by protecting up to 17 additional properties encompassing over 2,000 acres of iconic views, irreplaceable wildlife habitat and working farmland.