Hudson's 400th—a Time for Bold Action

Ned Sullivan, Scenic Hudson President

Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan recently delivered these remarks to a group of Scenic Hudson supporters.

From Manhattan to the Adirondacks, the year ahead will be an exciting one as we prepare to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's historic sail up the river that now bears his name.

Anticipating this milestone, Scenic Hudson's writer-editor Reed Sparling teamed with Greg Miller, one of the greatest photographers of Hudson Valley landscapes, to produce the book The Hudson River: A Great American Treasure, which stunningly documents the region's splendor.

To ensure this beauty will be enjoyed by future generations, in honor of the 400th we also launched Saving the Land That Matters Most, an initiative so ambitious we can't accomplish it alone. So we're working with more than a dozen national, state and local conservation organizations, along with governments, businesses and individuals.

Our mission is to preserve 65,000 acres meeting the state's highest standards for scenic, ecological and agricultural values.

This includes:

• Land surrounding the great estates of leading American families -- the Roosevelts, Vanderbilts and Rockefellers -- as well as cultural icons like Frederic Church's Olana, all now open to the public.
• Working farms contributing to the valley's rural character and the economies of many towns. Safeguarding sources of local produce also is of critical importance in efforts to combat climate change.
• Waterfront park improvements, including our support of Walkway Over the Hudson, which is transforming the Poughkeepsie Railroad Bridge into the world's longest elevated pedestrian path.

Why are we doing this now? Because poorly planned development throughout the valley continues to destroy historic, world-class landscapes and ecological treasures. Fortunately, as real estate prices fall, must-save lands are coming on the market at record low prices.

Bold action in other times of economic strife led to some of the greatest conservation victories in U.S. history:

• During the Hudson Tricentennial in 1909, as the U.S. was recovering from the disastrous Bank Panic of 1907, Mary Harriman made a gift to New York State of 10,000 acres and $1 million. Gifts from other philanthropists, as well as a $2.5-million appropriation from New York State (the equivalent of $57 million today), laid the groundwork for the creation of Harriman and Bear Mountain State Parks.
• A key aspect of the Tricentennial was a celebration honoring protection of the Palisades. Conservation of this magnificent wall of rock in New York and New Jersey was made possible by the generosity of the Perkins and Rockefeller families, among others, as well as appropriations from both state legislatures. The uniqueness of this interstate partnership is borne out by the fact that New York's $400,000 contribution was used, in part, to purchase land in New Jersey. Championing this effort was then-NY Gov. Theodore Roosevelt, who as president would oversee a vast expansion of the National Park Service.
• Franklin Roosevelt's commitment to parks during the Great Depression is well-known. The New Deal Civilian Conservation Corps improved parks across the nation. A spectacular example is the 470-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, whose land was purchased by the states of Virginia and North Carolina and built by the National Park Service. "America's most famous rural parkway" is also our most visited national park.
• The 12-year effort to protect Sterling Forest's 15,200 acres began during the severe economic slump of the early 1980s, necessitating unprecedented cooperation of many environmental groups (including Scenic Hudson, which provided half of the $5-million down payment for the acquisition) as well as federal and state governments and the philanthropy of dozens of donors, large and small.

If our leaders had said "no" to these initiatives back then because of the tough economic times, think of all that would have been lost for countless generations!

Saving the Land That Matters Most provides so many benefits—beautiful places to enjoy tranquility and inspiration in difficult times, recreational opportunities for families close to home, outdoor classrooms for kids, clean water, organic and local food supplies, and a great way to keep a lid on taxes.

Please be generous at year's end with your annual support of Scenic Hudson and consider an additionalcapital gift to support Saving the Land That Matters Most. By continuing to work together, we can leave a truly lasting legacy of the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's sail.