With Major Gift from 100-Year-Old, Scenic Hudson to Accelerate Land Protection, Improve Riverfront Parks

400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage rallying cry for saving land under siege by sprawl

HUDSON VALLEY – Seeing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reconnect people and communities with the Hudson River before its unique beauty is lost forever, Scenic Hudson today announced that it will be the beneficiary of a $20 million bequest from 100-year-old philanthropist Kathryn Wasserman Davis and The Shelby Cullom Davis Foundation. The grant commitment provides Scenic Hudson, the largest environmental organization focused on the Hudson River Valley, access to new funds for accelerating land acquisition at a time when runaway residential development threatens the beauty and environmental health of a region designated by Congress as a National Heritage Area.

In announcing the gift, Mrs. Davis challenged other donors and foundations to provide additional funds to save the scenic lands along the Hudson and create a new legacy of parks in the run-up to the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s historic sail up the river. Scenic Hudson indicated it is reaching out to other donors, New York State and federal agencies to secure additional funds so that the year 2009 will be a year both of celebration of Hudson’s voyage and a time when critical land parcels along the river are forever protected for parks and public enjoyment. Scenic Hudson estimates that 100,000 acres must be preserved to maintain the beauty and environmental health of the Hudson between Westchester and Albany at a cost of $1 billion.

“Up and down this Hudson Valley and across America, we need to be vigilant for opportunities to protect our natural resources while working for balanced growth. We can have both! Scenic Hudson’s stewardship has shown us the way. It gives me great joy to have my name and the Davis name linked with Scenic Hudson forevermore,” said Mrs. Davis.

Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan said, “Kathryn Davis is a visionary conservationist who is showing extraordinary leadership through this generous gift. She understands the urgency of protecting these special places before it’s too late. As we approach the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage up the Hudson, it’s heartening that we can preserve some legacy landscapes that make this a world-class region and provide the foundation for our economy.”

In a recent letter to Kathryn Davis, Gov. Eliot Spitzer congratulated her on her 100th birthday and lifetime of accomplishments. Commenting on her gifts to the people of the Hudson Valley, he penned, “Your visionary leadership and generosity serve to further enhance the Hudson River Valley and will allow Scenic Hudson to transform industry-scarred waterfronts…into spectacular places where people can better enjoy their river.”

Plans for the $20 million

For her hometown of Tarrytown and neighboring Sleepy Hollow, Mrs. Davis has provided $5 million for parks that will be exciting new assets for these riverfronts. One million dollars of the Davis gift will be used along with funds contributed by the Village of Tarrytown, Westchester County, Scenic Hudson, and developer Ferry Landings LLC to create Scenic Hudson RiverWalk Park at Tarrytown. The same private-public partnership along with residents worked to remove from the waterfront an unsightly asphalt plant that blocked access to the river for nearly 100 years. This new riverfront park will provide a critical link to Westchester County’s RiverWalk, a ribbon of recreation and economic development that will extend from the southern tip of Yonkers to the northern end of Peekskill.

The Davis gift will provide $4 million for renovating the historic bathhouse at Kingsland Point Park and adjacent parkland buffering the park from the new development to be known as Lighthouse Landing. Key elements include a pedestrian bridge that will dramatically increase access to the park and Hudson River waterfront. The bridge will provide safe passage across the railroad tracks for pedestrians, families with kids in strollers, cyclists and people with wheelchairs. The bathhouse will become a center of activity in the park. A public forum will be held to get public input on future uses of the bathhouse, which is owned by Westchester County and operated by the Village of Sleepy Hollow. Possible ideas include an outdoor café, ecological field station with educational displays, kayak rentals and changing rooms. Landscaping for the buffer land and the possible restoration of the Pocantico River are contemplated.

Westchester County Executive Andy Spano spoke of the Davis gift, “On behalf of the citizens of Westchester County, I thank Kathryn Davis for making this extraordinary gift to Scenic Hudson. I am particularly pleased that Westchester County has been given the opportunity to partner with Scenic Hudson and the local communities in the revitalization of the waterfronts of Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. The development of the RiverWalk, the adaptive reuse of the historic Kingsland Point Bathhouse and preservation of riverfront open space will provide a priceless legacy for Westchester and the entire Hudson Valley.”

Sleepy Hollow Mayor Philip E. Zegarelli said, “Mrs. Davis’ gift is a real home run for the Village of Sleepy Hollow. Restoration of the bathhouse in Kingsland Point Park and the creation of a Scenic Hudson park will really complement our plans for the General Motors site. I look forward to continuing our work with Scenic Hudson, providing exciting new places where our residents can enjoy the Hudson River.”

“We’re pleased and proud that Kathryn Davis, a Tarrytown resident, has chosen to make such a historic contribution to Scenic Hudson,” said Tarrytown Mayor Drew Fixell. “We’re especially thrilled that a portion of Mrs. Davis’ generous gift will go to Tarrytown’s Waterfront Parks Program, and will help us not only vastly improve our existing parks but also open up a major section of the riverfront that has been closed to the public for over 100 years.”

Westchester County Legislator Lois Bronz said, “Mrs. Davis’ generosity is admirable, and I hope other donors will follow her lead and support projects like this that preserve access to the Hudson River.”

The Davis gift also will provide $15 million for Scenic Hudson to expand its parks-creation program. Scenic Hudson has created 40 parks and preserves along the Hudson, encompassing 25,000 acres. The Davis gift will enable the group to dramatically accelerate its land acquisition. Tens of thousands of people – and more as the area’s population continues to swell – will enjoy hiking, walking and other recreation as well as just enjoying the views at these parks.

With bridge financing from The Pew Charitable Trusts, Scenic Hudson will be able to immediately begin the important work Mrs. Davis’ generous gift will fund.

“Kathryn Wasserman Davis is truly inspirational and has been a leader in protecting the Hudson Valley’s stunning landscape and its unique history,” said Rebecca Rimel, president and CEO of The Pew Charitable Trusts. “Pew is thrilled to partner with such an important philanthropist and play a role in supporting her efforts with Scenic Hudson to preserve and revitalize this true American jewel.”

Donor looks to create land legacy for the valley

Incredibly energetic at the beginning of her second century, Mrs. Davis has put saving land along the Hudson at the top of her latest five-year plan. Mrs. Davis enjoys a life of intense activity, kayaking on the Hudson, painting its scenic beauty and traveling the world.

Gift vital for Hudson River Valley under siege

The retreat of industry and the river’s renewed reputation have sparked a tidal wave of residential riverfront development. This runaway, unchecked growth has been described by a New York Times editorial as “choking the river’s banks like plaque on an artery.” Ill-conceived projects, both large and small, are scarring the river’s iconic landscapes and threatening local communities.

According to Scenic Hudson more than 15,000 new homes are proposed for construction in large developments along the river in just the next decade. The worst of these developers promise economic benefits that don’t come, and instead the projects typically leave behind clear-cut forests, blasted ridgelines, clogged roads, strained community services and rising tax bills.

Land campaign faces unique challenges

The Davis gift launches a new era of conservation philanthropy, following in the tradition of the Rockefellers, Harrimans and Wallaces. Yet Mrs. Davis and Scenic Hudson face complexities in saving a landscape threatened by industrial decay and teeming with runaway development. Today’s realities demand new solutions for land conservation. When the aforementioned families protected land for public benefit, they were able to safeguard vast tracts of pristine wilderness. Scenic Hudson will have to use new tools and its expertise in ecological restoration to establish new parks and preserves and further restore the river’s health.

100,000 acres at risk

September 2009 festivities will mark the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s exploration of the Hudson River. Scenic Hudson estimates that 100,000 acres must be protected at a cost of roughly $1 billion to secure parcels that embody the natural treasures of the river and its shores. Mr. Sullivan said, “Protecting these precious landscapes will require a concerted effort of many land trusts, government agencies and individual citizens. The time to act is now, before it’s too late.”

The goals are to preserve signature landscapes that lift our spirits. There should be a place in every waterfront community where people can dip a toe in the water or launch a kayak. Shoreline areas would be restored and once again be welcoming to wildlife. The parkland also would create a wide variety of outdoor classrooms, where students could learn firsthand about the river’s history and how it is an ecological powerhouse.

Scenic Hudson works to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 10,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally healthy communities, champion smart economic growth, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley's inspiring beauty and natural resources. www.scenichudson.org

###