esidents and visitors are embracing the Hudson River with a passion not seen in decades. However, this rush to the river is attracting an onslaught of massive development proposals. Big, polluting industry and out-of-scale residential projects threaten to cut off our fabled waterway from her people.
Without intense action to protect our awe-inspiring vistas, safeguard places that hold our shared history and continue investments in re-emerging riverfront communities -- our valley's unique character will be lost forever.
At this critical time, Scenic Hudson is redoubling efforts to preserve undeveloped riverfront lands as an irreplaceable national treasure for America and a vital resource for residents and visitors.
This monumental undertaking won't succeed without citizen advocates. So we are making great efforts to engage supporters, often using parks to connect more people with the river and our mission. |
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Beacon Youth, Meet Your River
Scenic Hudson is building on a decade of investment in this riverside city by teaming with the Student Conservation Association to introduce young people to their river.
Launched this summer, the Beacon Environmental Stabilization Team (BEST) gives high school students hands-on lessons in land conservation and trail building at our Beacon properties -- Gateway to Mount Beacon Park, Madam Brett Park and Long Dock Beacon, a planned park and "green" hotel and restaurant project on the waterfront. The BEST project and other initiatives maintain 35 miles of Scenic Hudson trails up and down the river.
The benefits are mutual. For BEST members, and most of the other 5,000 schoolchildren we've worked with in various programs, we provided their first experience of the region's inspiring beauty. |
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| "We must preserve trails -- they are part of our heritage," said Beacon City Councilwoman Eleanor Thompson. "I'm excited that Scenic Hudson gives this so much energy and money, and we all must help it be successful." |
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A River That Unites Us
An increasingly sprawl-defined, automobile-dependent landscape often disconnects people from where they live. When Scenic Hudson partners with communities to create parks -- 30 since 1990 -- the results include growing pride, stability and a shared stake in the future. The work also opens our eyes to how the river connects us as a region.
"River access eight years ago was nowhere near where it is today," said Carmella Mantello, executive director of the Hudson River Valley Greenway. "Scenic Hudson stepped up, designating parks as Greenway Trail sites and emerging as one of our major partners." |
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| Scenic Hudson Park at Irvington is just one of the special places we provide for people to get revitalized and inspired. |
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During the Great Hudson River Paddle along the Greenway's Water Trail, Ms. Mantello added that Scenic Hudson Park at Irvington is a favorite. "It just all came together there to turn a brownfield into a park." Scenic Hudson owns six Greenway stops -- Black Creek Forest Preserve, Esopus Meadows Point Preserve, Four-Mile Point Preserve, Poets' Walk Romantic Landscape Park, RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary and West Point Foundry Preserve. All have trails leading to, or within view of, the river.
"People used to stay away from the Hudson. Now we're paddling it and reaping tourism benefits. Developers are making promenades, kayak launches and trails because of Scenic Hudson and the Greenway," said Ms. Mantello. "We're striving to have the Hudson River be the front door to communities, not the back door." |
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Photos by:
Scenic Hudson Park at Irvington, Chris Davis Cina
Madam Brett Park, Michael Nelson |
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