Community Meeting Helps Shape Future Franny Reese Preserve State Park
Local residents reviewing the master plan for park improvements
More than 60 people attended a March 6th community meeting held at the Highland Fire District to learn about the plans to improve the 250-acre Franny Reese Preserve State Park which is owned by the state and managed by Scenic Hudson. Attendees were mostly town residents as well as members of the Fats in the Cats, a local mountain bike club who expressed interest in helping to maintain trails. The meeting was conducted by Scenic Hudson staff with project designers Nicholas Pouder of Pouder Design Group and Patricia O’Donnell of Heritage Landscapes. Jim Hall, director of the Palisades Interstate Parks Commission (PIPC) was on hand to answer questions. The presentation was followed by a Q&A session and an exercise that engaged everyone by asking them to identify their preferred areas of activities on a map of the site.
The presentation outlined major goals for the park improvement project:
- Commemorate the legacy of Franny Reese by balancing public access with ecological protection, cultural resource preservation and education.
- Protect and improve high quality habitat through restoration projects and restrict access to sensitive areas
- Preserve cultural resources, protect walls and secure historic structures
- Manage existing scenic vistas, create new and enhance scenic variety
- Provide a new ADA-compliant route while minimizing disturbance
- Repair damaged trail surfaces and eliminate redundant trails
- Improve access with two new modest parking areas
- Consider sanitary facilities that use green-technology
- Place ATV barriers to deter this degrading use
- Enhance the visitor experience guide maps, interpretive stations and benches
Members of the public are invited to download the preliminary master plan (pdf, 420K) and to e-mail us with any comments.
Special thanks to the Town of Lloyd and the Highland Fire District for hosting the event.
