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Three Reasons This Land Save is a Plus: Hudson Highlands

Newly protected woodlands provide important connections to Clarence Fahnestock State Park and even Fishkill Farms.

by Reed Sparling
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The Hudson Highlands are an ecological powerhouse and a hiker’s paradise. To increase opportunities for people and wildlife to benefit from these magnificent mountains, Scenic Hudson recently partnered with the Hudson Highlands Land Trust to protect 71 forested acres — including most of the northern ridgeline of Round Mountain — in the Town of East Fishkill (Dutchess County). Land saves like this also support the goal proposed by the federal government of conserving 30% of the nation’s remaining open land by 2030.

Here are three reasons why this acquisition makes a difference:

1.     It supports critters and climate solutions: This acquisition creates a 360-acre assemblage of lands protected by Scenic Hudson in the northern Hudson Highlands, increasing its potential to sustain biodiversity and assuring its trees will continue sequestering carbon. Overall, Scenic Hudson has preserved more than 5,000 acres of globally important habitats in the Highlands. 

2.     It links communities and children to nature: The assemblage directly connects East Fishkill and lands of the Fresh Air Fund with Clarence Fahnestock State Park, providing potential new opportunities for the community and Fresh Air campers — children from underserved NYC neighborhoods — to explore more of the Highlands’ natural treasures. It also links with Fishkill Farms, one of the region’s most popular agritourism destinations. 

A bed of ferns on the 71 forested acres protected in East Fishkill. (Photo: Scenic Hudson)

3.     It paves the way for blazing new trails: With its adjacent protected lands, the newly acquired land also offers an opportunity to create a rugged trail through the beautiful — and long off-limits — Wiccopee Creek gorge. 

The goal of conserving 30% of the nation’s open land by 2030 that the acquisition supports will help reverse the impacts of climate change and biodiversity decline, and to increase access to nature for communities.

 Scenic Hudson’s funding for the acquisition came from our Lila Acheson and DeWitt Wallace Hudson Valley Land Preservation Endowment.

More in this series

Helping to sustain a wildlife corridor that will prove crucial in helping plants and animals survive projected climate impacts, Scenic...
Providing the potential to advance recreational opportunities while preserving irreplaceable habitats and sustaining natural climate solutions, Scenic Hudson has received...
Subdivision and conversion to non-farming uses remain major threats to the Hudson Valley’s productive agricultural lands, causing their fragmentation at...
Achieving myriad scenic, ecological, and recreational benefits while strengthening local resiliency to climate impacts, Scenic Hudson has protected 180 acres...
Thanks to the conservation vision of generous landowner Gayle Bontecou and her late husband Jesse, 1,250 spectacular acres of woods,...
Ensuring the permanent conservation of irreplaceable habitats on and along Black Creek and supporting the creation of a long-distance trail...
Visiting Dover Stone Church is one of the most fascinating outdoor adventures in the Hudson Valley. Seeing the potential to create public...
A prime mid-valley destination for recreation by foot or mountain bike, Illinois Mountain also is home to an astonishing variety of wildlife....
With prime riverfront land in limited supply along the Hudson, public access to the storied river is vital. That’s partly...

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Hudson Valley Viewfinder is a collaborative, community digital magazine sharing what inspires us about the beautiful Hudson Valley. We publish original stories and multimedia content about all things sustainable in the region along the Hudson River — including agriculture, science, wildlife, outdoor recreation, green transportation, environmental justice, and more.

Our mission is to immerse you in the storied history, fresh happenings, and coming solutions for making the Hudson Valley greener and more livable long-term.

Viewfinder is published by Scenic Hudson, the celebrated nonprofit credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement in 1963. With over 25,000 passionate supporters, Scenic Hudson’s mission is to sustain and enhance the Hudson Valley’s inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. Viewfinder supports that mission, because the better people understand what makes this place special, the more they will invest in protecting it. 

Keep up with the latest stories by subscribing to Scenic Hudson’s monthly digital newsletter, and connect with us on social via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Our mission is to immerse you in the storied history, fresh happenings, and coming solutions for making the Hudson Valley greener and more livable long-term.

Viewfinder is published by Scenic Hudson, the celebrated nonprofit credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement in 1963. With over 25,000 passionate supporters, Scenic Hudson’s mission is to sustain and enhance the Hudson Valley’s inspirational beauty and health for generations to come. Viewfinder supports that mission, because the better people understand what makes this place special, the more they will invest in protecting it. 

Keep up with the latest stories by subscribing to Scenic Hudson’s monthly digital newsletter, and connect with us on social via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Threads.

Lynn Freehill-Maye
Managing Editor
editorial@scenichudson.org 

Riley Johndonnell
Director Creative Strategies & Communications
rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org

Lynn Freehill-Maye
Managing Editor
editorial@scenichudson.org 

Riley Johndonnell
Director Creative Strategies & Communications
rjohndonnell@scenichudson.org

We’re always looking for ideas around our main topic areas of Climate Solutions, Land + Air + Water, Plants + Animals, History + Culture, Outdoors, and Community.
  • Journalists and writers who have deep familiarity with New York and the Hudson Valley, we’d love to have you contribute! Please do introduce yourself by email, sharing writing samples and any relevant pitches you may have.
  • Photographers and videographers, we’d love to hear from you and see what you do. Please send along a portfolio with images or footage that showcases your best and/or most relevant work, with an emphasis on anything captured outdoors. 
  • Illustrators, we commission artwork on the regular. Drop us a note with some of the beauty you’ve created.
  • Media Partners & Social Media Influencers, we welcome opportunities to team up on series and campaigns. Reach out with any background about yourselves and your ideas.
We’re always looking for ideas around our main topic areas of Climate Solutions, Land + Air + Water, Plants + Animals, History + Culture, Outdoors, and Community.
  • Journalists and writers who have deep familiarity with New York and the Hudson Valley, we’d love to have you contribute! Please do introduce yourself by email, sharing writing samples and any relevant pitches you may have.
  • Photographers and videographers, we’d love to hear from you and see what you do. Please send along a portfolio with images or footage that showcases your best and/or most relevant work, with an emphasis on anything captured outdoors. 
  • Illustrators, we commission artwork on the regular. Drop us a note with some of the beauty you’ve created.
  • Media Partners & Social Media Influencers, we welcome opportunities to team up on series and campaigns. Reach out with any background about yourselves and your ideas.
  • We love to collaborate with media outlets, especially on episodic series (like these) of interest to our shared audiences. Past collaborations have included radio interviews, panel discussions and other events, original artwork, and e-blasts, all furthering the campaign’s excitement and reach. 
  • We also love to partner with other organizations whose missions align with Scenic Hudson’s. Feel free to reach out with some background on your group and its work.
  • Writers, photographers, and creatives, if you have an idea for a series or content campaign that might be a good fit, drop us a line!

Businesses, please note that as a nonprofit, Scenic Hudson is restricted from advertising or promoting for-profit companies, through Viewfinder or other outlets. While we understand content managers may wish to alert us to your company’s role in a relevant topic, we are unable to add links to businesses to our stories.

  • We love to collaborate with media outlets, especially on episodic series (like these) of interest to our shared audiences. Past collaborations have included radio interviews, panel discussions and other events, original artwork, and e-blasts, all furthering the campaign’s excitement and reach. 
  • We also love to partner with other organizations whose missions align with Scenic Hudson’s. Feel free to reach out with some background on your group and its work.
  • Writers, photographers, and creatives, if you have an idea for a series or content campaign that might be a good fit, drop us a line!

Businesses, please note that as a nonprofit, Scenic Hudson is restricted from advertising or promoting for-profit companies, through Viewfinder or other outlets. While we understand content managers may wish to alert us to your company’s role in a relevant topic, we are unable to add links to businesses to our stories.

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