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Three Reasons This Land Save is a Plus: Seven Wells

Scenic Hudson partnered to protect 160 acres featuring a series of dramatic waterfalls near Dover Stone Church.

by Reed Sparling
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Visiting Dover Stone Church is one of the most fascinating outdoor adventures in the Hudson Valley. Seeing the potential to create public access to more of the extraordinary natural and geological features around it, Scenic Hudson partnered with the Dutchess Land Conservancy, Dutchess County, and the Town of Dover to protect roughly 160 adjacent acres — known as Seven Wells — on the slope of West Mountain.

(Photo: Pierce Johnston / Scenic Hudson)

Here are three reasons why this land save makes a difference:

  1. It supports critters and climate solutions: Owing to the landscape’s topography — a steep, narrow, and rocky ravine flanking a stream — it has an unusually cool, moist microclimate that sustains a number of rare plants and animals. The acquisition also adds to an assemblage of conserved lands designated by The Nature Conservancy as a Resiliency Corridor, critical for allowing the movement of species because of predicted climate impacts.  
  2. It keeps water clean. Wells Brook, which flows through the ravine, is within the watershed of the Tenmile and Housatonic rivers. The stream has received the highest water quality rating from the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and in the past has been used as a water supply by the Village of Dover Plains.
  3. It could eventually become a new outdoor destination. The flow of the brook, which cascades down the mountain in a series of waterfalls, has worn deep pools into the bedrock — leading to the site’s name and its enticing potential for adding to the enjoyment of visitors to Dover Stone Church. It also affords excellent views of the Harlem Valley and Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge.

(Photo: Pierce Johnston / Scenic Hudson)

Funding for the acquisition of this land came from Scenic Hudson’s Lila Acheson and DeWitt Wallace Hudson Valley Land Preservation Endowment, Dutchess County’s Partnership for Manageable Growth Program, the Walbridge Fund, and the Dutchess Land Conservancy.

More in this series

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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...
A prime mid-valley destination for recreation by foot or mountain bike, Illinois Mountain also is home to an astonishing variety of wildlife....
The Hudson Highlands are an ecological powerhouse and a hiker’s paradise. To increase opportunities for people and wildlife to benefit...
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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