Achieving myriad scenic, ecological, and recreational benefits while strengthening local resiliency to climate impacts, Scenic Hudson has protected 180 acres — including nearly a mile of Hudson Riverfront — in the Town of Ulster. Located adjacent to Sojourner Truth State Park (whose lands Scenic Hudson protected in 2019), the site also contains remnants of a historic brick-making industry.

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

1. It is an ecological powerhouse. Because of its extraordinary variety of land features — including ridges, coastal lowlands, wetlands, and a stream — the land provides suitable habitat for numerous rare, threatened, or endangered species. It also will facilitate inland migration of wildlife from flooded habitats — a likelihood since a portion of the site will be inundated under current sea level rise scenarios. For these reasons, the land received a 100% irreplaceability rating in Scenic Hudson’s Hudson Valley Conservation Strategy, making it a “must-save” priority.

2. It has the potential to enhance recreational opportunities. With its proximity to Sojourner Truth State Park and the Hudson River Brickyard Trail/Empire State Trail, the land offers enticing possibilities to responsibly increase river access for residents of the City of Kingston and Town of Ulster, as well as for visitors who sustain the tourism economies of these communities. In fact, when combined with the state park, this land would create one of the longest stretches of publicly accessible riverfront in the Hudson Valley.

3. It contributes to magnificent vistas from many popular viewpoints. The conserved land is prominently visible from the Hudson River and Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge, as well as many destinations for outdoor enjoyment and exploring nature, including Kingston Point Park, Scenic Hudson’s Poets’ Walk Park in Red Hook, and the fire tower in Rhinebeck’s Ferncliff Forest. 

The property will remain off-limits to public access until the completion of site stabilization work.