November 2017
Barnabas McHenry, Chair Greenway Council, Co-Chair National Heritage Area
Kevin M. Burke, Acting Chairman, Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley, Acting Co-Chair National Heritage Area
Scott Keller, Acting Executive Director Greenway,
Acting Director National Heritage Area 
Monthly News, Events, & Grant
Opportunities
Greenway Awards $285,000 for Hudson Valley Trail Projects
Thanks to funding from the Environmental Protection Fund, the Greenway Conservancy was able to award $285,000 in trail grants, the most ever for this program. This annual grant program is dedicated to funding recreational trail projects. Special consideration is given to projects that seek to implement the goals of the Greenway Trail Program. Read the list of awardees here , under Agenda Item Vg.
Hudson River Valley Greenway Grant Awards
At its October 18th board meeting, the Greenway awarded nearly $60,000 in matching grants to Hudson Valley communities and organizations. Grants awarded included: $10,000 to the Town of Shawangunk, Ulster County,for a Waterfront/Comprehensive Plan Update; $9,900 to the Village of Menands, Albany County for a Local Waterfront Revitalization Strategy and Comprehensive Plan; $5,000 to the Village of Victory, Saratoga County for the General Schuyler Saw Mill Park; $25,000 to the Town of North East, Dutchess County for a joint Comprehensive Plan Update with the Village of Millerton; and $10,000 to the Town of Red Hook, Dutchess County for a Zoning Law for Natural Resource Protection.
First Project on the Empire State Trail Complete
On October 4, 2017, the Town of New Paltz held a ribbon cutting ceremony for the newly repaired and reopened Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Bridge. The bridge, which spans the Wallkill River, had been closed since Spring of 2017 due to safety concerns over the deteriorated bridge. Town of New Paltz Supervisor Neil Bettez spearheaded the effort, marshaling town forces, partner organizations, and local business sponsors to complete the project. The Hudson River Valley Greenway provided $200,000 through Empire State Trail funds for the bridge repairs, and Senator John Bonacic secured a matching $100,000 state grant. Supervisor Bettez was joined by Empire State Trail Director Andy Beers and other dignitaries to open the newly repaired bridge. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail is an important segment in the Empire State Trail route. The Greenway is pleased to be able to announce this first important project completed under Governor Cuomo’s Empire State Trail initiative.
New Legislation Helps Protect the Hudson River
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo recently signed legislation that will allow New York State to create guidelines for tanker avoidance zones, which would prevent anchorages for oil tankers on the Hudson River. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will be required to consult with the Coast Guard, the Department of State, the NYS Board of Commissioners of Pilots and at least one licensed Hudson River Pilot to establish these guidelines. The bill was sponsored by State Sen. Sue Serino, R-Hyde Park, and Assemblywoman Didi Barrett, D-Poughkeepsie, in response to a proposal by the U.S. Coast Guard to create 10 new anchorages for commercial vessels between Kingston and Yonkers. The Coast Guard has since abandoned this plan, and the new legislation will help protect the Hudson River by establishing guidelines for tanker avoidance zones based on considerations such as environmental conditions, significant wildlife habitat, communities' waterfront revitalization plans or comprehensive plans, among other factors. Read more here .
Champlain Canalway Trail Group Recognized
The Capital District Regional Planning Commission recently selected the Champlain Canalway Trail Working Group (CCTWG) to be recognized with an Erastus Corning, 2nd Achievement Award for Intermunicipal Cooperation. The group has worked to bring the vision of a trail along the Champlain Canal corridor to reality, including an action plan funded by the Greenway. Thanks to the Empire State Trail initiative, $12 million in funds have been made available to complete missing sections of the Champlain Canalway Trail, and the CCTWG was recently awarded a Greenway Conservancy Trail grant to update their Action Plan for the other sections. The Greenway congratulates this dedicated group of volunteers, and is pleased to work with them on completing the Champlain Canalway Trail. Read more here .
DEC Announces $1 Million in Grants for Hudson River Communities
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation recently announced more than $1 million in grants to 19 projects that will protect water quality and habitats, conserve open space, increase storm resiliency, and improve recreational access to the river for people with disabilities. The funding for these projects is made available through the Environmental Protection Fund and is administered by the NYS DEC Hudson River Estuary Grants Program. The projects will help implement the goals of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda . Read more about the awarded projects here .
New Turkey Point Tide Station Will Provide Key Water Level Data
The NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve (the Reserve) with officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently dedicated a new Turkey Point Tide Station , established by the Reserve and DEC, with NOAA support. This station, which complies with strict NOAA protocols for tide level monitoring, began transmitting highly accurate water level data in September. The Turkey Point station increases the accuracy of tide predictions and supports safe navigation, timely spill response, improved tracking of climate impacts, and habitat management and restoration.
Betsy Blair Honored by Hudson River Environmental Society
On October 19th, Elizabeth "Betsy" Blair was presented with the Hudson River Environmental Society's (HRES) Distinguished Service Award. Ms. Blair is the Regional Marine Habitat Manager for the NYSDEC Regions 3 and 4, an area that includes part of Long Island Sound and all of the Hudson River estuary north of New York City. In this capacity, she manages the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserves; oversees the NYSDEC Region 3 tidal wetlands regulatory program; and leads a wide variety of other marine habitat protection initiatives, including habitat restoration, submerged habitat mapping, and the Hudson River Sustainable Shorelines Project. Led by Ms. Blair, the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve has been our partner since the inception of the Greenway in 1991. Congratulations Betsy and well deserved!
Upcoming Events

Moonlight Night Hike, Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Hyde Park, NY
On November 4 , come and explore the natural darkness on the grounds of the Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site! Learn about changes that happen in nature during the fall season. Read more and register here .

Country House Conference, Staatsburgh State Historic Site , Staatsburg, NY
A premiere all day conference event on November 4 . Explore the rich and diverse history of the country houses of New York. The Country House Conference will take participants on a 300 year journey from the humble origins of colonial farms and manors to the grand estates of turn-of-the century robber barons. The day includes Four Lectures, Panel Discussion, Exclusive House Tour and Lunch. Read more here .

Thanksgiving with Beethoven, Philips Manor Hall , Yonkers, NY
On November 4 , Get into the spirit of the season with Beethoven's famous string quartet op. 132 at Philipse Manor Hall, featuring the Rivertown String Quartet. The performance will take place from 3:30-5:30 and is free to the public. Read more here .

Full Moon Hike, Hudson Highlands Nature Museum , Cornwall, NY
November 4 at the Hudson Highlands Nature Museum’s Outdoor Discovery Center, on Muser Drive, across from 174 Angola Road, Cornwall, experience the woods in a light like you’ve never seen: the moonlight. Registration required. Read more here .

March & Rally to Commemorate the Centennial of Women's Suffrage in New York State , New City, NY
On November 5 , join the Historical Society of Rockland County, League of Women Voters, American Association of University Women, and New City Library for a march to the Courthouse steps. Read more here .

Hudson River Foundation Edward A. Ames Seminar Series, Hudson River Foundation , New York, NY
November 7 , 10:30 AM - Rise and Fall and Rise of Submerged Aquatic Vegetation in the Tidal Freshwater Hudson River, by Stuart Findlay, Aquatic Ecologist, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and Maile Neel, Professor; Director of the Norton-Brown Herbarium,University of Maryland. Read more here .

Visit Historic Edmonston House , New Windsor, NY
On November 9 , visit this revolutionary war headquarters and meet Major General Horatio Gates, who was none too happy to be billeted in this house. Read more here .

Kasten from Mid-Hudson Valley Collections, Historic Hugeunot Street , New Paltz, NY
A special exhibition of mid-Hudson Valley kasten—the Dutch-style cupboards of the 18th century—is now installed at the Jean Hasbrouck House on Huguenot Street. The exhibit features over a dozen cupboards from both private and public collections in the region, including the Ulster County Historical Society, the Friends of Historic Kingston, and the Reformed Church of Kingston, NY.Special extended tours including viewing of kasten in the Abraham Hasbrouck House will take place on November 9 and December 16 . Read more here . 

Furnace Fest, Copake Iron Works , Copake, NY
On November 11 , The Friends of Taconic State Park with be celebrating another great year at the Copake Iron Works with Furnace Fest a fun filled afternoon with music, burgers and dogs, raffles, and of course guided tours of the Iron Works grounds and museum. Read more here .

Victorian Nutting Party, Clermont State Historic Site , Germantown, NY
On November 11 , come and spend a November afternoon like the Victorians did! Take a walk of the grounds at Clermont to learn how to identify black walnut and shagbark trees, then come back to the Cottage to sip hot cocoa and learn how to process nuts for eating. Read more here .

Book Signing and Talk with Author Emily Willson, Wallace Educational & Visitor Center , Home of FDR site, Hyde Park, NY
“The Three Graces of Val-Kill: Eleanor Roosevelt, Marion Dickerman, and Nancy Cook and The Place They Made Their Own” changes the way we think about Eleanor Roosevelt. Emily Wilson examines what she calls the most formative period in Roosevelt's life, from 1922 to 1936, when she cultivated an intimate friendship with Marion Dickerman and Nancy Cook, who helped her build a cottage on the Val-Kill Creek in Hyde Park on the Roosevelt family land. Thursday, November 16 at 7PM. Call (845) 229-9115

A Gilded Age Christmas Holiday Programs, Staatsburgh State Historic Site , Staatsburg, NY
Staatsburgh State Historic Site will present A Gilded Age Christmas, featuring sumptuous decorations and special craft and children’s programs, from November 24 through New Year’s Eve. The mansion’s lavish decorations evoke a turn-of-the-century style, recreating the atmosphere of holidays long-ago in one of the great estates of the Hudson Valley. Read more here .

Miniature Theater: Czech-American Marionettes at Olana , Hudson, NY
On November 24 , this program celebrates theater in miniature, an ancient art form with popular 19th century links. The New York City-based troupe, Czechoslovak-American Marionette Theatre, are dedicated to the preservation and presentation of traditional and not-so-traditional puppetry. Read more here .

The Art of Wrapping Paper at Olana, Hudson, NY
Making your own holiday wrapping paper is so fun and easy. On November 24 , drop-in and have a go at our four decorating stations including paper marbling, potato and apple block printing, stencils, and paint splattering. Read more here .

Traveling Talks: Walking in Search of the Gobble at Olana, Hudson, NY
On November 25 , join a hike to learn all about the bird at the center of this holiday weekend. Environmental educator Fran Martino will be your guide on the carriage roads. Read more here .

Explore & Create: Paper Windows at Olana , Hudson, NY
On November 25 , join Scherenschnitte artist, Pamela Dalton, to craft your own beautiful masterpiece inspired by Church's windows. Her work is created in the tradition of early American paper cutting popular in the Pennsylvania Dutch regions of this country in the early nineteenth century. Read more here .

The Art of Seasonal Greens: 19th Century Wreath Making at Olana , Hudson, NY
On November 29 , Mary Hughes, Olana’s Master Gardener, will teach the art of creating seasonal evergreen wreaths in these hands-on workshops. Read more here .

2017 Certification Course: Update of Case Law and SEQRA Case Law , Suffern, NY
On November 30 , The Rockland Municipal Planning Federation will offer this free course, which will help fulfill the certification requirement for municipal, planning and zoning board members, as well as provide training hours for each member towards their four-hour State training requirement. To register, or for additional information, please contact Arlene Miller at 845-364-3448 or E-mail her at millera@co.rockland.ny.us .

A Child's Christmas at Clermont , Germantown, NY
On December 2-3 , drop in for stories read under the Christmas tree and treats for children ages 3-10. Read more here .

St. Nicholas Day at Philipse Manor Hall , Yonkers, NY
On December 2 , join a celebration of Dutch holiday traditions. Activities include a live performance of music and storytelling about holiday celebrations from around the world, holiday crafts, scavenger hunts, traditional baked goods and refreshments, PLUS a visit and history lesson from St. Nicholas himself. Read more here .
Heritage Spotlight: Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence
The Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence sits amidst a residential community and is a place alive with activity. As the centerpiece of the Underground Railroad Campus, The Myers Residence was built in 1847 by Black Sloop Captain John Johnson. The Residence boasts seven rooms in its three stories, with a full basement that housd the kitchen and dining area, and displays many Greek Revival architectural features. It was the home of Stephen and Harriet Myers and their four children in the mid-1850s, at which time it was also the office and meeting place of the Vigilance Committee, and it was the place to which over 50 Freedom Seekers were directed to request assistance. Stephen Myers was born enslaved in New York State. Upon obtaining his freedom, he, along with his wife Harriet, became the central figures in Northeastern New York’s Underground Railroad movement. This award winning historic site is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places, it is listed on the National Park Service Network to Freedom, and it is listed on the NYS Underground Railroad Freedom Trail. Read more here .
Project Spotlight: Interpretive Signs at Esopus Meadows and Black Creek Preserves
In 2016, Scenic Hudson was awarded a Greenway Conservancy Trail Grant for interpretive signage at two of their Preserves, Esopus Meadows and Black Creek, both with designated Greenway Trails. At Black Creek Perserve, the signs identify and describe 14 native tree species. Each sign provides information about the tree’s defining characteristics, tips for identifying the tree in all seasons and interesting historical facts about the species. At Esopus Meadows Preserve, the signs are linked to a phenology project - the study of key seasonal changes (known as phenophases), including emergence of a plant’s flower buds, appearance of fruits and changing leaf colors. Visitors and citizen science volunteers can collect and submit observational data, enhancing observation of these key species.Esopus Meadows Preserve and Black Creek Preserve attract thousands of visitors per year. These educational signs will offer a valuable tool in keeping park-goers engaged and providing them with a new sense of awareness and stewardship of their environment.
Green Tip of the Month: Don't overfill your tank
Topping off your gas tank after the pump automatically turns off can harm your vehicle's emissions system. Gas station pumps are designed to turn off at a fuel level that leaves room in the tank for the emissions system to operate correctly. If you smell gas while refueling, that means highly toxic substances are in the air. Learn more about keeping the air clean here .
Grant and Funding Opportunities  

Hudson River Valley Greenway Grant Program
Matching grants available for Greenway Communities and Greenway Compact Communities. Deadline: February 9, 2018 . More  here .

National Heritage Area Sponsorships Available
The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HRVNHA) will partner with various organizations to sponsor programs and events that reinforce the Heritage Area’s mission. While complementing the mission of the Heritage Area, cultural, heritage and recreational events deliver significant tourism and economic benefits to communities, and encourage local and regional partnerships. Municipalities and nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations located within the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area are eligible to apply. For more information, please contact Dan Jeanson at daniel.jeanson@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or 518-473-3835.

2017 Community Change Micro Grants
America Walks has announced a round of micro grants t o individuals and communities interested in improving the public sphere for walking or otherwise helping to make walking more commonplace. This program awards up to $1,500 to fund or help to catalyze smaller-scale, low-cost projects and programs that increase the prevalence of walking, expand the diversity of people and organizations working to advance walkability, and help to make walking safer, easier, and more fun for all community members . Applications are due November 10 . Read more here .

Request for Proposals: Design and Analysis of a Survey to Identify How Residents Learn About the Hudson
The New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), in cooperation with the Hudson River Estuary Program, is inviting proposals to design, conduct, and analyze results of a public opinion survey of Hudson River Valley residents. The project will establish a baseline measure of public understanding of the Hudson River ecosystem and identify the media through which residents learn about the river. The deadline for proposals is noon on November 15 , 2017. Read more here .

Park and Trail Partnership Program Grants
Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), with support from Governor Cuomo and the NYS Legislature, are pleased to announce the third round of $500,000 in competitive grants through the NYS Park and Trail Partnership Program funded through the NYS Environmental Protection Fund. The grants are available to organizations that support parks, trails, historic sites and public lands, and are administered by PTNY, in partnership with OPRHP. This year, for the first time, grants will also be available to organizations that support public lands managed by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Applications are due December 8 , 2017. Read more here .

New York State Assembly Grants Action News 
State, federal, and private grant information from the New York State Assembly. More  here . 

National Park Service Rails and Trails Program Seeks Volunteers
If you love history and trains, the National Park Service is seeking volunteers for the Trails and Rails program which is locally presented aboard Amtrak's Adirondack traveling up the Hudson River Valley from New York to Montreal. Trails and Rails brings the National Parks aboard Amtrak trains. Volunteers present programs on board the train about the history of the region and cultural and natural resources of the route. Volunteers are provided with training about the history and a uniform. These programs are presented in partnership with the Saratoga National Historical Park and the Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National Historic Sites. Additional information about Trails and Rails can be found here . If you are interested in volunteering, contact Joe LaLumia here .
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