Kevin M. Burke, Chair, Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley,

Co-Chair, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area

Margaretta “Meg” Downey, Chair, Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, Co-Chair, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area

Scott Keller, Executive Director, Hudson River Valley Greenway,

Director, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area 

Important Reminders

• Greenway Planning, Greenway Trail, and Heritage Development Grant Applications are Available Through Our Online Grants Platform and the Upcoming Round's Applications are Due by September 1, 2023. More Details.

Cycle the Hudson Valley is On Their Way to NYC



On July 30th, nearly 300 cyclists left the City of Troy marking the beginning of Parks and Trails New York's (PTNY) Cycle the Hudson Valley, which is supported by a Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Heritage Development Grant. This seven-day, 200-mile tour from the Albany area to New York City traverses the Hudson Valley section of the 750-mile Empire State Trail. This is PTNY's first year hosting Cycle the Hudson Valley, which is planned to be offered annually.

On July 31st, cyclists arrived in the City of Kingston in Ulster County for a special event celebrating the Empire State Trail, the community of Kingston, and the inaugural launch of Cycle the Hudson Valley. “Kingston Rocks the Trail,” organized by PTNY featured guest speakers and a concert from the award-winning band The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow. On August 1st, cyclists have a layover day to relax and explore the many exciting destinations and activities nearby such as boat tours on the Hudson River, visiting historic sites like the Hudson River Maritime Museum, and enjoying Kingston's foodie scene. Tomorrow cyclists will have the option to take a 32-mile route or the extended 48-mile route that will offer kayak and skydiving options before they arrive in the City of Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County. The trip will conclude on Saturday, August 5, 2023, in Manhattan's Battery Park on the Hudson River.

Do you want to learn more about PTNY's Cycle the Hudson Valley? Check out the rest of Cycle the Hudson Valley's itinerary.

This September is the 23rd Annual Hudson River Valley Ramble

The Hudson River Valley Ramble is back for its 23rd annual event series this September. Each year, the Hudson River Valley Ramble brings tens of thousands of people outside to enjoy the Hudson Valley’s distinct cultural heritage and scenic beauty during the Northeast’s most beautiful time of the year. The Ramble provides people of all ages an opportunity to experience the cultural landscape of the Hudson River Valley by hiking a trail, visiting a historic site, or paddling on the river. For a complete listing of events, visit www.hudsonrivervalleyramble.com.

Ramble events are led by naturalists, ecologists, historians, geologists, and trained volunteers from nearly 100 organizations. Events include hikes, walking tours, paddles, festivals, historic site tours, open houses, and family-friendly activities. The Hudson River Valley Ramble celebrates the history, culture, and natural resources of the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, as well as the amazing landscapes, communities, and trails throughout the region.

The Ramble is presented by the Hudson River Valley Greenway and Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and is sponsored by The New York State Division of Tourism “I Love NY”; The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Hudson River Estuary Program; The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; and The National Park Service.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email us at Ramble@HudsonGreenway.ny.gov or give us a call at (518) 473-3835.

Open Space Institute Protects Land for New Ulster County Community Trail

In July, the Open Space Institute (OSI) announced the acquisition of the 90-acre “Osterhoudt Flats” property that will host a multi-use community trail in the Town of Marbletown.

The Town of Marbletown intends to use the newly established Community Preservation Fund to purchase the property from OSI and create a two-mile multi-use trail through the property’s meadowlands—the first-ever use of the Fund. Transfer of the property from OSI to the Town is expected to happen within the next three years.

The planned trail on the Osterhoudt Flats property has the potential to connect to other community trails, including the nearby O&W trail. The Osterhoudt Flats property was listed as one of the highest priority acquisitions in the Town of Marbletown’s Community Preservation Plan due to the land’s recreation potential and wildlife habitat, as well as containing the source of what is known as the School Aquifer. Residential wells in surrounding areas rely on the School Aquifer as a primary source of clean water.

The Osterhoudt Flats property is located within the watershed of the Esopus Creek and helps to clean and filter water before it enters the Hudson River. Containing 42 acres of forested lands and 48 acres of grasslands and meadowlands, the Osterhoudt Flats property is large enough to provide significant habitat for forest creatures and grassland birds, including several species that are listed as rare, threatened, or endangered in New York. Read the full story.

Hudson River Valley Greenway's Grant Applications Are Now Hosted on the Greenway's Online Grants Platform

Grant applications for all Hudson River Valley Greenway and Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage grant programs, including Community/Compact Planning, Conservancy Trail, and Heritage Development Grants are now on an online grants platform, HRVG Grants Platform.  This is the only way to apply for our grants. A link to the virtual application process and detailed guidance may be found on our website.

All applications for funding are required to submit grant applications on the online platform to apply for funding for all grant rounds. Applicants must register on the HRVG Grant Platform using their email addresses. Older applications will not be accepted.

If you have any questions or concerns, email grants@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or call us at (518) 473-3835.

Important Reminders

• The NYSDEC is Hiring a Hudson River Estuary Program Manager and Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve Manager.

Blue Crab, Beautiful Swimmer 

Along the Hudson River Estuary, you can find blue crabs from Troy to the New York Harbor. Each year from July through October, Hudson River Fisheries biologists tag these crabs to learn more about the seasonal movements of the spawning population. The tag legend has the tag number, New York State Department of Conservation research, and phone number (845-256-3009). If you catch a tagged crab, please call the phone number to report the tag number and location where the crab was caught. This recapture data is recorded from recreational and commercial crabbers along the Hudson River and marine waters.

A summary of tag returns documents the movement of crabs south to New York Harbor for winter. Recently, a crab was recaptured 294 days after it had been tagged in 2021. This was a surprise as they generally molt their shells several times a year when they are mid-sized. One crab traveled 89 miles over 266 days from where it was tagged near Chelsea, New York to the mouth of the Raritan River in New Jersey. Another crab traveled approximately 99 miles over the course of 304 days to Hempstead Bay.



For more information about the blue crab, visit NYSDEC's website Blue Crab in the Hudson River. 

Upcoming Events

Corridor of Commerce History Hunt: a County-Wide Family Scavenger Hunt!, Putnam County, NY

August 1-31: This month-long, free, family-friendly scavenger hunt introduces participants to local history by providing clues that lead to historical sites, buildings, or markers throughout Putnam County. More info.

Mid-Week Hike: Lakeville Iron Trail, Sterling Forest State Park, Tuxedo Park, NY

August 3: Join Doc Bayne, for an easy to moderate, 2–3-hour hike exploring over 250 years of iron mining at Sterling Forest. Learn more.

Legacy Trails Grant Program: 2023 Pre-Application Overview (WEBINAR)

August 3: This webinar will outline a trail funding opportunity and is intended to help members of the trail community to understand if this funding program is right for their needs. More details.

Unity with the Hudson: Kayaking on the River, JFK Marina, Yonkers, NY

August 3: Kayak with experienced guides in the cove at the JFK Marina, just north of the Hudson River Museum off Kennedy Boulevard. Find out more.

Guided Hike, Bozen Kill Preserve, Altamont, NY

August 5: Hike leaders will guide the group along a moderate 2.6-mile out-and-back trail through the preserve, discussing the plants and wildlife spotted along the way. Read more.

Kalkberg Fossil Hunting, Thacher State Park, Voorheesville, NY

August 6: Join staff as you look for fossils and learn about the ancient animals that used to call Thacher home. Learn more.

Tuesdays on the Hudson!, Village of Fort Edward, Fort Edward, NY

August 8: Explore Fort Edward’s downtown and Rogers Island by bike and foot, kayak the Hudson River, indulge in free yoga, and enjoy specials at many of our wonderful restaurants and brewery. Read more.

Young Explorer Adventure, Wilderstein Historic Site, Rhinebeck, NY

August 9: Guided outdoor scavenger hunt to discover Wilderstein's architecture and hidden history, followed by an art activity. Find out more.

Community Happenings Workshop, Opus 40, Saugerties, NY

August 10: Join poet and teacher KPrevallet along with hypnotherapist and author Shauna Cummins for a day of time care, stress care, and creative inspiration for the community. More info.

Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association Monthly Star Party, Lake Taghkanic State Park, Ancram, NY

August 11: The Mid-Hudson Astronomical Association hosts a monthly stargazing party in the West Beach parking lot. More details.

Lecture: Art of the American Republic & Early Republic, Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site, Stony Point, NY

August 12: Author Louise V. North will present an illustrated lecture dealing with the struggle of the American colonies for independence. Read more.

Great Estates Garden Tours, Mount Gulian Historic Site, Beacon, NY

August 13: Visitors are invited to explore the garden and unique horticultural history. Find out more.

American Legion Post 1575 Car Show, John Jay Homestead State Historic Site, Katonah, NY

August 13: Join the Sons of the American Legion Post 1575 at John Jay Homestead for their 1st Annual Car Show! Learn more.

Stone Carving Workshop, Salem Arts Supply, Salem, NY

August 14-19: This is a six-day workshop that will offer instruction in the process of stone carving from visualizing the sculpture in the block through finishing. Find out more.

Commemoration of the Battle of Bennington, Bennington Battlefield State Historic Site, Walloomsac, NY

August 16: Join a commemoration marking the 246th anniversary of the Battle of Bennington. More info.

Back to the Basics: An Introduction to Environmental Monitoring (WEBINAR)

August 17: This webinar will explore the importance of managing the collections environment and cover the steps needed to implement an environmental monitoring program. Learn more.

Crafty Kids Story Hour: Butterflies and Birds, Clermont State Historic Site, Germantown, NY

August 19: Hear about books on bees, butterflies, and birds, decorate a beautiful birdhouse, and enjoy a tasty snack. Read more.

Learn Orienteering!, Fort Montgomery State Historic Site, Fort Montgomery, NY

August 20: During this program, you'll be demonstrated how to read a map and take a compass bearing. Then you will test them in an outdoor scavenger hunt. More details.

Young at Heart: A Brush with the Past, Olana State Historic Site, Hudson, NY

August 23: During each two-hour session, create a watercolor painting based on your own collection of personal and family photographs. Learn more.

After Work Walking Tour: The Gilded Age in Troy, Hart Cluett Museum, Troy, NY

August 24: Follow in the footsteps of the popular HBO series on this walking tour as you explore the historic district that was used in filming Seasons One and Two of The Gilded Age. Find out more.

Movies on the Trail: Trolls, Old Croton Aqueduct State Historic Park, Dobbs Ferry, NY

August 25: Movies on the Trail concludes with the fan favorite, Trolls! Read more.

Staatsburg Village Walking Tour, Staatsburgh State Historic Site, Staatsburgh, NY

August 26: This 90-minute walk in the village of Staatsburg will explore the estate's close relationship with the nearby village and its connection to the Mills family. More info.

Poughkeepsie PorchFest, Southside Historic District, Poughkeepsie, NY

August 28: This is a free outdoor event, where participants are invited to stroll the historic district and see musicians and performers on the various porches. Find out more.

Tuesday Trek: Mossy Glen Summertime Loop Hike, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, Kerhonkson, NY

August 29: Join Laura Conner, Environmental Educator, for a three-and-a-half-mile loop hike on the Mossy Glen Footpath and Lower Awosting Carriage Road. Learn more.

Full Moon Hike: Blue Moon Hike, Rockefeller State Park Preserve, Pleasantville, NY

August 30: Experience the Preserve after darkwith a 4-mile hike on carriage roads lit by moonlight as you listen to the sounds of the nocturnal forest. Read more.

Capital Region Routable Discussion: Preparing for the Post-Pandemic Museum, Thomas Cole, National Historic Site, Catskill, NY

August 30: Join MANY and your Capital Region museum colleagues for a roundtable discussion exploring issues in the museum field focused on The Post-Pandemic Museum. More details.

Twilight Music In The Park, Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park, Highland, NY

August 31: NYS Parks welcome talented musicians from the Hudson Valley Folk Guild and beyond to the Ulster Welcome Center Plaza with free live music. Find out more.

Moths and More: Insects of the Night, Grafton Lakes State Park, Grafton, NY

September 1: Join our staff entomologist for a nighttime insect catch-and-release program and learn all about the small denizens of the night that live around you! More info.

John Burroughs Slabsides Geology Ramble, John Burroughs Nature Sanctuary at Slabsides, West Park, NY

September 2: You are invited to tour John Burroughs' rustic 1895 cabin retreat "Slabsides," a National Historic Landmark. More details.

Heritage Spotlight: Caramoor, Westchester County

In 1928 lawyer and financier Walter Rosen and his wife Lucie fell in love with the property called Caramoor that would become their summer home. To furnish the Mediterranean-style villa that took ten years to complete, the couple imported such treasures as lacquered panels from an 18th-century Italian palazzo and the painted walls and vaulted ceiling of a 17th-century Burgundian library, creating a home that they intended “not to be new or old but just to be beautiful,” as Lucie once described. The Rosens filled the rooms with Chinese wallpaper, ceramics and jade, along with European furniture, paintings, and sculptures from the 1500s to the 1800s. The surrounding grounds include the Sunken Garden, the Woodland Garden, and the Sense Circle, and now feature contemporary sound art installations in place throughout the landscape during the summer. As musicians and prominent patrons of music, the Rosens hosted house concerts. Today, the house and grounds are venues for public concerts of chamber music, jazz, opera, world music, and other genres from the spring through the holiday season.  Learn more.

Project Spotlight: GeoTourist Digital App: Historic Kinderhook Village - A Walking & Bicycling Tour

The Village of Kinderhook in Columbia County received a Heritage Development Grant to create a walking and bicycling tour of the historic Village of Kinderhook on an app on GeoTourist.com. Hosting the tour through the GeoTourist App enables the Village to expand on historic details, descriptions, and interpretations that are included in the original paper walking tour brochure. The tour has 28 tour-linked significant historic sites in the Village and three historic sites that are just outside the Village. Of the 31 sites, three are designated Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Sites that include the James Vanderpoel House, Luykas Van Alen House, and Martin Van

Buren National Historic Site. Check out the tour.

Fertilizing Lawns

If you fertilize an existing lawn in mid-summer, you're feeding the weeds! Learn more.

Grant and Funding Opportunities

Greenway Conservancy Trail Grant Program

This 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. Applications are due on HRVG's Online Grants Platform by September 1, 2023. More details.

Hudson River Valley Greenway Community Grant Program

Matching grants are available for Greenway Communities and Greenway Compact Communities. Applications are due on HRVG's Online Grants Platform by September 1, 2023. More info.

Heritage Development Grants

This grant program offers funding for programming, interpretation, and marketing projects that support the mutual goals of the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and applicants. Grants will typically range from $1,000 to $7,500. Grant program guidelines and applications are available on the HRVNHA's website. Please note that staff time is eligible to be reimbursed, but only if that staff time is for the direct development of programming or interpretation, as identified in the grant application. Applications are due on HRVG's Online Grants Platform by September 1, 2023. Learn more.

National Heritage Area Sponsorships Available

The Maurice D. Hinchey 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 complimenting 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 HRVNHA are eligible to apply. Applications are available on HRVG's Online Grants Platform. For more information, please contact Dan Jeanson at daniel.jeanson@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or 518-473-3835.

National Endowment for the Arts - Our Town

Our Town is the National Endowment for the Arts’ creative placemaking grants program. Through project-based funding, it supports projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities over the long term. Deadline: August 3, 2023. Learn more.

USDA Forest Service Urban & Community Forestry 2023 Challenge Cost Share Grant Program

This year's UCF Challenge Cost Share Grant Program is providing up to $500,000 for Urban and Community Forestry investments that address goal 5 of the National Ten Year Urban and Community Forestry Action Plan (2016-2026). Deadline: August 15, 2023. Read more.

Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-Saving Transportation (PROTECT) Program

new competitive grant program created by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to help make surface transportation more resilient to natural hazards, including climate change, sea level rise, flooding, extreme weather events, and other natural disasters. Up to $848 million in Fiscal Year 2022 and 2023 funding is available. Deadline: August 18, 2023. More details.

U.S. DOT Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant Program

This funding supports three major discretionary grant programs that involve surface transportation projects designed to strengthen supply chains, spur economic development, and improve safety and daily life. Applications for funding are being solicited together under a single opportunity. Deadline: August 21, 2023. More info.

NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program

These grants support treatment procedures by professional conservators to aid in stabilizing and preserving objects in collections of museums, historical, and cultural organizations in New York State with up to a maximum of $7,500. Deadline: September 1, 2023. Find out more.

Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program

The Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program offers technical assistance grants to rural and tribal communities. The NOFO combines two years of funding (Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023), $3.4 million in total, to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Individual awards will range in value up to the statutory limit of $360,000. There is no local funding match required to participate in this program. The grants may be used to hire staff or advisors to assist with early development-phase activities including, but not limited to, feasibility studies; preliminary engineering and design; environmental review; revenue forecasting; financial feasibility analysis; statutory and regulatory analysis and drafting and negotiation of agreements. Deadline: September 27, 2023. Read more.

Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program

The U.S. Department of Transportation is now taking applications for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program, an unprecedented effort to build good transportation infrastructure to reconnect communities to economic opportunities. Deadline: September 28, 2023. Learn more.

Community Forest Conservation Grant Program

This grant program funds municipal land acquisition for community forests, which are vital for wildlife habitat, flood mitigation, recreational opportunities, mental health, air quality, water quality, and to meet the obligations outlined in New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Deadline: October 11, 2023. More info.

Legacy Trails Grant Program

This program is funded up to $1.5M per year for 5 years through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and supports partner trail projects that further the Legacy Roads and Trails criteria on National Forest System trails throughout the nine Forest Service Regions. The goal of the program is to support projects that restore, protect, and maintain watersheds on our national forests and grasslands. American Trails is administering this grant program, and is soliciting applications for funding, with awards up to $100K per project. Deadline: December 1, 2023. Read more.

Candevra Foundation Grant Program

The Candreva Environmental Foundation is a New York state based organization that provides seed money for local environmental education initiatives and projects that engage young people in environmental service. Awards of up to $500 can be used for materials, printing costs, student and teacher travel, communication costs and other project related expenses. Grants are limited to Westchester and Putnam Counties. Deadline: June 1, 2024. Find out more.

Trails Count Grant Program

The Trails Count Grant Program is an assistance grant in partnership with Eco Counter and focuses on the quality of mountain bike trail communities by measuring the number of users on trails to assess the impact of trails. The grants support communities that have the interest and political support to develop trail use measurement systems but need additional assistance. More details.

Extreme Terrain’s Clean Trail Grant Program

This program will provide eligible groups the opportunity to apply for a grant to fund their next trail improvement-related project, which could range from trail clean-up, trail restoration, trail expansion, to name a few. Learn more.

New York State Assembly Grants Action News 

State, federal, and private grant information from the New York State Assembly. More info.