Volunteers from the Rensselaer Land Trust, Stephentown Historical Society, Restoration of Eastern European Jewish Cemeteries, Inc., Down in Denver Books of Stephentown, neighbors, friends and community members came together on Saturday July 17^th for cemetery restoration work at the historic Stephentown Old Baptist Church Cemetery on Calvin Cole Road. The Old Baptist Cemetery is an early Stephentown cemetery with graves predating the mid 19^th century. The property is owned by Alice LeBlanc who is undertaking responsibility to restore the cemetery to a dignified state and who has granted the Rensselaer Land Trust a conservation easement on the property.

Under the guidance and instruction of cemetery restoration specialist Joseph Ferrannini of Grave Stone Matters, tombstones were excavated, reset and cleaned by the volunteers. Earlier this year, and in 2009, local Eagle Scouts have volunteered at the cemetery and cleared much of the brush, trees, and debris. Their work allowed Saturday’s volunteers to focus on tombstone restoration. A follow-up restoration workday is scheduled for Saturday, September 11^th, 2010. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Paul Schroeder, Volunteer Coordinator, Rensselaer Land Trust at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 518-674-2480.

 Volunteers Bob Crowley and Dan Lober excavate a headstone

Paddling the Hoosic River from Eagle Bridge to the Johnsonville Dam

For a leisurely scenic 8.5 mile paddle on the Hoosic River, put in at the Rensselaer Land Trust public boat launch and fishing access site and paddle downstream to the Johnsonville Dam.  Drop a car or bicycle off at the take out spot if you do not want to paddle back.  The public fishing and boat launch site is located ½ mile west of Eagle Bridge or 1 ½ miles east of Buskirk on RT 67 in northern Rensselaer County.  There the Hoosic River is the county border between Washington and Rensselaer County.  The site has a boat slide for car top boats and parking for 8-10 cars.  It is not possible to launch a boat from a trailer at the site. In spring when the water is still cold, trout can be fished from the site.  Later on in the season as the water warms, bass can be caught.

The Hoosic River has a mild current at the put in site and you can paddle in both directions however, the current becomes strong heading upstream to Eagle Bridge.  Heading downstream, the river meanders around some bends where we saw northern flickers, swallows, ducks, geese, and other birds that we was unable to identify.  If you enjoy bird watching, bring binoculars.  At approximately 2.5 miles you will reach the Buskirk covered bridge.  The covered bridge was constructed in 1857 and is the last surviving covered bridge in Rensselaer County.  After the bridge, the water become flat and slows with forested banks and a few farms and houses.  The next 5.5 miles is very calm and at the end resembles a long flat shallow lake.  You will see several bays worth exploring for wild life along the way.

The take out spot is just before the Johnsonville Dam on the left bank.  It is a canoe launch and fishing access site constructed by the Erie Boulevard Hydropower L.P.  To get to it, turn towards the river onto RT 111 in Johnsonville and take a right onto River Street by the Fire Station.  You will see the canoe launch and public parking spot shortly on your left.

        RLT Board Member Francille Egbert

Hoosic River between Eagle Bridge and Buskirk

Buskirk Covered Bridge

The Rensselaer Land Trust, with the help of volunteers from the Junior National Honor Society, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Appalachian Mountain Club, Town of Hoosic Falls, and individuals from the community, planted 300 trees at our Hoosic River public boat launch and fishing access site on Saturday, May 8, 2010. Special thanks are due to Brunswick Agway on RT 7 for donating tree fertilizer and to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for the trees. The site is located between Buskirk and Eagle Bridge on RT 67 in Northern Rensselaer County. The property is owned in fee by the Rensselaer Land Trust with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation holding the public access and fishing rights easement. This project is an example of what small local land trusts, such as the Rensselaer Land Trust, working in cooperation with the State and local communities can achieve for the benefit of the people of Rensselaer County and the State of New York.