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Fascinating Talk on Wetland Conservation

By Allan Stern, Rensselaer Land Trust Board Member

On Sunday, March 5^th, a small but very interested group attended a presentation by Laura Heady, of the Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell University. Held at the East Greenbush Public Library, it was sponsored by Rensselaer Land Trust and the New York State Audubon Society.

The title of the slide presentation and lecture was "Wetland Conservation: What Do We Have to Lose?"

The answer, according to Ms. Heady, is "Lots of things" -- specifically, clean water, flood control, mosquito control, wildlife and bird habitat, and recreation sites with the resulting economic benefits. While Ms. Heady's talked focused on fresh-water wetlands, a whole other topic of conversation could have been tidal (salt water) wetlands, especially in the context of the recent major storms.

After describing different types of wetlands, Ms. Heady focused on the value and function of wetlands (see above) and then how to conserve the wetlands we do have. One of her main points was that because state agencies (NYSDEC) and Federal (US Army Corps of Engineers) have specific guidelines on what size wetlands they can regulate, over half the wetlands in Rensselaer County (56%) and Albany County (61%) are too small and isolated to be protected. This implies that local municipalities and agencies such as the RLT have to step up.

To read detailed notes from this program please click here (PDF).

Resource websites introduced during this program included:

Capital District Audubon Society
Hudson River Estuary Program
New York Natural Heritage Program
NYS DEC's Environmental Resource Mapper
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Wetland Inventory

Community Comes Together to Cleanup Preserve

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Assemblyman John T. McDonald III and Troy City Councilmen Ken Zalewski and Rodney Wiltshire join Rensselaer Land Trust and Capital District Community Gardens for a community volunteer cleanup day at the John B. Staalesen Vanderheyden Preserve in Troy.

On Saturday, May 18, 2013, 40 volunteers joined Rensselaer Land Trust, Capital District Community Gardens' Produce Project and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation for a stream and preserve cleanup at the John B. Staalesen Vanderheyden Preserve along the Wynants Kill.

Rensselaer Land Trust's 2012 Accomplishments and Highlights

Land Stewardship

Constructed improved parking areas at Ingalls and Staalesen Preserves.
Partnered with Capital District Community Gardens and granted them garden plot at Staalesen Preserve.
Received $17,000 Environmental Protection Fund Grant through Land Trust Alliance to fund boundary survey, signs, kiosk, and property maintenance at Staalesen Preserve in Troy.

Rensselaer Land Trust Receives New Preserve

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On December 18, 2012, the Rensselaer Land Trust (RLT) received 54 acres of significant wetlands in the Town of Nassau from the National Audubon Society. Part of Pine Swamp, an extensive marsh and swamp complex adjacent to Smith Pond, the property contains wildlife habitat and supports unusual plant species for Rensselaer County. Located off of Lyons Lake Road, the property will remain a nature preserve, with public access for environmental studies and natural history outings.

"After a full evaluation, RLT's Board of Directors determined that this untouched property fell within our mission of watershed protection and conservation of ecologically important natural areas," said RLT Executive Director Christine Young.