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RLT Receives New York State Conservation Partnership Program Grant

We are pleased to announce that we have received a NYS Conservation Partnership Program Grant this year for $14,600. The NYS Conservation Partnership Program is funded by the state’s Environmental Protection Fund and administered by the Land Trust Alliance, in coordination with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

These grant funds will be used to make public access improvements and prepare a management plan for our new 44 acre Featherweald Preserve in Cambridge, NY.

Home to a great blue heron rookery and located in an area with nesting bald eagles the property will be ideal for bird watching. The property also contains large black oak and pignut hickory trees. A walking trail system transects the property. The property was donated to RLT earlier this year by Lisa Lindquist, Ilse Godfrey, and Craig Johnson in memory of their parents.

Valley Falls Thompson Mill Site Project Moves Forward

The Village of Valley Falls took a significant step toward its vision of turning an abandoned and burned-out factory site into a riverside public park. At its April board meeting, the Village awarded a contract to the environmental engineering firm Weston & Sampson to determine the presence of any hazardous materials that may have been left behind from operations of the old Thompson textile mill, which sits on the Hoosic River near the Route 67 bridge.

“Cleaning up the burned-out mill and turning it into a riverside park for our residents to enjoy is a priority for the Village,” said Mayor Richard Andrew. “We are excited to get the project started!”

The project is entirely funded by a Brownfield Assessment grant awarded to the Village by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “This contract award is the culmination of a months-long competitive solicitation of Qualified Engineering Professionals that generated quite a lot of interest,” noted Kristina Younger, the Village’s project manager. “The assessment will include a geophysical survey, excavation of test pits and soil borings, and groundwater monitoring wells. Clean-up plans will be based on what contamination, if any, is found. The project also includes the development of plans for a riverside park, and strategies for seeking additional funding to perform the clean-up and construct the park.”

Rensselaer County's Hudson River Access Plan

Cover Image

Click HERE to download the Hudson River Access Plan.
Click HERE to download site sketches.

The Rensselaer County Hudson River Access Plan came about as a result of the Rensselaer County Land Trust securing a grant from the Hudson River Estuary Program of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The Plan was guided by RLT Staff, Board Members, and an Advisory Committee consisting of representatives of the Hudson River Shoreline communities and Rensselaer County.

This plan covers all seven waterfront communities in Rensselaer County:

Town of Schaghticoke
City of Troy
Town of North Greenbush
City of Rensselaer
Town of East Greenbush
Town of Schodack
Village of Castleton-on-Hudson

For approximately one year beginning in the spring of 2017, the consultant team led by Planning4Places, LLC with support from Weston & Sampson, conducted an existing conditions assessment, made site visits to assess the condition of existing and potential river access points, and went into the community to solicit input from the public.

Public Presentations: "Will Wading in This Stream Make Me Sick?"

These free meetings are intended to provide residents and other stakeholders an opportunity to learn about certain bacteria and pharmaceuticals found in water samples taken from 18 stream sites in Rensselaer County during May through October 2017. Citizen Science Sampling Photo volunteers collected water samples from six streams: Wynantskill, Poesten Kill, Mill Creek, Quackenderry, Moordener Kill and the Quacken Kill. The streams studied are located with the Cities of Troy and Rensselaer; Town of Schodack; Village of Castleton-on-Hudson; Towns of North Greenbush and East Greenbush.

A spokespersons from United States Geological Survey, one of the partnering organizations for this project, will be on hand to answer questions. Rensselaer Land Trust's goal is to improve community knowledge, awareness and stewardship about local water resources. Come find out if you should be letting your kids (or your pet dog) wade in local streams, and learn how you can make a difference in your watershed.

Public Presentations
The same presentation will be given on both dates at different locations:

Thursday, March 29th from 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
East Greenbush Community Library
The Friends Community Room
10 Community Way
East Greenbush, NY 12061

Sunday, April 29th from 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
The Sanctuary for Media Alliance
3361 Sixth Avenue
North Troy, NY 12181

Anyone interested in the human impacts on the quality of our water resources may attend.

To register, please e-mail Fran Martino

Take our Watershed Pledge by clicking HERE.

Report Cards for each stream site can be reviewed at the following links:
Wynants Kill Report
Poesten Kill and Quacken Kill Report
Mill Creek Report
Quackenderry Report
Moordener Kill Report

Fact Sheets:
Pet Waste and Water Quaility
Medical Disposal and Water Qulity
Septic Systems and Water Quaility

Learn more about our "Will Wading in This Stream Make Me Sick?" program HERE.

New York’s Environmental Protection Fund provided the grant to Rensselaer Land Trust, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Hudson River Estuary Program administered the funding for this project. This grant supports planning for local stewardship of the river environment to help achieve the goals of the 2015—2020 Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda, and also aligns with Regional Economic Development Council (REDC) strategies.