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 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.

The Rensselaer Land Trust is pleased to announce a major gift of property located in Cambridge, New York. The property was donated by Lisa Lindquist, Ilse Godfrey, and Craig Johnson in memory of their parents.

Located on 44 acres on a bluff overlooking the Hoosick River, the property will add to RLT’s network of publicly accessible nature preserves. 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.

Lisa, Craig, and Ilse have dedicated their gift to honor their parents, Kenneth and Nancy Johnson, who lived for many years there and watched the seasons unfold with joy and reverence. “It is our family’s hope that this land will provide generations of people a place to enjoy and learn about the natural world,” said Lisa on behalf of her brother and sister.

 Craig Johnson, Ilse (Johnson) Godfrey, Lisa (Johnson) Lindquist

“We are grateful to the Johnson family for making this wonderful gift. It is a fitting way to honor their parents and the land they loved,” said Kristina Younger, Rensselaer Land Trust President.
RLT expects to open the new Johnson Preserve to the public for walking, birding, dog walking, and environmental education later this year. 

View of the Tomhannock Reservoir from the Rensselaer Plateau across the watershed.

The Rensselaer Land Trust, the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, and the Agricultural Stewardship Association are pleased to announce that New York State, through its Water Quality Improvement Source Water Protection Program has awarded a grant of $1.5 million for a partnership program. The program funded by the grant will protect important lands that provide water to the Tomhannock Reservoir, which is the drinking water source for over 135,000 people in the Capital Region. A match of $500,000 in private contributions will make this a $2 million program of land protection to benefit all users of drinking water from the Tomhannock Reservoir. The partnership will receive funds as reimbursement as the project proceeds.

The three accredited land trusts will partner on the project as part of the Regional Economic Development Council’s Consolidated Funding Application. Workshops will be held in the spring of 2018 with interested landowners in Rensselaer County. The program will be ongoing for three years, and may include both the acquisition of development rights (voluntary conservation easements) or land purchases where appropriate on lands significant for source water protection.

“We are very excited about having funding to implement meaningful source water protection,” says Rensselaer Land Trust Board President Kristina Younger. “Maintaining water quality starts with the land.” The Rensselaer Land Trust will administer the grant and be the lead partner.

"This is a win for the landowners, a win for the people who drink Troy’s water and a win for the people of the county in general. I am looking forward to working with the community to protect one of Rensselaer County’s greatest assets – the clean water from the Tomhannock Reservoir” says Rensselaer Plateau Alliance President Fred DeMay.

“Protecting this critical natural resource is important to ASA”, says Agricultural Stewardship Association Board Chair Katherine Roome. “We are proud to collaborate on this project to advance the mission of all three organizations.”

“Protecting our drinking water supplies is vital to the health and safety of our residents   I am proud to have supported this initiative and very gratified that the necessary funding has been awarded,” stated Rensselaer County Executive Kathy Jimino.

 “For over 100 years, the Tomhannock Reservoir has provided clean, reliable drinking water to Troy and our 135,000 customers from across the Capital Region,” said Troy Mayor Patrick Madden. “I am grateful for the continued work of the Rensselaer Land Trust, the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance, and the Agricultural Stewardship Association and their leadership and support for this valuable environmental resource and am thrilled to see this essential funding awarded to support their conservation efforts.”

About Rensselaer Land Trust
Rensselaer Land Trust’s mission is to conserve the open spaces, watersheds and natural habitats of Rensselaer County, for the benefit of our communities and future generations. RLT Celebrated its 30^th Anniversary in 2017. For more information see: http://www.renstrust.org or call 518-659-LAND (5263).

About Rensselaer Plateau Alliance
The Rensselaer Plateau Alliance (RPA), established in 2006, is a diverse group of organizations and people who want to conserve the forested character of the Rensselaer Plateau and the many economic and environmental benefits it provides. A grassroots organization, the RPA is people living in the area who share a common interest in ensuring that future generations will experience and value the many benefits of the plateau.  Visit www.rensselaerplateau.org to learn more.

About Agricultural Stewardship Association
ASA was founded 27 years ago as a non-profit land trust focusing on farmland conservation in Washington and Rensselaer counties. Today, ASA has conserved nearly 18,000 acres on 114 farms. For more information visit www.agstewardship.org