OPPORTUNITY FOR COMMENT
There is a new green building rating standard specifically for landscapes
that is under development called the SUSTAINABLE SITES INITIATIVE.
The goal of this rating standard is to "measure a site's ability to protect,
restore and regenerate sites by harnessing ecosystem services - benefits
provided by natural ecosystems such as cleaner air and water,
climate regulation and health benefits." The DRAFT GUIDELINES AND
PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS have recently been released for
PUBLIC COMMENT THROUGH JANUARY 20, 2009.
http://www.sustainablesites.org/report/
"TREES FOR TRIBS" Spring Planting Initiative
The Hudson River Estuary Program's "Trees for Tribs" Initiative
offering free native trees and shrubs for qualifying riparian
(stream) buffer projects in the Hudson River Estuary watershed
within the State of New York from the Verrazano Narrows Bridge
to the Troy Dam. The Estuary Program's Riparian
Buffer Coordinator can assist with plant selection,
designing a planting plan, site preparation, project installation,
and other technical information to IMPROVE the odds of SUCCESS
for your project. In addition, if the project site is accessible to
small machinery and the planting is of adequate size,
the Estuary Program's Riparian Buffer Coordinator will
pre-dig all planting holes.
Applications are now being accepted for Spring 2009 projects.
The DEADLINE is MARCH 1st.
For more information about the program visit:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/lands/43668.html or
contact the program's Riparian Buffer Coordinator, Kevin Grieser,
atkagriese@gw.dec.state.ny.us or 845-256-3145
BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT TRAINING PROGRAM
Hudsonia is now accepting applications for the
2009 Biodiversity Assessment Training program
offered to land use decision-makers in the Hudson Valley.
Please pass this information on to other agencies, organizations, or
individuals that might be interested in participating. Please see the
attached program description [BAT 2009 Application Guidelines].
Contact Andrew Meyer at(ameyer@bard.edu) or 845-758-0600
Thursday, January 8, 2009: 8:00 - 9:30 am
HRWA Omelette Series: Speaker TBD
Location: Plaza Diner (Stop&Shop plaza), New Paltz
Join fellow water resource professionals, scholars and regulators for
breakfast, learning and networking at the Plaza Diner in New Paltz.
The Hudson River Watershed Alliance is organizing these
get-togethers to improve communication and awareness
between those committed to better understanding management of
our watershed resources. Participants are responsible for
purchasing their own breakfast from the menu;
please note that there is a $4 minimum.
If you plan to attend, please contact Katy Dunlap,
Coordinator of the Hudson River Watershed Alliance,
(845) 454-7673 x116 or katy@hudsonwatershed.org.
Saturday, January 10; Sunday, February 8: 9:30am to 12:30pm
"FREE-A-TREE" Invasive Vine/Shrub Cutting & SAW MILL RIVER CLEAN-UP
Location: Site: Farragut Avenue (Exit 13 going NORTH on the
Saw Mill River Parkway), Hastings-on-Hudson. Meet in parking lot
just off the exit (by the South County Trailway).
Join the Saw Mill River Coalition/Groundwork Hudson Valley.
Invasive vines are killing the trees that protect the river's banks.
Garbage is crowding out wildlife and polluting the river. We'll have garbage bags,
gloves, and vine-cutting tools, but we'd appreciate it if you brought your own
vine-cutting tools and gloves. We ALWAYS have someone on hand who can
teach you how to identify invasive vines in our area and how to cut them.
The primary vines we cut are porcelain berry and oriental bittersweet, and
the invasive shrub is multiflora rose. Wear long sleeve shirts and sturdy shoes
(no flip flops). Children under age 16 require adult supervision.
COMMUNITY SERVICE CREDITS available for high school students.
Contact: free-a-tree@hotmail.com, 914-375-2151, and
cell on event day@ 914-815-5872. Check our website at
www.SawMillRiverCoalition.org for up-to-date and event day
weather cancellation information.
Wednesday, January 14, 7:30 pm
Greenburgh Nature Center, 99 Dromore Road, Scarsdale, NY 10583.
Tel: 914 723 3470. This is a handicapped-accessible location.
The IMPACT of the BORDER WALL on WILDLIFE and WILD LANDS
Under the Bush administration, the Secure Fence Act and
Real ID Act was signed into law, which allow for the
building of a double-fenced wall along the 850-mile southern
border of the United States. More than 40% of the border lands
involve national parks or wildlife refuges with walls being built
right through FRAGILE WCOSYSTEMS and impacting nearly
40 ENDANGERED SPECIES. Despite the $46 billion cost to
build the wall, Congress recently reported the border walls
have had no impact on the number of immigrants in the U.S.
A DVD outlining the ECOLOGICAL DAMAGE will be shown, and
Dr. JO ANNE GORSKI, a member of the National Wildlife and
Endangered Species Committee, will speak about the
Club's efforts and what you can do to help.
This is a FREE EVENT.
Deepak Panjabi, Lower Hudson Group of Sierra Club
Telephone: 914 923 6490 Ext 312 Fax: 914 923 6492
Wednesday, January 28 & February 11, 2009: 10:00 am - 12:00pm
SOCIAL SCIENCE APPLICATIONS in NATURAL RESOURCES:
An Introduction to Social Science Concepts & Methods
**The January 28th session will focus on Social Science Concepts and
the February 11th session will focus on Social Science Methods.***
The Hudson River Estuary Training Program will be hosting
Shorna Broussard, PhD. of Cornell University in a two-part Webinar.
A webinar uses a telephone conference call and internet connection.
Sign in at home or work. This seminar series is aimed at developing
the capacity of natural resource professionals to use social science
methods to understand attitudes and motivations of their audiences,
design and implement effective outreach strategies, and foster
conservation related behavior. The use of social science concepts
and methods will help in achieving behavior change related to
climate change, watershed management and ecosystem based
management. For those who attended the Sept. 2007 workshop
on Social Sciences in Support of Watershed Management in
the Hudson Estuary, this will be a refresher.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Professionals, volunteers and
elected officials involved in: Watershed management,
Climate change adaptation and mitigation, Wildlife management,
Invasive and nuisance species, Forestland management,
Natural resource management, Ecosystem-based management.
Please register online by January 21, 2009 at:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=0h7kqJssd_2fYDvTYE1b1oew_3d_3d
(Copy and paste into your browser). Registration is limited.
After you register, we will e-mail you the log-in information for the webinar
Saturday, February 7, 2009: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
FIFTH ANNUAL HUDSON RIVER EAGLEFEST
Snow Date: Sunday, Feb. 8.
The event will be headquartered at Westchester County's Croton Point Park,
with additional eagle viewing sites hosted by collaborating organizations
located along the Hudson River.
EagleFest activities include educational displays, collaborator's exhibits,
and children's activities about bald eagles and other birds of prey,
under heated tents at the park. Three eagle-spotting sites along the
Hudson River will be staffed by eagle experts with spotting scopes,
warming tents and hot chocolate. Advance tickets are on sale beginning
December 15. See www.teatown.org for the listing of additional open
education centers, viewing locations and a full list of EagleFest activities.
