Sizing It Up

• Six dedicated Community Members
• Two significant Grants
• One team of Professional Biologists

Combine all the ingredients in a small town along the Hudson River. Gradually add some knowledge, sprinkle in some volunteerism, and mix well.

This may be the secret recipe for the Town of Hyde Park, recently awarded two grants that will aid town officials, residents, and developers in creating an eco-sensitive formula for future planning. Communities throughout the U.S. and in the Hudson Valley are trying to find ways to balance economic growth with wildlife conservation by taking important environmental factors into account when planning new developments. To achieve this balance, a team of biologists and community volunteers will be spending the next year assessing and mapping the northern sphere of Hyde Park, New York.

“Hyde Park has high quality micro-habitats along our shoreline” and “has a large population of Blanding Turtles” explained Michael Dupree, who is Chairman of the Hyde Park Planning Board.

This study will be carried out in the form of a $22,815 grant from the Hudson River Estuary Grant Program, administered by the Department of Environmental Conservation, to identify and map areas and species of significance within the town.

“Very few communities can hire someone to do environmental mapping” explained Dupree who is “thrilled with the opportunities these grants provide”. The funding for this grant program is from New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF).

This project is being coordinated by the Hyde Park Conservation Advisory Council (CAC), which also plans to host seminars, connect with the local school system, and work with the greater community to establish their findings and build on what has already been discovered about areas of ecological importance throughout Hyde Park.

Town planning boards throughout New York State can require developers to obtain their own mapping and land assessments, which can be costly to both the developer and the town itself. “We are not trying to impede small developers” said Dupree, but “we are trying to educate ourselves” and “the mapping will provide a resource for the town”.

In Hyde Park, community leaders and volunteers are taking the initiative to find the harmonious balance between the environment and future development. CAC member Michael Rubbo, who carries a doctorate in Biology, has agreed to donate professional services to the project, which, along with funds donated by the Hyde Park Visual Environment Committee, comprise the Town’s approximate $7600 required contribution. A 25% match is required for municipalities trying to achieve the Hudson River Estuary Grant.

“In addition to identifying high quality habitats, which are important assets to our community, the map will also show areas that areactually less ecologically important and more appropriate for development. Having this data available will expedite the review of development proposals and will enable the town to re-think our future conservation efforts,” said Dupree.

The town will utilize biologists from Hudsonia, Ltd. to identify and delineate essential ecosystems and to evaluate existing data including aerial photos and topographic information. Hudsonia’s professionals will then conduct an on-the-ground examination of the terrain and wildlife. The second part of the grant comes in the form of education. Hyde Park has been selected to participate in Hudsonia’s Biodiversity Assessment Training program, which will educate a team of Hyde Park residents on the identification of biodiversity resources.

According to the press release, CAC’s Lou Lelyveld and Michael Rubbo, Planning Board chairman Michael Dupree, vice-chair Anne Dexter and member John Bickford will join Jennifer Rubbo of the town’s Shade Tree Commission in learning about upland habitats, mating/nesting areas and migratory patterns for various species, particularly the threatened Blanding turtle. The year-long training will produce a habitat assessment and will prepare the team to document habitat types throughout the rest of Hyde Park in the future. The participants have volunteered their time for the training, (20+ hours a month being spent in the field), and a small portion of the funding covers other costs, including soil maps, and equipment.

Hyde Park is home to several unique habitats and species, including Northern Hardwood Forest and Red Maple Hardwood Swamp, the aforementioned Blanding Turtle, as well as wetlands and other inimitable ecosystems. Many of these surroundings are not fully protected by federal, state, or local statutes, yet are essential components of the natural environment. Planning and Zoning Boards throughout the state have broad authority to direct development away from threatened habitats, but few Towns have the resources or professionals to assess and then create an inventory of them. In other words, few communities have the funds to realize the ecological pearls they have within their boundaries and this marks the beginning of understanding: “This puts Hyde Park,” says Planning Board vice-chairwoman Anne Dexter, “at the forefront of such communities.”

This latest study, along with the dedication of local volunteers are pushing Hyde Park to the forefront of the eco-conscious movement, and how it relates to growth and progress in a world that is growing more green by the minute.

“The habitat mapping initiatives will greatly benefit Hyde Park,” explained Town Supervisor Pompey Delafield, “by providing complete, up-to-date information that we can use to set conservation priorities and preserve our natural heritage. This will be a major step for guiding the growth of Hyde Park in a manner that respects and preserves our major environmental assets. I am also excited about the collaboration among the CAC, Planning Board, and Shade Tree Commission that has made these projects possible and am thankful for the extra time committed by these volunteers for the betterment of Hyde Park.”