Conservation And Land Use in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed

The Hudson River Estuary Program's Conservation and Land Use Team helps communities and partners conserve important natural areas and biodiversity in the estuary watershed. Municipalities, land trusts, watershed groups, and other organizations can use the program's scientific data, tools, training, and technical assistance to identify local land and water conservation priorities and strategies to preserve them through planning, policy, and protection efforts. Read our Conservation and Land Use Fact Sheet (PDF) to learn more about how we work, and subscribe to our Conservation and Land Use newsletter for the latest program updates. Contact [email protected] to connect with our staff. 

Natural Areas and Habitat Information

Publications, data, and maps are available from the Estuary Program and partners to learn about natural areas and habitats in local communities and in the estuary watershed:

• Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper: This interactive mapping application can be used to identify habitats, water resources, and other features to be considered during conservation and land-use planning.
• Hudson River Estuary Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Framework (PDF): The Framework provides an overview of biodiversity in the estuary watershed, describes key plant and animal habitats, includes a map and descriptions of Significant Biodiversity Areas, and proposes conservation strategies.
• Habitat Summaries: Municipalities engaging in conservation and land-use planning projects can request a summary of biological data available for their community.
• Conservation Guides: The NY Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP) maintains online animal, plant, and community guides that include descriptions, habitat distribution, places to see wildlife or habitats, conservation issues, and recommendations for planning and management.
• GIS Data: The Estuary Program partners with NYNHP to increase understanding of conservation priorities in the estuary watershed. Natural Heritage Important Areas are lands and waters that support known populations of rare animals and rare plants, or of rare or high-quality ecological communities. The Forest Condition Index maps and prioritizes large forest patches across the watershed based on a suite of different characteristics.
• Wildlife Atlases: The Breeding Bird Atlas and the Amphibian and Reptile Atlas provide records of breeding bird, or amphibian and reptile species, reported by volunteers to the DEC.

Conservation and Land-Use Planning Guidance

The process of inventorying a community's natural areas, setting conservation priorities, and identifying planning strategies is critically valuable to protect ecosystems and quality of life for residents. This approach can help communities protect the benefits they receive from nature such as clean water, wildlife habitat, scenery, and climate adaptation. Conservation planning is also an essential process for land trusts, watershed groups, and regional partners. Publications (in PDF) available to guide conservation and land-use planning in the estuary watershed include:

• Creating a Natural Resources Inventory: A Guide for Communities in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed (PDF): This guidebook outlines how to inventory natural and cultural assets and describe strategies for using the inventory as a basis for planning.
• Conserving Natural Areas and Wildlife in Your Communities: Smart Growth Strategies for Protecting the Biological Diversity of New York's Hudson River Valley (PDF): This manual for local governments describes tools and techniques to conserve important habitats in the estuary watershed.
• Creating Conservation Overlay Zoning: A Guide for Communities in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed (PDF): This guidebook can assist municipalities in the use of overlay zoning to advance conservation of important natural areas in their community.
• Best Practices for Adopting Conservation Inventories and Plans: A Guide for Communities in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed (PDF): This guidance for local government describes options and procedures for adopting and implementing natural resources inventories, open space inventories, open space plans, and critical environmental areas.
• Natural Resources Protection in the Hudson Valley: Municipal Conservation Stories (PDF): This publication shares municipal experiences with local conservation, land-use planning, and community engagement in the Hudson Valley.
• Creating and Maintaining Hudson River Views: A Handbook for Landowners (PDF): This handbook introduces landowners and site managers to best practices for creating and maintaining Hudson River views. 
• Scenic Resource Protection Guide for the Hudson River Valley (PDF): This guidebook is a resource for local governments to identify, plan for, and protect important scenic resources within their communities.

Opportunities for Assistance and Education

• Conservation and Land Use Webinars: This recorded training series, covers a wide range of topics including conservation principles, best practices, and tools to identify and conserve important habitat and water resources.
• Technical Assistance: Staff and partners can provide technical assistance to communities to help incorporate conservation data and principles into comprehensive plans, natural resources inventories, open space plans, and land-use policies. Contact [email protected] for more information about technical assistance.
• Amphibian Migrations and Road Crossings Project: This program enlists volunteers to identify locations where annual migrations of forest amphibians cross roads in the estuary watershed, and collect observations about the migration.
• Hudson River Estuary Grants: These competitive grants can provide funding for developing natural resource inventories, open space inventories, open space plans, connectivity plans, and conservation financing feasibility studies.