Transaction Protects Scenic Stuyvesant Farmland

Latest victory in campaign to Save the Land That Matters Most

STUYVESANT (Columbia County) – Taking another important step in its campaign to Save the Land That Matters Most, Scenic Hudson has purchased development rights on a 60-acre farmland property in the Town of Stuyvesant, guaranteeing this land can continue contributing to the community's agriculture-based economy and rural character.

Located within the state-designated Columbia-Greene North Scenic Area of Statewide Significance, the property contains a mix of grassland and forested ravines. Offering stunning views of the Hudson Valley to the Catskill Mountains, the land sits across Route 9J from the popular Nutten Hook State Unique Area, originally protected by Scenic Hudson. Streams that form in its ravines flow into Newton Hook Creek, a Hudson River tributary.

Scenic Hudson Senior Land Project Manager Charlie Laing negotiated the purchase, which owner Elisa Koizumi committed to at a price 25 percent below the conservation easement's appraised value.

Transaction adds to "critical mass" of farmland protected in town

Some 45 acres on the property contain Soils of Statewide Significance or U.S. Department of Agriculture Prime Soils; currently this land is being used by a local dairy farmer. Since Scenic Hudson initiated plans to conserve a "critical mass" of working farms in Stuyvesant in 1999, it has protected more than 3,100 acres encompassing 13 farms. Additional farmland in the town has been preserved by the Columbia Land Conservancy, Open Space Institute and The Nature Conservancy – all partners in Scenic Hudson's Saving the Land That Matters Most campaign.

The property also is located within the state-recognized Stockport Creek & Flats/Nutten Hook/Gays Point Marsh Biologically Important Area. Its grasslands provide critical bird habitat, while its woodlands sequester carbon that contributes to global climate change.

"By preserving this property, Scenic Hudson ensures that its fields are always available to support Stuyvesant's agriculture-based economy and provide healthy local produce for the region's residents. The transaction conserves meadows vital to many bird species at a time when Hudson Valley grasslands are rapidly vanishing to development. And it protects both the Hudson River and the local aquifer, safeguarding drinking water and residents' health," said Scenic Hudson President Ned Sullivan.

Funds for this transaction came from Scenic Hudson's Lila Acheson and DeWitt Wallace Hudson Valley Land Preservation Endowment.

Collaborative campaign celebrates Quadricentennial by protecting treasured acres

Scenic Hudson's campaign to Save the Land That Matters Most was launched in 2007 to provide a lasting way of commemorating the Quadricentennial of Henry Hudson's voyage of discovery. It is a collaborative effort with fellow land trusts, governments, individuals and businesses to protect 65,000 acres of great scenic, ecological and agricultural significance throughout the Hudson Valley. A prime aspect of this initiative is the preservation of farmland.

"This incredibly beautiful farmland is a critical part of what we call 'The Land That Matters Most' in the Hudson Valley. In addition to helping sustain Stuyvesant's economy, it contributes to Columbia County's breathtakingly scenic landscapes. We applaud Elisa Koizumi for her dedication to permanently conserving this land," said Steve Rosenberg, executive director of the Scenic Hudson Land Trust.

"I happily worked with Scenic Hudson to preserve this land. I now have the additional gift of great satisfaction and sense of peace that what I see before me can never be disrupted," said Ms. Koizumi.

Land preservation key to economic opportunity

Scenic Hudson also pursues its campaign to Save the Land That Matters Most realizing that preserving land provides the cornerstone of a sustainable economy for the region. According to the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation and its 2008 survey of 2,000 corporate executives and site-selection professionals nationwide, the valley's unique quality of life is a leading selling point. Also, words most associated with the valley were scenic beauty and nature. Further, tourism spending in the 10-county region is $4.5 billion annually, while local farms contribute $530 million each year to the valley economy. The market value of produce grown on Columbia County farms alone exceeds $50 million annually.

Scenic Hudson works to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors. A crusader for the valley since 1963, we are credited with saving fabled Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and launching the modern grass-roots environmental movement. Today with more than 25,000 ardent supporters, we are the largest environmental group focused on the Hudson River Valley. Our team of experts combines land acquisition, support for agriculture, citizen-based advocacy and sophisticated planning tools to create environmentally and economically healthy communities, open up riverfronts to the public and preserve the valley's inspiring beauty and natural resources.

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