natural resources of chatham - cornell university...images courtesy dodson associates, ltd. and...

Andrew Meyer, Beth Roessler, Karen Strong, and Emily Vail

NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program and Cornell University

Presentation to Town of Chatham, December 6, 2012

Natural Resources of Chatham

The Hudson River Estuary

Program

• Ensure clean water;

• Protect and restore fish and wildlife habitats;

• Provide recreation in and on the water;

• Adapt to climate change; and

• Conserve the scenic landscape.

Chatham

Entire watershed

~ 13,500 sq. mi.

Hudson River Watershed

Outline

Role of local governments

The Natural Resource Summaries

How you can use the Summaries

Where to go for more information

___________________________________________

Local government has a critical role in managing water and wildlife

___________________________________________

• Comprehensive plan • Open space plan • Zoning • Town ordinances • Natural resource inventory • Critical environmental areas • Project review • SEQRA • Stormwater regulations

How local governments manage water and wildlife

water quality and quantity

flood control

clean air

carbon storage

recreation

scenery

forest products

Healthy, natural systems provide benefits to our communities:

“ecosystem services”

A small town in upstate New York

Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc

Buildout under current zoning

Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc

Many impacts on water and wildlife

Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc

Changes the way water moves across the landscape

More roads, roofs, and driveways mean more runoff

Loss of streamside vegetation

More stream crossings, barriers to fish, flooding risk

More road salt degrades water quality

Less wildlife habitat, more fragmentation

Limit animal migrations

More negative wildlife-human interactions

More pressure on aquifer, impact from septics

Changes habitat – promotes “weedy” species

Reduce hunting and recreation opportunities

Working

Landscapes

Cultural &

Historic

Resources

Identify important resources

Trails and

Greenways

Forests and

natural area

connections

Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc

Wetlands

& stream

corridors

Rivers and

Streams

A buildout that reduces pressure

Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc

A buildout that reduces pressure

Images courtesy Dodson Associates, Ltd. And Behan Planning Associates, Inc

Note: this is an idealized

cartoon. By working toward this

ideal, you can reduce pressure.

Outline

Role of local governments

The Natural Resource Summaries

How you can use the Summaries

Where to go for more information

___________________________________________

___________________________________________

Summarizes existing information gleaned from (mostly) state data

• Description • Table • Map • General conservation principles • References

What is a Natural Resource Summary?

Local data from Farmscape

Ecology at Hawthorne Valley

Farm

Please Note!

• Primarily for planning purposes

• Maps have limitations (e.g., scale)

• Raise questions for project review

• Will not tell you if a permit from NYSDEC

is needed

___________________________________________

• Landscape Context • Major Natural Features • Streams and Watersheds • Large Forests (200+ acres) • Wetlands • Calcium-rich bedrock • Grasslands (text only) • Semi-natural areas (text only)

What is in a Habitat Summary?

___________________________________________ What is in a Habitat Summary?

Tables and Links

• Land Cover • Aquifers • Floodplains and Riparian Buffers • Waterbody Classification, Assessments, and Impairment • Stormwater Management • SPDES Permits and Wastewater • Aquatic Barriers

___________________________________________ What is in a Water Resources Summary?

• Background • Information for Chatham • Tables • Maps • References

___________________________________________ What is in a Water Resources Summary?

___________________________________________ What is in a Water Resources Summary?

• Background • Information for Chatham • Tables • Maps • References

Recommended Conservation Guidelines

Identify natural areas early in the planning process.

Avoid and minimize disturbance to natural areas.

Preserve links between natural areas with broad connections.

Direct development toward altered or least sensitive areas.

Preserve farmland potential and working forests.

Outline

Role of local governments

The Natural Resource Summaries

How you can use the Summaries

Where to go for more information

___________________________________________

Area of

concern

Compatible

with protection

of our

groundwater?

More detailed

information?

Species of

concern?

Large

forests that

could

remain

connected?

Important

floodplain

forest

habitats?

Trout

stream?

Trout

stream?

Does it

require a

permit?

Local water

quality?

Why?

Requires

increased

stormwater

protection?

Aquifer concerns?

compatible land uses

Questions raised, answers provided ___________________________________________

Aquifer concerns?

compatible land uses

Important habitats?

Species of concern and floodplain forests

Questions raised, answers provided ___________________________________________

Aquifer concerns?

compatible land uses

Important habitats?

Species of concern and floodplain forests

Protected Stream?

Contact the DEC

Questions raised, answers provided ___________________________________________

Aquifer concerns?

compatible land uses

Important habitats?

Species of concern and floodplain forests

Protected Stream?

Contact the DEC

Impaired waterbody?

Stormwater management concerns

Questions raised, answers provided ___________________________________________

___________________________________________

• Comprehensive Plan • Open Space Plan • Zoning • Town ordinances • Natural Resource Inventory • Comply with stormwater regulations • SEQRA

• Environmental Assessment Forms • Critical Environmental Areas

• Conservation Advisory Councils • Project review (case study)

How can a town use the Summaries?

SEQRA requires lead agencies to take a “hard look” at environmental impacts

Photo: L. Heady

1) identify relevant areas of environmental concern

2) thoroughly analyze those areas to determine if the action may have a significant adverse impact

3) support its determination with reasoned elaboration

The summaries can help you with several questions on the new Environmental Assessment Forms

Critical Environmental Areas

A specific geographic area designated by a state or local agency because it has exceptional or unique environmental or cultural characteristics valued by the community.

Hogback Hill CEA, Hyde Park

In Rosendale, the Conservation Advisory Council prepared a Natural Resource Inventory

In Rhinebeck, the Conservation Advisory Council helps the Planning Board

Outline

Role of local governments

The Natural Resource Summaries

How you can use the Summaries

Where to go for more information

___________________________________________

___________________________________________ Where can I get more information?

Tables and Links

Karen Strong

Biodiversity Outreach Coordinator klstrong@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Andrew Meyer

Shoreline Conservation Specialist axmeyer@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Emily Vail

Watershed Specialist eevail@gw.dec.state.ny.us

NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program

& Cornell University

Helping people enjoy, protect, and revitalize the

Hudson River Estuary and its Valley