DEC and Earth Day Mark 50 Years; Hudson Valley Forest Analysis; Grants to Prevent Pollution

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 04/21/2020 11:25 AM EDT
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
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Hudson RiverNet - News from the Hudson River Estuary Program

In This Issue:

  • 50 Years: DEC and Earth Day
  • Hudson Valley Forest Analysis
  • Pollution Prevention Institute Community Grants
  • Environmental Excellence Awards: Deadline Extended

DEC and Earth Day Mark 50 Years

On April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day, legislation was signed creating the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to oversee all environmental concerns through one agency. DEC opened its doors on July 1 that same year and began its work toward addressing environmental problems in the air, water and on land. Over the past 50 years, water quality has vastly improved, but a lot remains to be done. Learn about Clean Water for the Hudson. Find out more about DEC's 50th anniversary on DEC's History webpage.

DEC 50 anniversary logo

New: Hudson Valley Forest Analysis

Last year, DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program partnered with the NY Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP) to update our GIS data on forest patches and assess the condition of large forest patches within the Hudson River estuary watershed. This analysis was designed to help inform land-use and conservation planning, by creating tools to help identify forest priorities. Along with updating our GIS layer of roadless forest patches using 2016 land cover data, the project considered 22 factors to rank the condition of the forest patches.

The project report and GIS data downloads are available on the project page.
Additional data from an associated fragmentation analysis are available to download at the NYS GIS Clearinghouse.

The core forest layer and forest condition index can be viewed under the “forests” tab on the Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper (recommended for non-GIS users or anyone wanting to explore the data in an online mapper).

View of forested mountains in summer with a distant view of the Hudson River

Pollution Prevention Institute Community Grants

The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) is now accepting applications for its Community Grants Program 2020-2021 for pollution prevention outreach and education projects. Eligible groups include community organizations and local government agencies based in New York State. The program is designed to support initiatives that raise awareness and understanding of environmental issues and that lead to adoption of sustainable practices. Applications are due May 29, 2020.

Deadline Extended: Annual Environmental Excellence Awards

Environmental Excellence AwardDEC is accepting applications for the 17th annual Environmental Excellence Awards program. The Environmental Excellence Awards recognize businesses, institutions, municipalities, and organizations for outstanding commitments to environmental sustainability, social responsibility, and economic viability. The NYS Environmental Excellence Awards (EEA) program is continuing to accept applications, but we have extended the official due date to May 15, 2020 because of the COVID-19 public health crisis.