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American Heritage Rivers |  |
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American Heritage Rivers Keystone ProjectHudson River - 1Coordination with Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Project Summary Coordination with the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HR AHRI Project No. H010.00) Devise a strategy for coordination among affected agencies and organizations. The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HRVNHA) includes 250 communities in ten counties bordering the Hudson River for 154 miles of tidal estuary. This area is approximately three million acres of Hudson Highlands, Catskill Mountains, rolling farmland and compact villages, small cities and hamlets. The region extends from the confluence of the Mohawk and Hudson Rivers, south to the northern border of New York City. The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area was designed by Congress to recognize the importance of the history and the resources of the Hudson River Valley to the nation. These resources represent themes of settlement and migration, transportation and commerce. The cities, towns, and rural landscapes of the region display exceptional surviving physical resources spanning four centuries. The Hudson River Valley played an important role in the military history of the American Revolution (see associated HR AHRI Keystone Project -"225th Anniversary of the American Revolution - Lighting Freedom's Flame"). The region gave birth to significant developments in American art and architecture and played a central role in the recognition of the esthetic value of the landscape through the work of Andrew Jackson Downing, Alexander Jackson Davis, Thomas Cole and Frederic Church. Dutch and Huguenot settlements, the Knickerbocker writers, early labor cooperatives and the first women's secondary school are all significant contributions to the development of our country and are products of the Hudson River Valley. The mission of the National Heritage Area program is to recognize, preserve and promote the natural and cultural resources of the Hudson River Valley. This will be accomplished through a voluntary partnership with communities and citizens, and local, state and federal agencies emphasizing public access, economic development, regional planning and interpretive programs. The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area is managed by the Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley, a public benefit corporation, and the Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, a state agency. These organizations were established in 1991 and are governed by boards of directors representing numerous public and private constituencies and interest groups in the region. The office for these programs is located in Albany, New York. Project Benefit "A partnership among state, federal and local governments and affected organizations to advance shared goals." The draft management plan for the Hudson River Valley is based on three principles:
National Heritage Area funding will support initiatives that are undertaken in partnership with the communities, organizations and government agencies active in the Hudson River Valley. Programs and projects complementary to many of the proposals in the management plan are currently sponsored by various state agencies and other public and private entities. All National Heritage Area support initiatives that complement a regional vision. Specific projects will be consistent with the goals of local and regional communities, and participation will be voluntary. Through continued and expanded collaboration in the National Heritage Area, we can preserve and tell the region and the world the unique stories of the Hudson River Valley. Current Partnerships
Project Stage/Status The current HRVNHA program is building upon the successful development of the Hudson River Valley Greenway which attracted participation and interest throughout the region for development of local Greenway plans and projects based upon natural and cultural resource protection, economic development including agriculture, tourism and urban redevelopment, regional planning, public access to the Hudson River and heritage and environmental education. Specific projects include development of a regional planning compact that encourages cities, towns, villages and counties to cooperate in planning for common growth strategies; development of a region wide trail system for hiking, biking and paddling on the Hudson River, and implementation of a regional tourism strategy. The first phase of this strategy was completed with the structuring of a public private partnership, the Hudson Valley Tourism Development Council, and hiring a tourism program manager using funds from the Heritage Area appropriation. The group will now complete a regional marketing plan. At the end of 1998, two demonstration projects were initiated to develop a partnership with National Park Service experts and thereby access the needed resources through a technical assistance program. Wilderstein Preservation, Inc. of Rhinebeck, NY recently drafted a strategic plan to address historic preservation of this significant mansion, restoration of the landscape which has commanding views of the Hudson River with direct access to the water, public programming and interpretation of the site. With assistance from National Park service staff, this nonprofit corporation will receive assistance in these areas through completion of its strategic plan, development of a business plan and a work plan that provides area for immediate and long-term planning and a work plan that provides area for immediate and long-term activities. The Dutch Reformed Church of Newburgh is a significant anchor in New York's largest historic district and is need of serious stabilization and extensive rehabilitation. Initial work was done on November of 1998 to stabilize the sanctuary floor. The church is owned by the city of Newburgh and fits prominently into local plans for the restoration of Courtyard Square. A local nonprofit arts council leases the structure and is a partner in the long term planning for its future. Again, the National Park Service is providing technical expertise on the many issues this project presents. During 2000 the National Heritage Area program will undertake a management plan and interpretive plan. The plans will present comprehensive recommendations for the Heritage Area's conservation, funding, management, and development. Input will be solicited from state, county, and local agencies, residents, and private organizations in order to develop a plan that will enhance both land preservation and economic development in the National Heritage Area. The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area is also in the process of developing these following projects:
Local communities and municipalities, the State of New York, private partners, and the federal government are investing hundreds of millions of dollars in the Hudson River Valley. Great progress is being made with the protection and restoration of the region's world-renowned scenic, natural, historic, cultural and recreational resources. This management plan proposes that federal funds ($10 million over the next 10 years) assist these partners, and build upon past successes with regard to the identification, conservation, stewardship and interpretation of priority landscapes and heritage resources of national significance. This includes economic activity and sustainable business investments that protect the Hudson River Valley's heritage and that are endorsed by local and regional communities. Specifically, it is proposed that the federal resources support demonstration projects, regional promotion and responsible economic development by expanding local and regional capacity and rewarding increased regional collaboration. Cost Estimate: To be determined based upon specific projects/initiatives selected Current Funding Sources State and Congressional appropriations Resources Needed To be determined based upon specific projects/initiatives selected Champion Agency: Department of Interior, National Park Service Political Support Governor Pataki Other Initiatives Supported To be determined River Navigator George A. Sisco - Acting Navigator Hudson River - 2225th Anniversary of the American Revolution - "Lighting Freedom's Flame" Project Summary While the war for American Independence was started in New England, declared in Philadelphia and ultimately won in Virginia, the greatest price in terms of death and human suffering was paid in New York. During the conflict, approximately 11,000 patriots died in jails in New York City and on nearby prison ships. Three-times as many patriots died in jails in New York and on prison ships in the harbor as the number killed in all the battles of the eight-year war. In addition, New York's revolutionary heritage includes the first bloodshed of the struggle for liberty, the earliest Congress of the colonies, the largest battle of the revolution and its most famous martyr, Nathan Hale. New York witnessed the establishment of the Constitution, the inauguration of Washington and the adoption of the Bill of Rights. Governor Pataki's office is in the process of working with local organizations and government entities to create the New York State American Revolutionary War Heritage Trail. So far, approximately 80 sites in New York City have been tentatively identified. Project Benefit To be completed Current Partnerships
Project Stage/Status To be completed Cost Estimate: To be completed Current Funding Sources The State of New York plans to provide a total of $1 million in matching grants to help site owners with capital expenses necessary to preserve and rehabilitate sites as well as develop signage and exhibits. Resources Needed To be determined Champion Agency: Department of Interior, National Park Service Political Support Governor Pataki Other Initiatives Supported To be completed River Navigator George A. Sisco - Acting Navigator Hudson River - 3Farmland Protection Project Summary Purchase development rights on farms in the Heritage area that are economically viable, under development pressure, and near a significant public resource, as determined through the State's Farmland Protection Program. Project Benefit Preservation of valuable farmland in the Heritage River Valley. Current Partnerships
Project Stage/Status Identify potential federal funding sources to match state funding for this project. Cost Estimate: To be determined Current Funding Sources To be determined Resources Needed To be determined Champion Agency: US Department of Agriculture, NRCS Political Support Governor Pataki Other Initiatives Supported To be determined River Navigator George A. Sisco - Acting Navigator Hudson River - 4Benthic Mapping Hudson River Estuarine Research - Request For Funding to Carryout A Pilot Inventory of the Sub-aqueous Soil Resources as Part of the Hudson River Estuary Program Project Summary Introduction In 1998 the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) through the Hudson River Estuary Management
Program (HREMP) and the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve (HRNERR) began the Benthic Mapping project to map the
submerged lands of the Hudson River Estuary. The initial phase of the project mapped 40 miles of the river (about one third of
the area of the estuary) in 1998 and 1999 with a suite of geophysical tools including multibeam swath sonar, sidescan sonar, sub
bottom profiling using CHIRP, and ground-penetrating radar. The geophysical data has been supplemented with sediment profile
imagery (SPI) and sediment sampling including cores and grabs. In 2001, another third of the estuary was mapped and pilot studies
of temporal change and invertebrate habitat were conducted. Data products include acoustic images and interpretive maps of
anthropogenic deposits, recently deposited fine-grained sediments, sediment grain size, bedforms, and river bottom morphology. A
summary of the benthic-mapping project including the rationale for extensive remote sensing and some graphics can be seen at
http://www.nywea.org/321060.html
A related project has been undertaken by NYS DEC to map submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) using aerial photography. A major part of the SAV mapping project is a functional assessment of SAV beds in the estuary to quantitatively determine their role in the estuary ecosystems. The initial impetus for these projects was NYS DEC's mandate to manage the natural resources of the estuary. The Hudson River Estuary Action Plan promulgated in 1998 committed the State to conducting an aquatic habitat inventory to define nursery areas most in need of protection for Hudson River fishes, blue crab, and food chain species and to map submerged aquatic vegetation beds and benthic substrates to define and characterize key estuarine habitats and their associated flora and fauna. Both the benthic mapping and the SAV mapping projects were a direct response to this commitment. Long-range Plan The work to date is part of a long-range plan that, when completed, will result in maps of habitat for species of interest in all water depths of the estuary as well as a better understanding of the sediment budget of the estuary and the historical resources of the estuary (see Table 1). In the initial phases of this project (phases 1-3) we are developing detailed sediment classification maps of the entire estuary where water depth exceeds 4 meters are being developed, while staff learn how to transform these sediment c lassification maps into habitat maps for species of interest (fish and crabs). Since benthic invertebrate fauna are an important food source for species of interest, we have initiated a pilot study of benthic invertebrate fauna to determine how these faunal c ommunities are associated with the sediment classification derived from physical properties. The 4-meter depth limit to our baseline mapping is imposed on us by the limitations of draft of our survey vessels and, to some extent, by limitations in the effectiveness of some of our acoustic systems in shallower water. As we develop techniques for shallow water work and learn how to transform sediment classification maps into habitat maps, we will concentrate in later phases of this project on developing baseline maps for shallow water areas and on transforming the sediment classification maps into habitat maps. We expect that the development of habitat maps will require a good deal of effort devoted to understanding the functional relationships among various habitat components and species of interest. While the initial impetus for the benthic mapping project was to map habitat, we anticipate building related projects focusing on sediment and contaminant transport, historical resources, and spill contingency plans. To pursue these other investigations we will have to bring additional talent into the project. Also the difficult problem of transforming sediment classification maps into habitat maps will require the addition of new talent to the project. In particular it would be helpful to have project team members with specialized knowledge of sediment chemistry as it relates to benthic fauna as well as fisheries experts and marine archeologists. Significant Issues Shallow water mapping Sub aqueous soils Historically, estuarine substrates have been viewed as unconsolidated sediments and have been examined mostly by geologists at the state and federal level. Recent research has revealed that estuarine sediments undergo pedogenic processes and are in actuality, soil (Demas and Rabenhorst, 1999). Subsequent work by Demas, et. al. has demonstrated the application of pedagogical principles in estuarine environments and the ecological significance of sub-aqueous soil attributes to benthic (bottom-dwelling) organisms such as clams, scallops, submersed aquatic vegetation (SAV), and other benthic organisms. Our project teams are dominated by geologists, invertebrate biologists (benthic mapping) and biologists (SAV mapping). We do not have any pedologists involved in either project. Therefore, we have no one addressing the issues of soil - are soils developing in parts or all of the estuary; and if so, how do we classify them and how are the soil characteristics related to the existence of rooted plants and communities of benthic invertebrates that live in or on the soils. These benthic faunal communities are an essential part of the food chain that supports species of interest to commercial and sport fishermen. Expand temporal change analysis and benthic invertebrate studies The existing benthic mapping contract calls for pilot studies of temporal change and benthic invertebrates. We are interested in how the estuary floor changes with time and in how variations in benthic substrate are related to variations in benthic fauna. The pilot studies will just begin to explore temporal change in a few local areas. We will be learning how to quantitatively describe temporal change. Temporal change can occur at different scales and among different variables such as sediment type, water depth, bedforms, and area of vegetation. At present it is not clear how to quantify these changes that may all be scale dependent. However, once we have developed a methodology from pilot studies, we will want to investigate temporal change estuary-wide. Similarly our pilot invertebrate studies are investigating whether we can discern relationships among benthic fauna and physical attributes of the estuary floor at various scales. Once we discover useful relationships we will want to extend our faunal studies estuary-wide in order to map the extent of various faunal communities. Functional assessment As we develop maps of invertebrate faunal communities we will want to know more about the functional relationships of the invertebrate faunal communities to species of interest including crabs and fish. We will need to develop a program that explores the relationships between species of interest and their biologic and physical environment. At the present we really don't know what the limiting environmental factors are for species of interest. Are particular species food limited? or limited by extent of nursery habitat? or limited by extent of refuge from prey species? Again the scale of aerial extent of limiting factors may be more important than total abundance. Sediment budget The sediment budget of the estuary is poorly known. Gauging stations on numerous tributaries measure the suspended load in the tributaries; however, little is know about bed load transport during storm events. Also little is know about the fate of suspended load or bed load. Our baseline benthic mapping has identified numerous depocenters at the mouths of tributaries and elsewhere in the estuary, but we have not acquired the data necessary to determine the volume and rate of accumulation at these various depocenters. With geophysical surveys and coring programs focused on these depocenters, we could begin to unravel the sediment budget of the estuary - what is the residence time of tributary suspended load in the estuary and how much deposition occurs on the floor of the estuary. Historical artifacts Our baseline benthic mapping effort has revealed numerous acoustic targets that appear to be shipwrecks. Between 30 and 100 targets were identified (depending on who is counting) in the first phase of baseline mapping that mapped about a third of the estuary. Some of these may have historical interest and be protected under NYS education law. We need to develop a program of evaluating these acoustic targets and determining whether or not specific targets have historical value. Project Benefit We anticipate that this data set has important implications for a number of applications including habitat management, sediment transport, contaminant transport, oil spill response, navigation, preservation of historic resources, law enforcement, and change prediction. In order to develop these applications we have been attempting to develop partnerships with several agencies and academic institutions (see Partners below). Current Partnerships
Project Stage/Status To be determined Cost Estimate: To address the significant issues described above, we are going to need new sources of funding and new partners bringing new
expertise as well as funding to the project. We can envision cooperation with numerous agencies. We have suggested some possible
collaborators in Table 1. We will need to develop a dialogue with these various agencies to develop specific proposals as
opportunities develop. Current Funding Sources Phase 1 Pilot project - begin baseline mapping 1998-2001 Phase 2 Complete baseline mapping from Battery to Troy; initiate pilot studies to explore links between benthic fauna and sediment and
to explore temporal change Columbia U. Excelon Phase 3 Baseline mapping NY/NJ Harbor Phase 4 Expand temporal change analysis and benthic invertebrate studies Phase 5 Map shallow water areas (water depth < 4 meters) Phase 6 Functional Assessment - explore relationships of species of interest to benthic habitats Phase 7 Develop sediment budget for the estuary Phase 8 Evaluate acoustic targets for historical value TOTAL: $5,100,000 New York State Dept of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) has invested over $3M in the current benthic mapping and SAV mapping projects. The actual mapping work has been carried out by scientists from the collaborating institutions. Other organizations have contributed another $1.5 M to this effort. These organizations include Lucent Technologies, Excelon Pipeline, Columbia University, the Hudson River Foundation, NOAA's Coastal Services Center, and the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology (CICEET). Resources Needed To be determined Proposed Champion: US Department of Agriculture, NRCS, for Sub-aqueous Mapping Champion Partner US Department of Commerce, NOAA Political Support Governor Pataki Other Initiatives Supported To be determined River Navigator George A. Sisco - Acting Navigator Hudson River - 5Implementation of the Hudson River Estuary Biodiversity Conservation Plan Project Summary Implementation of the Hudson River Estuary Biodiversity Conservation Plan (H017.03) - The Plan is intended to lend cohesiveness to the various biodiversity conservation activities in the Hudson River Valley. It will guide biodiversity conservation, encouraging community involvement and emphasizing voluntary approaches consistent with local home rule; and Implementation of the Hudson Valley Community Biodiversity Assessment Manual (H017.03). The Manual is intended to provide local communities with the tools necessary to carry out conservation in their local areas. Project Benefit The overall goals of these projects are to assure the continued viable existence of all native plants, animals and ecological communities in the Hudson River Valley, and to help citizens identify significant elements of biodiversity based upon local concerns and conditions, develop strategies for biodiversity conservation, and implement those strategies in local environmental planning. Current Partnerships
Project Stage/Status Identify specific implementation projects for federal/state funding. Cost Estimate: To be determined Current Funding Sources USDA, NRCS - Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program Resources Needed To be determined Proposed Champion: US Department of Agriculture, NRCS Champion Partners US Department of Commerce, NMFS Political Support Governor Pataki Other Initiatives Supported Clean Water Action Plan River Navigator George A. Sisco - Acting Navigator
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