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Hudson Valley Smart Growth Alliance
 
Planning for Biodiversity
Strategies for Developers and Municipalities
 
Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Marist College, Cabaret (Student Center)
 
Skipper on Cinquefoil
Skipper on Cinquefoil
Photo: Laura Heady
When communities understand their biological resources and natural systems, they are better equipped to achieve smart, sustainable growth. Incorporating biodiversity early in land use planning creates a more efficient process for both developers and municipalities. This conference will present principles of biodiversity conservation, case studies of municipal and county strategies and resources available to inform the process.
 
Presented by:
The Hudson Valley Smart Growth Alliance
HVSGA is a regional partnership of diverse interests including environmental, land conservation, and economic development organizations, builders, realtors, tourism officials and planning agencies who have come together to build consensus on smart growth principles and promote local and regional solutions to sprawl.
 
5:00pm Registration, Networking Reception with Refreshments
5:45pm Welcome
Elmore Alexander, Dean, School of Management at Marist College
    PDFPresentation
Manna Jo Greene, Environmental Director, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Inc.
    PDFPresentation
6:00pm Keynote Speech: What is Biodiversity?
Michael Klemens, Ph.D., Director of Conservation Science, Scenic Hudson
    PDFPresentation
6:50pm County Perspective: Proactive Planning for Habitat Conservation: Strategies & Success Stories
René VanSchaack, Director of Community and Environmental Programs Division, Greene County IDA
    PDFPresentation
Greene IDA Environmental Protection Programs Featured at Hudson Valley Biodiversity Conference
    PDFPress Release
7:25pm Municipal Perspective: Habitat Assessment Guidelines/Conservation Analysis
Karen Schneller-McDonald, Hickory Creek Consulting
    PDFPresentation
Lauren Kingman, Town of Milan Planning Board
8:00pm Tools for Protecting Nature in Your Community
Laura Heady, Hudson River Estuary Biodiversity Outreach Coordinator, NYSDEC Hudson River Estuary Program
    PDFPresentation     PDFHandout
8:30pm Questions and Answers

 
  Photos from the Seminar
 
PDFPlanning for Biodiversity Program, with presenters’ bios and abstracts.

 
Smart Growth Principles
  1. Thinking Regionally, Acting Locally. Support local, community-based planning and land use decisions while strengthening home rule with training programs for board members and voluntary regional coordination through the Greenway Compact.
  2. Protecting Our Landscape Legacy. Adopt protection measures for farmlands, important open space, parks, and critical natural and wildlife areas that create connected greenspace systems across municipal boundaries and through the region.
  3. Building Close-Knit, Interconnected Communities. Encourage compact, mixed-use development patterns in and around existing centers and in locally identified priority growth areas, linked to more cost efficient infrastructure and public services.
  4. Respecting the Past, Building for the Future. Ensure that new development is compatible with existing community character, preserves and rehabilitates historic buildings and districts, and creates enduring value through high quality design.
  5. Giving Growth Back its Good Name. Promote economic development including agriculture and tourism, employment opportunities, and a full range of housing options that are consistent with Smart Growth principles and use green building techniques whenever possible.
  6. Making Connections More Convenient. Provide a wider variety of transportation choices, including walkable neighborhoods that can support public transit, to reduce auto-dependency, traffic congestion and pollution and allow better access to jobs and services.
  7. Streamlining Without Sacrificing Quality. Make the development process more predictable, fair and cost effective through updated community plans, codes and design guidelines, coordinated review process, inter-agency cooperation, and incentives for Smart Growth practices.
Oven Bird Nest
Oven Bird Nest
Photo: Laura Heady

Sponsoring Organizations
Dutchess Land Conservancy, Hagerty Grant Writing Services, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Hudson River Valley Greenway, Hudson Valley Development Group, Marist College, New York State DEC Hudson River Estuary Program, Scenic Hudson, and Spectra Environmental Services.

Endorsing Organizations
Builders Association of Hudson Valley, Dutchess County Economic Development, Corporation, Dutchess County Planning and Development, Hudson Valley Regional Council, Nature Network, New York Planning Federation, New York State Department of State, Regional Plan Association, and Sustainable Hudson Valley.

 

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