Most people, when choosing a house site, look for the best views, distance from neighbors, and proximity to amenities like roads like ponds. But we are surrounded by fragile ecosystems we often know nothing about, and decisions we make about where to build a house might disrupt the nesting habits of endangered turtles, interfere with natural surface water flow, or damage a rare colony of ferns.

An organization called Hudsonia is studying the Hudson Valley region’s wildlife habitats to create maps that identify important natural resources and rare species. Hudsonia’s team of wildlife biologists assess the impact of building and development in the mapped areas, and help town agencies, land trusts, and other land use decision-makers establish policies and practices to protect biodiversity and maintain a healthy ecological landscape.

The time has come to say goodbye to the “me generation” and join the “we generation,”  taking pride in being stewards of the land, instead of kings of the mountain.