Kevin M. Burke, Chair, Greenway Conservancy for the Hudson River Valley,

Co-Chair, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area

Margaretta “Meg” Downey, Chair, Hudson River Valley Greenway Communities Council, Co-Chair, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area

Scott Keller, Executive Director, Hudson River Valley Greenway,

Director, Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area 

Important Reminders

• The Hudson River Valley Ramble is Back This September With a NEW Photo Contest. Win Valuable Prizes.

• Greenway Planning, Greenway Trail, and Heritage Development Grant Applications are Available Through Our Online Grants Platform. The Remaining Application Deadlines this Year are September 1, 2023, and November 3, 2023. More Details.



• Does Your Organization Own or Manage a Trail? Designate Your Trail as an Official Part of the Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail System. Learn more.

It's Time to Ramble!

This year the Hudson River Valley Ramble is celebrating its 23rd anniversary with over 150 recreational and cultural events highlighting the rich diversity of the Hudson River Valley region and a NEW photo contest.

The Ramble Photo Contest gives participants an opportunity to capture the most spectacular moments, natural landscapes, wildlife, historic landmarks, and more this September. Participants can win prizes and have their photos showcased in next year’s Ramble Guide. Prizes valued at $200 for first place, $150 for second place, $100 for third place, and $50 for fourth place will be awarded in early November.

Every September, ‘Ramblers’ come not only from the Hudson Valley region and New York State but from other regions of the country as well to discover the riches our Valley has to offer. Whether you are looking for a challenging hike, bike ride, or paddle, an inspiring walk through the grounds and homes of some of the Valley's most notable artists, authors, and Great Americans, a trip back in time to experience the significant role the region played in the Revolutionary War or a family-fun festival or river exploration event, the Hudson River Valley Ramble truly offers something for everyone! 

This year's Hudson River Valley Ramble is held daily throughout September and October 1st! So get out there and Ramble! Check out our website for a full listing of events or view our digital guidebook.

Also, don't forget to like/follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

DCTC Publishes County-Wide Transportation Climate Analysis

The Dutchess County Transportation Council has produced the first phase of Resilient Ways Forward, a climate analysis on the vulnerabilities of Dutchess County's transportation system to climate change.

The first phase of this assessment is a system-level analysis to understand the sensitivity of various components of the County's transportation system like roads, bridges, and sidewalks to specific climate hazards, such as flooding and extreme heat. This approach screens for priority climate risks across the transportation system so they can be analyzed further during the phase two asset-level analysis which is currently underway.

This report was funded in part through grants from the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration, of the U.S. Department of Transportation. A county-wide transportation analysis is an acceptable and prioritized funding request through the Hudson River Valley Greenway's Community or Compact Planning Grant Program, as it positively affects multiple communities throughout the county. Check out Resilient Ways Forwad: Vulnerability Assessment Phase I or learn more about HRVG's funding.

Westchester Land Trust Protects Land in Historic Park Hill Neighborhood of Yonkers

Westchester Land Trust (WLT), a nationally accredited land conservation nonprofit headquartered in Bedford Hills, NY, announced the permanent protection of land in the historic Park Hill neighborhood of Yonkers. Preserved in perpetuity by a conservation easement, the land provides scenic enjoyment and open space within a heavily developed city. The newly preserved lots are close to a property protected earlier in 2023 by WLT, creating a swath of permanently protected green space in this urban environment.

The property features large trees, a garden, and rocky outcrops. It is in the Hudson River Estuary and drains into Tibbetts Brook, which flows into Van Cortlandt Lake and eventually into the Harlem River. Protecting water quality in Tibbetts Brook is a priority of the New York City Parks Department.

The easement is located less than a quarter mile from Pelton Park, a central hub of the Yonkers Greenway. Led by the City of Yonkers and Groundwork Hudson Valley, the Yonkers Greenway is creating an urban trail for walking, running, and biking along a branch of the abandoned Putnam Railroad. It will eventually stretch from New York City’s Van Cortlandt Park to the downtown Yonkers waterfront, connecting underserved neighborhoods to parklands. Read the full story.

Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor Awarded $750,000 Grant to Support Preservation in the Mohawk Valley 

The Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor has received a $750,000 Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant from the National Park Service to support economic development through the preservation of historic buildings in rural communities in the Mohawk Valley.  

The National Heritage Corridor will develop a subgrant program that offers support for capital investment in historic properties located in small rural communities adjacent to the New York State Canal System.  

“We are thrilled to be among 13 recipients nationwide to receive this significant funding. These resources will enable us to jump start projects that strengthen local economies and contribute to the greater Mohawk Valley region,” said Bob Radliff, Executive Director of the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor. Read the full story.

Hudson River Valley Greenway's Grant Applications Are Now Hosted on the Greenway's Online Grants Platform

Grant applications for all Hudson River Valley Greenway and Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage grant programs, including Community/Compact Planning, Conservancy Trail, and Heritage Development Grants are now on an online grants platform, HRVG Grants Platform.  This is the only way to apply for our grants. A link to the virtual application process and detailed guidance may be found on our website.

All applications for funding are required to submit grant applications on the online platform to apply for funding for all grant rounds. Applicants must register on the HRVG Grant Platform using their email addresses. Older applications will not be accepted.

If you have any questions or concerns, email grants@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or call us at (518) 473-3835.

Important Reminders

• Be on the Lookout for Invasive Spotted Lanternfly. Learn more.

Get There Green! 2023

Get There Green! (#GTG23) is a week to promote and celebrate more sustainable modes of transportation. This year it is taking place September 17 through 24 and coincides with Climate Week NYC. During this week everyone is encouraged to join in a week of climate action by using more sustainable modes of transportation for as many trips as they can. These include walking, biking, taking public transit, carpooling, driving an electric vehicle, or anything else that isn’t driving alone in a fossil-fuel vehicle.

Read more about how to Get There Green! on the DEC website. Also, in September remember to visit our Living the Green Life webpage as we will be featuring more about how to Get There Green! 

Upcoming Events

Guided Tour, USS Slater, Albany NY

September 1-30: Take a guided 1-hour tour filled with stories about sailors aboard Destroyer Escorts. Read more.

Free Sails with Ferry Sloops, Shattemuc Yacht Club, Ossining, NY

September 2: The sails aboard Whimbrel, the sloop-rigged Catboat, will depart at various times. The free sails are on a "first come, first served" basis. Learn more.

Bird Watching and Photography Cruise, Hudson River Maritime Museum, Kingston, NY

September 3: Join experienced guides as you go birdwatching from the comfort of the fully solar-powered, and QUIET, Solaris! Find out more.

Tour, Piermont Railroad Station Museum, Piermont, NY

September 3 & 17: Take a tour of this 1883 landmark RR Station during the hours of 1-4 pm. Read more.

Fall Crafts, Lyndhurst, Tarrytown, NY

September 8: Spend the day with family and friends at Artrider’s longest-running craft festival! More info.

Brinton Brook Audubon Hike, Brinton Brook Audubon Sanctuary, Croton-on-Hudson, NY

September 9: Explore the 156 acres of the Sanctuary overlooking the Hudson River on this 2-hour nature walk with an optional 1.5-hour extension. More details.

Author Interview with Phil Papas, St. Paul's Church National Historic Site, Mount Vernon, NY

September 9: Dr. Phil Papas, Ph.D., senior professor of history at Union County College, speaks about his book "Renegade Revolutionary: The Life of General Charles Lee". Find out more.

Cary Institute Forest Ecology Walk, Gifford House, Millbrook, NY

September 10: Join Cary Institute forest ecologist Dr. Charles Canham for an interpretive 2-mile walk along the Wappinger Creek Trail. Read more.

History Caravan, Saratoga National Historical Park, Stillwater, NY

September 12 & 26: Visitors will travel caravan-style in their own vehicles to selected tour stops where the tour leader will tell the story of the Battles of Saratoga and share their importance. Learn more.

From Founders to Farmers: 17th through Early 20th Century Archaeology in the Hudson Valley, Putnam History Museum, Cold Spring, NY

September 13: This lecture by archaeologist Eugene Boesch will discuss historic period archaeology in the Hudson Valley; from the early 17th through 20th centuries. Find out more.

Sunset Hike at Rockwood Hall, Rockefeller State Park Preserve, Pleasantville, NY

September 14: Join a 3-mile hike at Rockwood Hall and witness the spectacular view of the sun setting over the Hudson and the Tappan Zee Bridge. More info.

Walking Tour of Public Art, Vassar Institute Theater, Poughkeepsie, NY

September 15: The guided walking tour is a 2-hour leisurely walk stopping to discuss public art covering a few blocks in downtown Poughkeepsie. More details.

Historians Paddle & Hike of Germantown and Catskill, Ernest R. Lasher Jr. Memorial Park, Germantown, NY

September 16: Germantown Historian Tom Shannon will lead a paddle from Lasher Park in Germantown across the Hudson into Ramshorn Creek. Read more.

Capital Apple and Wine Festival, Altamont Fairgrounds, Guilderland, NY

September 16-17: Enjoy vendors, food trucks, a magician, tastings, music, and more. Find out more.

Kayak with TEAC to Nyack (and Back!), Losee Park, Tarrytown, NY

September 17: Join the Tarrytown Environmental Advisory Council and your paddling friends with your kayak, as we paddle 2.7 miles across the Hudson River at the fabled Tappan Zee, then back again. Learn more.

Pride of the Hudson Narrated Sightseeing Cruise, 4 Washington St, Newburgh, NY

September 19: All aboard the Pride of the Hudson for a Cruise through the majestic Hudson Highlands! More info.

Dalmatian Day 2023, FASNY Museum of Firefighting, Hudson, NY

September 23: Join this family-friendly extravaganza that includes a meet-and-greet with live Dalmatians, games for kids, Dalmatian-themed craft projects, a comedy and juggling act, and more. Read more.

Roe Jan Ramble Bike Tour, Columbia County, NY

September 23: Join the 11th anniversary of the Roe Jan Ramble Bike Tour on quiet country roads in some of the most beautiful scenery of the Hudson Valley & Taconic foothills you've ever seen. More details.

The Army Tunnels, Tackamac Town Park, Blauvelt, NY

September 24: Join David A Steinberg, author, of "Hiking the Road to Ruins" as you explore an abandoned National Guard shooting range. Read more.

Young at Heart: Sketch Your Landscape, Olana State Historic Site, Hudson, NY

September 26-28: Participants ages 55+ are invited to sketch Church’s artist-designed landscape and scenic views learning basic artistic principles in the process. Find out more.

Stone Strategies- Documentation, Stewardship & Conservation of Historic Cemeteries, Historic Huguenot Street, New Paltz, NY

September 28: This is a full-day workshop: a morning full of practical, useful information and an afternoon in the cemetery learning functional hands-on preservation methods. Learn more.

Harvest Moon Tour, Oakwood Cemetery, Troy, NY

September 29: In the early evening, you'll listen to remarkable stories and visit the lovely monuments of Oakwood's interesting residents. More info.

18th Century Living Crafts, Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site, Stony Point, NY

September 30: Experience demonstrations and hands-on activities as they were done during the 18th Century. More details.

Newburgh Open Studios, Newburgh Art Supply, NY

September 30-October 1: The 13th Annual Newburgh Open Studios tour offers a unique opportunity to see the work and meet many of the artists in the City of Newburgh's burgeoning arts community. Find out more.

Jay Day, Jay Heritage Center, Rye, NY

October 1: Jay Day will include food trucks, pony rides, live music, nature presentations, mansion tours and more! Learn more.

Heritage Spotlight: Cropsey Home and Studio, Westchester County

In 1885, Jasper Cropsey moved to this Gothic Revival-style villa on a hill overlooking the Palisades. The home was originally constructed in 1835 and Cropsey added to it a spacious studio with skylights and a massive inglenook fireplace. It was here that he painted sun-filled, meticulously rendered landscapes— often of Hudson River scenes—until his death. The house, which Cropsey dubbed “Ever Rest,” is owned and managed by the nonprofit Newington-Cropsey Foundation. Period wallpapers and curtains enhance the décor, which includes furniture designed by the artist. There is also a large selection of Cropsey’s paintings, watercolors, drawings, and prints as well as samples of his painting implements and other personal effects. The nearby Gallery of Art features paintings from all phases of Cropsey’s career hung in the manner of a 19th-century picture gallery. Learn more.

Project Spotlight: Village of Green Island Zoning Update

The Village of Green Island in Albany County received a Community Planning Grant to conduct a zoning update. With the exception of several minor revisions, it was 38 years since the Village of Green Island made a comprehensive revision to its zoning code. The Village is primarily an urban community with a strong riverfront history across the river from the City of Troy and less than 10 miles north of the City of Albany. An objective of the zoning code update was to incorporate changes addressing re-development pressures that have occurred over the past several years. Certain areas of the Village that were once reserved for vibrant industrial uses have become more attractive for mixed-use or even residential uses as the local and regional economies shift away from historical riverfront uses. The update to the code also supports the recommendations of recently adopted planning initiatives such as the Village’s Community Development Plan and the Recreation and Open Space Plan. Learn more about the Village of Green Island.

Celebrate National Public Lands Day by Volunteering on September 23, 2023

National Public Lands Day on September 23, 2023, is organized annually and led by the National Environmental Education Foundation, in partnership with the National Park Service and other federal agencies. Hundreds of thousands of volunteers roll up their sleeves to help restore and preserve public lands of all types and sizes—from iconic national parks and rivers to local urban green spaces and everything in between. Learn more.

Grant and Funding Opportunities

Greenway Conservancy Trail Grant Program

This grant program is dedicated to funding recreational trail projects. Special consideration is given to projects that seek to implement the goals of the Greenway Trail Program. The remaining deadlines for applications this year are due on HRVG's Online Grants Platform by September 1, 2023, and November 3, 2023. More details.

Hudson River Valley Greenway Community Grant Program

Matching grants are available for Greenway Communities and Greenway Compact Communities. The remaining deadlines for applications this year are due on HRVG's Online Grants Platform by September 1, 2023, and November 3, 2023. More info.

Heritage Development Grants

This grant program offers funding for programming, interpretation, and marketing projects that support the mutual goals of the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area and applicants. Grants will typically range from $1,000 to $7,500. Grant program guidelines and applications are available on the HRVNHA's website. Please note that staff time is eligible to be reimbursed, but only if that staff time is for the direct development of programming or interpretation, as identified in the grant application. The remaining deadlines for applications this year are due on HRVG's Online Grants Platform by September 1, 2023, and November 3, 2023. Learn more.

National Heritage Area Sponsorships Available

The Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area (HRVNHA) will partner with various organizations to sponsor programs and events that reinforce the Heritage Area’s mission. While complimenting the mission of the Heritage Area, cultural, heritage, and recreational events deliver significant tourism and economic benefits to communities, and encourage local and regional partnerships. Municipalities and nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations located within the HRVNHA are eligible to apply. Applications are available on HRVG's Online Grants Platform. For more information, please contact Dan Jeanson at daniel.jeanson@hudsongreenway.ny.gov or 518-473-3835.

NYSCA/GHHN Conservation Treatment Grant Program

These grants support treatment procedures by professional conservators to aid in stabilizing and preserving objects in collections of museums, historical, and cultural organizations in New York State with up to a maximum of $7,500. Deadline: September 1, 2023. Find out more.

Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program

The Rural and Tribal Assistance Pilot Program offers technical assistance grants to rural and tribal communities. The NOFO combines two years of funding (Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023), $3.4 million in total, to eligible applicants on a first-come, first-served basis. Individual awards will range in value up to the statutory limit of $360,000. There is no local funding match required to participate in this program. The grants may be used to hire staff or advisors to assist with early development-phase activities including, but not limited to, feasibility studies; preliminary engineering and design; environmental review; revenue forecasting; financial feasibility analysis; statutory and regulatory analysis and drafting and negotiation of agreements. Deadline: September 27, 2023. Read more.

Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant Program

The U.S. Department of Transportation is now taking applications for the Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods (RCN) Program, an unprecedented effort to build good transportation infrastructure to reconnect communities to economic opportunities. Deadline: September 28, 2023. Learn more.

Community Forest Conservation Grant Program

This grant program funds municipal land acquisition for community forests, which are vital for wildlife habitat, flood mitigation, recreational opportunities, mental health, air quality, water quality, and to meet the obligations outlined in New York's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. Deadline: October 11, 2023. More info.

Technical Assistance Grants

Technical Assistance Grants are available to eligible NYS nonprofits and municipalities. The TAG Program provides support for planning studies or analyses of New York State’s historic resources that serve an arts and/or cultural function. TAG funds consulting reports only, completed by architects, engineers and/or other design and preservation professionals. These grants do not fund capital construction costs, architectural plans and specifications, schematic designs, or construction documents. Pre-Application deadline: Monday, October 9. Grant application deadline: Friday, October 20, 2023. Find out more.

Legacy Trails Grant Program

This program is funded up to $1.5M per year for 5 years through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and supports partner trail projects that further the Legacy Roads and Trails criteria on National Forest System trails throughout the nine Forest Service Regions. The goal of the program is to support projects that restore, protect, and maintain watersheds on our national forests and grasslands. American Trails is administering this grant program, and is soliciting applications for funding, with awards up to $100K per project. Deadline: December 1, 2023. Read more.

Candevra Foundation Grant Program

The Candreva Environmental Foundation is a New York state based organization that provides seed money for local environmental education initiatives and projects that engage young people in environmental service. Awards of up to $500 can be used for materials, printing costs, student and teacher travel, communication costs and other project related expenses. Grants are limited to Westchester and Putnam Counties. Deadline: June 1, 2024. Find out more.

The Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund

The Peter H. Brink Leadership Fund helps to build the capacity of existing preservation organizations and encourages collaboration among these organizations by providing grants for mentoring and other peer-to-peer and direct organizational development and learning opportunities. More info.

Trails Count Grant Program

The Trails Count Grant Program is an assistance grant in partnership with Eco Counter and focuses on the quality of mountain bike trail communities by measuring the number of users on trails to assess the impact of trails. The grants support communities that have the interest and political support to develop trail use measurement systems but need additional assistance. More details.

Extreme Terrain’s Clean Trail Grant Program

This program will provide eligible groups the opportunity to apply for a grant to fund their next trail improvement-related project, which could range from trail clean-up, trail restoration, trail expansion, to name a few. Learn more.

New York State Assembly Grants Action News 

State, federal, and private grant information from the New York State Assembly. More info.