The Hudson Highland Land Trust, in conjunction with the Cornwall Conservation Advisory Council (CCAC), is asking residents which open spaces and natural resources are most important to them. The deadline to complete an online survey has been extended to Dec. 14. The survey, which takes about 10 minutes to complete, can be found by visiting surveymonkey.com/r/CornwallNHP.
The Natural Heritage Project is part of the bigger Natural Resources Inventory, which began earlier this year and aimed to identify all the natural resources in the community including those that are cultural, historical, and environmental. Carla Castillo, chair of the CCAC, said that should be completed by the end of the year.
As an extension to that, the survey’s purpose is to create a plan around Cornwall’s resources and identify those areas that are cherished by the community.
To date, over 150 people have responded to the survey and Castillo has already noticed a trend in the top concerns for preservation. Water quantity and quality (what goes into bodies of water and aquifers) is important, as is preserving corridors for animals. Local wildlife lose their homes every time a parcel of woodland is developed. Scenic areas are an important commodity, as are historic sites, but those are mere pinpoints on a map, rather than large swaths of land.
Once the results of the survey are tabulated, overlaying maps will be created identifying the areas that need to be preserved.
The benefit of this, Castillo explained, is it highlights areas where it makes sense to develop and it serves as a guide in planning for the community’s future.
The project is being done in partnership with the Town of Blooming Grove, which shares a number of natural resources with Cornwall. Blooming Grove has been working with the Orange County Land Trust to complete its Natural Heritage Project, while the CCAC has teamed up with the Hudson Highland Land Trust. The CCAC has also been working with the Orange County Water Authority and received a grant from the Hudson River Estuary Program to complete the maps.
