The Preservation Collective, Inc.

05/23/2026

05/06/2026

Thank you for the shout out Sugar Loaf Community Foundation. While we advocated hard to save this property from the overdevelopment project proposed at that time...and the Chester Town Board and landowner agreed to let it go to a public vote... it was ultimately the residents of Chester who brought it home. This win truly belongs to the community.

It is important that we can all try to spend more time outdoors, volunteer for beautification projects, promote the benefits of open space preservation, conserve resources, and participate in planning efforts led by our public officials. As development continues, it’s important that we work together to identify areas that need protection, safeguard vital natural resources, and support willing landowners who want to leave a living legacy.

The Town of Chester is on the verge of making a meaningful commitment to open space preservation with the upcoming vote on a Community Preservation Fund. Keep an eye out as the process moves forward.

A greener today creates a better tomorrow for generations to come.

05/06/2026

Turtles cross roads in New York State primarily to lay eggs. During the months of May and June, female turtles leave their aquatic habitats in search of suitable nesting sites, often crossing roads to find loose soil where they can lay their eggs…
Unfortunately, this migration puts them at risk, as many are struck by vehicles during this time. Protecting these turtles is crucial, as losing even one mature female can significantly impact local populations

A turtle crossing a road in May is almost certainly a female carrying eggs.

She's not lost. She's heading to a nesting site she may have used for years — sometimes decades. The route is fixed. The road was built across her path, not the other way around.

Aquatic turtles — painted, snapping, spotted — leave ponds to find warm, well-drained soil for egg-laying. Land turtles — box, wood — make shorter crossings but face the same risk. They move slowly, and during nesting season most of the ones on roads are females.

Turtles take years to reach breeding age. A female lost on the road isn't replaced quickly. The slow ones crossing in May are the ones the local population depends on most.

🐾 If you see one:

- Move her in the direction she was already heading — not back the way she came
- Don't relocate her to a "better" spot — turtles have strong site fidelity and will try to return to their route
- Carry small turtles by the sides of the shell, low to the ground
- Snapping turtles: grip the rear of the shell above the hind legs, not the tail — the tail is part of the spine and pulling it causes injury
- If traffic is heavy, turn on your hazards and help her across. It takes less than a minute

She'll cross the same stretch next year. Whether she makes it depends on who sees her first 🐢

04/24/2026

If you've ever stopped to marvel at a massive old tree, we've got the hobby for you. This , meet the Big Tree Hunters — a community of people who seek out, document, and celebrate the largest trees they can find. Despite the name, the only shooting involved is with a camera. See if you know the Hudson Valley's biggest trees: https://www.scenichudson.org/viewfinder/big-trees-and-the-humans-who-find-them/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=hvviewfinderarchives&utm_content=plants_animals
Image: The Bedford Oak. Marty Aligata / Wikimedia Commons
Scenic Hudson's News + Valley Views:

04/22/2026

Happy Earth Day!
Today is a beautiful reminder that caring for our planet starts with the values we share and the actions we take together. When we help others appreciate nature — whether friends, family, or our community — we inspire future protectors of the planet.

We’ve gathered a few helpful resources to spark meaningful conversations and actions. Explore our environmental links for adults and kids on our website. See below:

Orange County Soil & Water Conservation District Orange County NY Department of Planning The Orange County Water Authority Cornell Cooperative Extension New York State Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation Department of State – Division of Local Government Services New York State Association of...

04/21/2026

Arbor Week is a great time to plant trees! Before you pick up your shovel, consider how big your tree will grow, what soil it likes, and where you are planting it. Planning is the first step to creating a stable, happy relationship with your new tree!

Check out planting tips in the comments, and don’t forget to enter your planted tree into the Tree Tracker to help New York State reach its goal of planting 25 Million Trees by 2033! 👇

04/17/2026

Happy Bat appreciation day! This day aims to change misconceptions about bats, which are often viewed negatively due to myths and fears.

🦇We're so excited to celebrate by unveiling our Bat Ambassador Training that is free, online, and open to all!
Swoop in to discover fun bat facts that will impress your friends. Link in comments. 👇

A Bat Ambassador is simply someone who loves bats and helps to foster a wider appreciation for them. Bat Ambassadors talk with friends, family, neighbors, and others, sharing information about how amazing bats are and the many ways we can support and protect them. As a Bat Ambassador, you’ll also be eligible to take additional courses to learn new Bat Skills like leading Bat Walks and planting Bat Gardens (coming soon!)

Photo: Jonathan Alonzo

04/14/2026

There's a puddle in the woods that wasn't there in January. It won't be there in July. Right now, it's the most important body of water in your neighborhood.

It's a vernal pool. No inlet. No outlet. No fish. Just snowmelt and rain trapped in a depression that holds water for three to four months, then dries completely.

That's the point.

No fish means no predators eating eggs. Every amphibian within a quarter mile knows this. Spotted salamanders crossed roads at midnight to reach it. Wood frogs called from its edges for three nights and then went silent. Their egg masses — jelly clusters the size of softballs — are floating on the surface right now.

Below the surface, the race is running.

Fairy shrimp appeared first. Translucent, half an inch long, swimming upside down. They hatch from eggs that have been sitting in dry leaf litter since last summer, waiting for water to return. They'll complete their entire lifecycle — hatch, grow, mate, lay eggs, die — before the pool dries.

Caddisfly larvae are building cases from tiny sticks and sand grains on the bottom. Dragonfly nymphs are hunting mosquito larvae. The food web in a temporary puddle is as complex as any pond.

The clock is the water line. When it reaches the mud, everything still in larval form dies.

🌿 How to find one:

- Walk any wooded area with low spots after rain — standing water with no flowing source is likely vernal
- Jelly egg masses on the surface confirm it
- Fairy shrimp (tiny, translucent, swimming upside down) are diagnostic — they only live in vernal pools
- Don't introduce fish, plants, or water — the system works because it's temporary

A puddle with a deadline. Everything in it knows. 🐸

04/09/2026

Looking for a simple way to get involved during International Dark Sky Week (April 13-20)? Take a few minutes to check your outdoor lighting and make simple changes that make a real difference.

Take the Home Outdoor Lighting Assessment and get started: https://bit.ly/4itASgt

03/25/2026

Sign up and learn more info on NYS-DEC Environmental Notice Bulletin (ENB) go to : https://dec.ny.gov/news/environmental-notice-bulletin/help

📰Interested to learn about proposed environmental projects or policies in New York State? Check out DEC’s weekly Environmental Notice Bulletin (ENB) for the latest environmental permit applications, public notices, comment periods on proposed regulations or policy, and much more! Easily find projects and regulations by searching by notice type, Region or County, or by typing in a keyword for a project.

📩Sign up for DEC Delivers to receive email alerts when the ENB is published each Wednesday.