The Preservation Collective, Inc.

08/24/2026

08/24/2026

We’ve seen a bit of misinformation floating around about Community Preservation Funds and the Town of Chester’s upcoming vote on the ballot. To help provide residents with accurate information, we created a simple FAQ to explain what the CPF is — and what it isn’t !
Please check out our website at:

On November 3, 2026, Chester’s Community Preservation Fund will be on the ballot.

08/10/2026

Orange County has an open space grant program open to willing landowners, nonprofits, and municipalities. Note: funding may only cover up to 50% of the purchase price, not to exceed 50% of the appraised value. The applicant must secure the remaining funds through other partnerships and funding sources; which is why municipalities with an established Community Preservation Fund can have a real leg up when land preservation opportunities arise.

Know a piece of open space that needs saving?
Share this, The 2026 Fall Funding Cycle is now open!
Deadline: September 25, 2026 at 4 p.m.

Orange County is investing in projects that protect open space, expand recreation, and strengthen our communities. Towns, villages, and cities, this is your opportunity to bring meaningful projects to life.

Apply now:
https://www.orangecountyny.gov/2505/Open-Space-Fund-2026

08/04/2026

Happy International Owl Awareness Day!

International Owl Awareness Day is celebrated every August 4 to honor owls, their ecological role, and the urgent need to protect them from habitat loss, poisoning, light pollution and other threats.

This is a global observance dedicated to raising awareness about these nocturnal birds of prey that play a vital role in ecosystems.
Owls help control rodent and small mammal populations naturally, reducing the need for harmful pesticides. Owls can fly almost silently thanks to the special shape of their wings, which reduces noise. They also turn their heads up to 270 degrees without moving a feather, making them incredibly stealthy. Celebrate owls by looking up more interesting facts and learning about those that live in your area.

photo: Standing Owl sculpture at Storm King Art Center 2013

08/03/2026

Open space planning is required, if you want to preserve it....and the Town of Chester has made great efforts to give residents the opportunity to vote on a Community Preservation Fund (CPF) this November.
What can CPF funds be used for?
• Open space protection; acquiring development rights to keep natural landscapes from being converted into intensive development.
• Farmland preservation; securing agricultural easements that help farms remain farms.
• Trail corridors and public access; protecting or expanding walking, biking, and nature trails
• Historic preservation; supporting stewardship and restoration of historic sites
• Environmental protection; safeguarding aquifer recharge areas, wetlands, forests, and ecologically sensitive habitats.

The range of eligible parcels is diverse, from large open spaces to protect wildlife corridors with sweeping vistas to small lots that could someday be converted into pocket-parks to improve neighborhood quality of life.

How does a CPF work?
Through tools such as Purchase of Development Rights, Fee Simple Acquisition, and Conservation Easements, the CPF gives willing landowners alternatives to development. It also reduces reliance on bond approvals that increase town budgets and take months or years to secure.

These uses are set in advance with the adoption of a Community Preservation Plan with public oversight. CPF money cannot be used for unrelated "pet" projects or general municipal expenses. The funding mechanism is a one-time closing fee collected from the buyer on the transfer of improved or vacant land. No extra tax on existing residents.

In short, Community Preservation Funds offer a sustainable, and community-driven approach and proven to work in other Hudson Valley communities in protecting the environment all while providing municipalities with financial stability for long-term goals.

What Chester voters are being asked?
This November, residents will decide whether the Town should establish a Community Preservation Fund. State law requires voter approval before any community can create one.

As with any public initiative, misconceptions and misinformation will inevitably surface that will create confusion and discourage support. This makes it important for residents to rely on verified facts when evaluating the proposal. Residents are encouraged to talk with their public officials, read the Chester Community Preservation Plan, and consult other reliable sources when evaluating the proposal and casting a vote this election ballot.

Resources:

https://chester-ny.gov/

https://www.thepreservationcollective.com/community-preservation-funds/

07/31/2026

Big news…This November, residents of the Town of Chester will decide how to protect the future of the community’s remaining farmland, open spaces, and natural resources.

A Community Preservation Fund (CPF) is a locally controlled funding tool that Chester residents can vote to create. Once established, the money can only be spent on the specific conservation priorities listed in the Community Preservation Plan for things like protecting open space, farmland, trails, historic sites, drinking water and other sensitive environmental areas. It cannot be used for unrelated projects.

The journey began in 2018, when then–Deputy Supervisor Robert Valentine proposed following the Town of Warwick’s successful Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) model, which has protected thousands of acres from overdevelopment. As Supervisor, he advanced Chester’s Community Preservation Fund Bill, which passed both the NYS Assembly and Senate and was delivered to the governor’s desk twice during his tenure awaiting authorization.

As time went on, it is remarkable that this momentum never faded. Even as Town leadership changed, the initiative continued to move forward. Successive Town Boards, NY State representatives, and community advocates kept the proposal alive, demonstrating a rare level of long-term, bipartisan commitment to allow residents to vote on a way to protect Chester’s remaining open spaces.

That persistence paid off in October 2025, when Supervisor Brandon Holdridge announced that Governor Kathy Hochul had signed the legislation sponsored by Senator James Skoufis and Assemblyman Brian Maher. This means the Town of Chester is authorized to establish a dedicated funding mechanism via real estate transfers (at no cost to existing residents) to create a Community Preservation Fund, pending a mandatory public vote.

Recently, the Chester Town Board unanimously approved placing that question to voters on the 2026 election ballot...a major milestone nearly a decade in the making. Now Chester residents will have the opportunity to decide whether to adopt this preservation tool, which provides willing landowners with options to protect drinking water, farmland, natural areas, and community character for generations to come.

A huge thank you to everyone who stayed committed and helped bring this decision to the Chester community.

If approved by voters, Chester will join other communities in the Hudson Valley that have already approved similar Community Preservation Funds, which includes the Towns of Red Hook, Warwick, New Paltz, Gardiner, Marbletown, Chatham, Rochester and City of Kingston.

We’ll be sharing additional information to support residents in making an informed choice. We also hope this process proves valuable for other communities exploring similar approaches.

Stay tuned.
The Preservation Collective, Inc.
https://www.thepreservationcollective.com/community-preservation-funds/

07/24/2026

Keep history alive …. In recognition of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, New York’s state historic sites and state parks are hosting special exhibitions, offering dynamic programs, showcasing preservation projects, sharing digital resources and more. Click below :

Revisit the Revolution

07/10/2026

Nature depends on darkness. From forests and wetlands to coastlines and grasslands, natural cycles have evolved with the rhythms of day and night. When artificial light brightens the night sky, it affects ecosystems, disrupts wildlife behavior, and changes the natural world in ways we are only beginning to understand.

You can't protect nature without protecting the night.

By becoming a DarkSky Member, you help advance the research, education, and advocacy needed to reduce light pollution and preserve healthy nighttime environments for all living things.

Join us in protecting one of nature's most overlooked resources: the night. https://bit.ly/4bB7LFc

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.