External news template

Title Gunks preservation workshop ahead

By Alan Snel

May 16, 2002

   Wurtsboro – It's the geographic backbone of Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties and it's facing increasing development pressures, like many scenic places in the region.
   So, it's time to hold a workshop on the Shawangunk Ridge and bring average Joes, environmental greens and local officials to talk about protecting the Gunks' environmental resources and water supplies. With potential threats such as a proposed casino in the Town of Mamakating to talk of 2,000 condos in the Town of Greenville, a coalition of groups is sponsoring the Shawangunk Region Smart Growth Workshop from 8:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Valley Brook Conference Center on Route 209 in Wurtsboro. The workshop is free.
   David Church, a Walker Valley resident who is Orange County's new planning commissioner, said it's vital for towns and villages to plan together to preserve the entire ridge. The Gunks run from just south of Rosendale to the New York-New Jersey border.
   "It's good to build cooperation and partnerships around land use," said Tom Cobb, manager of Minnewaska State Park Preserve, a Gunks jewel outside New Paltz. "Building those dialogues gets everybody on the same page."
   John Myers, who is helping organize the workshop, said he is surprised by the interest. He was expecting 25-30 people, but 40 residents have already said they're coming and seven of the 14 towns and villages along the Gunks corridor said a representative will attend.
   The prospect of gambling, increased growth in the region and the change of Route 17 to Interstate 86 are some of the factors that prompted the workshop, said Myers, land acquisition director for the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference.
   Presenting talks are Patricia Salkin, associate dean and director of the Government Law Center at Albany Law School; Kevin Crawford, counsel for the Association of Towns of New York State; and Graham Cox, coordinator of Forest and Wetland Programs of Audubon New York.