GRANT THIS

Read:

From: hrvg.sm.hrvg [mailto:hrvg@hudsongreenway.ny.gov]
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2014 10:07 AM
To: hrvg.sm.hrvg
Subject: Press Release: Greenway Awards $8,275 for Buckingham Pond Natural Resource Inventory

Contact: Mark Castiglione                                                                                  For Immediate Release

(518) 473-3835                                                                                                      May 28, 2014

hrvg@hudsongreenway.ny.gov

Greenway Awards $8,275 for Buckingham Pond

Natural Resource Inventory

(Albany, NY)  The Hudson River Valley Greenway is pleased to announce it has awarded the City of Albany in partnership with the Buckingham Pond Conservancy, a $8,275 Greenway Communities Grant for the Buckingham Pond Targeted Natural Resource Inventory. The Greenway board awarded a total of $27,800 for projects throughout the Hudson Valley region at a recent meeting held in Hyde Park, N.Y.

           

The Buckingham Pond Conservancy will conduct a natural resource inventory to assess the biological integrity of the pond’s health. In addition, levels of nutrients, blue-green algae, and sedimentation are to be tested and documented to gauge water quality. The pond serves as green infrastructure for storm water management, but is also an important amphibious habitat as part of the Hudson River watershed.

Mark Castiglione, Acting Executive Director of the Hudson River Valley Greenway, stated, “Natural resource inventories serve as an important tool to better understand the environmental state of a particular area. Buckingham Pond is an asset for the City and by better understanding its health, its value to the community will be enhanced. ”

“Buckingham Pond is a recreational asset for the City of Albany,” said Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan “The targeted natural resource inventory is an essential first step to mitigating some of the most critical issues facing Buckingham Pond today. I would like to thank the Hudson River Valley Greenway for granting the City of Albany these much needed funds, in addition to the Buckingham Pond Conservancy for ensuring that one of our most valued ponds can be enjoyed for many years to come.”

The Hudson River Valley Greenway works with communities on a voluntary basis to assist in the development of local land use plans and programs related to the Greenway criteria. Greenway community planning projects can be undertaken by a single community to address local issues or a group of communities working together to address both local and regional issues. The Greenway Communities Grant Program provides matching grants to help communities develop and implement a vision for their future that balances Greenway criteria of economic development considerations with resource protection and promotion objectives. The deadline for the next round of grant applications is August 29, 2014.

- 30 - 

goo

Visit www.hudsongreenway.ny.gov for more information on the Greenway.

Visit www.hudsonrivervalley.com for more information on the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area

Visit www.buckinghampondconservancy.org  for more information on the Buckingham Pond Conservancy

Visit www.albanyny.org for more information on the City of Albany


Reaction?   Good News? Yeah...No.

More "progressive" political feel good
speak.

Pond water quality sucks. Because
of failure to stabilize the shoreline
with proper trees and bushes to
stop shore line erosion, slumping
and resultant sedimentation of the
pond. 

As sedimentation goes on ,the pond
becomes more shallow, algae blooms
reeds, other vegetation and trees
take over, and eventually ,the pond will
die.

Example, the water body, North side
Western Ave in Guilderland.

Run off of lawn chemicals and city
road salt applications in the pond
watershed are contributing to the
algae blooms, poor water quality
and eventual death of the pond.

What to do?

1. The City Parks Department
needs to develop a woodland
management plan for the pond
park and take action:
a) remove dangerous  dead limbs
and trees that present a hazard
to people and pets along paths
b) thin wooded areas to allow
for planting and growth of a
diversity of native trees and
bushes that will improve the
park habitat for humans and
wildlife.
c) cut, remove vines that are
killing trees.

d) plant bushes and trees that
will stabilize shoreline erosion
i.e  Red Osier Dogwoods, Willows
etc.

e) resurface pathways with coarse
bluestone  gravel to improve drainage
and footing, thereby avoiding slips
falls, injuries and lawsuits.

The City has to address the issues
relating to lawn chemical run off
and road salt applications in the
pond watershed.

Dredging the pond will likely be
required to improve water quality
and lengthen the pond life span.

Just search the archives of this
website for years of posts that
detail what needs to be done to
improve the pond park.
Search: Buckingham Pond Park.

No need to spend money to 
reinvent the wheel.

It's all here for free.

Use the grant money to make
needed pond park improvements.

No more inventories/studies
are required.

Note that Buckingham Pond
Park exists because the BPCNA
had the pond and shoreline
rezoned  LC (park land) in
1994. resulting in creation of
the park.

Subsequent improvements to
the park were made, including
lighting, children's play and
picnic areas, dredging and
improved guard rails.
 

                       Joe Sullivan