Berkshire-Taconic Regional Conservation Partnership
Have you ever driven from Troy, NY to Pittsfield, MA or from Rutland, VT to Litchfield, CT? If you have, you have probably noticed some gorgeous views. These woods, fields and streams are part of a large landscape that is important for wildlife habitat, farming, forestry, and our own quality of life. A dozen or so groups that work within this area have teamed up to create the Berkshire-Taconic Regional Conservation Partnership (BTRCP) to work together on conservation across boundaries.
You probably know about the Berkshires. How about the Taconics? They are part of the Appalachian mountain chain and form a “spine” along the borders of Massachusetts, New York, Vermont and Connecticut. They are home to some of our favorite places such as Mount Greylock, the Batten Kill, Harlem Valley, the Appalachian Trail, and the Rensselaer Plateau.
The Taconics include multi-use trails as well as places to hunt, fish, and camp. Locally grown timber, other forest and farm products, and tourism add to the local economy. In addition, the geology of the area is unique and fascinating. Despite all these values, these mountains and valleys are at risk and need our help.
RPA is a founding and active member of the BTRCP.
To learn more, visit www.taconics.org or the BTRCP facebook page.
Follow the Forest
The wooded hillsides and mountaintops of western New England and eastern New York have been the focus of land protection efforts for many decades. Recently, conservationists have started to understand that these forested uplands and the vital habitat linkages that connect them also form a continuous north-south wildlife corridor for climate migration.
Follow the Forest brings together conservation partners in CT, MA, NY, and VT at an unprecedented scale. Together, we pursue a shared vision that connects us to both the places we love and the wildlife that depend on the conserved forest landscape.
It's a big idea - that we can reconnect the woodlands, fields and wetlands of a vast wildlife corridor that passes through the heart of the Housatonic River Valley from the Hudson Valley to the forests of Canada.
To learn more, visit www.followtheforest.org
Rensselaer Youth Outdoors
RPA is a proud partner in Rensselaer Youth Outdoors (RYO), bringing expanded environmental education opportunities to Rensselaer County youth and families. RYO is a unifying partnership between county, state, federal, and not-for-profit community groups, creating a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Together, we can accomplish so much more than we can on our own.
Rensselaer Youth Outdoors is a network of partners whose mission is to introduce and engage the children and families of Rensselaer County in the wonder, science, and adventure of nature in an effort to create a healthier, more sustainable community in an increasingly complex world.
RYO provides field trips to parks, forests, and other natural areas for students, as well as training and materials for teachers to bring environmental education to the classroom. Partners include Grafton Lakes State Park, Dyken Pond Environmental Education Center, and the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance. Additionally, representatives from Siena College, Cornell Cooperative Extension, the Friends of Dyken Pond, the Children’s Museum of Science and Technology, various Rensselaer County School Districts, and the Northern Research Station, Forest Service, USDA will assist in advising and implementing RYO programs.
To learn more, visit www.ryoutdoors.org