On Wednesday, October 4, Hudsonia ltd hosted a free workshop to identify and protect small streams and wetlands in the Coeymans neighborhood. Educators discussed the values of small wetlands and streams; how to find and identify them, even in their dry condition; threats to wetlands and streams; and effective regulatory and non-regulatory protections.
CAC members Barbara Heinzen and Sara Pruiksma joined Gretchen Stevens from Hudsonia for a walk through Joralemon Park. They were part of a group of about 20 people, many of whom were from Bethlehem, NY. Gretchen took the group to see different examples of wetlands that a town might want to protect as New York State and Federal laws do not include smaller wetlands and vernal pools. Importantly, she noted that a wetland does not always have water, but it can be identified by the types of plants that grow there, the nature of the saturated soil, and a thick matting of leaves that would have once been covered with water.
Gretchen Stevens also noted that Joralemon Park is an exceptional site for native plants and ferns of many kinds. The people of Coeymans are lucky to have this treasure in their boundaries.
