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Barnabas McHenry, Chair Greenway Council, Co-Chair National Heritage Area
Sara Griffen, Acting Chair Greenway Conservancy, Acting Co-Chair National Heritage Area
Mark Castiglione, Acting Executive Director Greenway, Acting Director National Heritage Area
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What's New?
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Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area 2015 Heritage Development Grants 
The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area is pleased to announce its 2015 Heritage Development Grant Program. $50,000 in matching funds is available for projects that support programming, interpretation, and marketing of the Hudson River Valley's heritage and historic sites. Application deadline: February 6, 2015. For more information, guidelines, and applications, please visit the program webpage.
Hudson River Estuary Habitat Restoration Plan Released 
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Habitat Restoration Plan is now available to the public. This document outlines actions to restore and protect priority habitats in the Hudson River estuary between the Federal Dam at Troy and the Tappan Zee Bridge.
For decades, Hudson River estuary habitats have been degraded or destroyed by human activity and the restoration efforts recommended by this document are intended to reverse these effects and improve ecosystem health, resilience, and mitigation of sea-level rise.
The Hudson River Estuary Habitat Restoration Plan is intended for use by community groups, government agencies, scientists, conservation organizations, and other restoration organizations throughout the region. The entire restoration plan is available for download here.
DEC Announces $183,000 in Grants to Improve Hudson River Access and Environmental Protections
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has announced $183,000 in grants for 80 projects that will improve recreation access, education, water quality, wildlife habitats, and storm resiliency in the Hudson River estuary watershed. Furthermore, many of these projects will highlight and encourage cooperative efforts between local communities, environmental advocates, and civic organizations for the greater regional health of the Hudson Valley.
These grants are administered by the DEC Hudson River Estuary Program and provided by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and the Natural Resource Damages Fund (NRD). For more on this announcement, including a complete lists of grants, please see this DEC press release.
The Neighborhood That Disappeared: Documentary Film About Albany, Urban Renewal, and the Empire State Plaza Premieres on WMHT (TV) 
In 1962, one of the most massive urban renewal projects in American history sterilized the cultural and ethnic heart of Albany, New York. An arrangement made by first-term Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller and longtime Albany Mayor Erastus Corning the 2nd displaced almost 8% of the city's diverse population, razed more than a thousand buildings, dislodged 3,600 households, and closed 350 businesses.
Tune in to WMHT (TV) on Friday, December 12 for The Neighborhood That Disappeared, a new documentary film by Mary Paley and Pat Bulgaro that unearths the vibrant ethnic neighborhood that housed courageous immigrants and the Greatest Generation, more than a half-century after it was lost forever. For listings, please visit the WMHT (TV) website.
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Heritage Spotlight
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Holiday Events at Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area Sites
 Few areas in America come close to matching the Hudson River Valley when it comes to holiday season traditions and celebrations. Dutch colonists first brought their traditions of Christmas gift-giving and Sinter Klaas - the forerunner of the Santa Claus we know today - to the area in the 17th century. In 1809, Washington Irving included Saint Nicholas in his fantastical A History of New York, and in 1823, "A Visit from St. Nicholas" ("The Night Before Christmas") by Clement Clarke Moore was first published in Troy. In the 1850s, Albany printer R.H. Pease produced the first Christmas cards in the United States. After the Civil War, Thomas Nast probably did more than any one person to popularize the holiday season through his influential depictions of Santa Claus in Harper's Weekly. And that most famous of holiday songwriters, Johnny Marks - the author of "Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer", "A Holly Jolly Christmas", and "Silver and Gold", among others - was a native of Mt. Vernon.
This rich heritage continues today through a generous offering of holiday season events at a number of Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area sites. A number of Hudson Valley historic house museums are offering candlelit holiday tours of their traditionally-decorated interiors by costumed interpreters, including the Senate House, the Hart Cluett House, Philpse Manor Hall, Knox's Headquarters, Washington's Headquarters, and the Mills Mansion of Staatsburgh State Historic Site. Other events include storytelling, musical performances, and lectures. For a complete listing of offerings, see our "Regional Events" below - there's plenty of hot cider and caroling to be had in the Hudson Valley this holiday season!
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Project Spotlight
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Scenic Hudson Completes Hyde Park Heritage Greenway Trail Improvements
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The Scenic Hudson Land Trust, Inc. recently completed improvements to the Hyde Park Heritage Greenway Trail on a 72-acre property formerly occupied by the Dominican Camp, an abandoned summer retreat. As part of these trail improvements, Scenic Hudson designed and installed interpretive signage at a scenic overlook, demolished a dilapidated and hazardous pavilion, maintained mowed pathways through the property, installed benches, and implemented a plan of invasive plant control. These trail improvements are a welcome addition to an area that already includes Vanderbilt Mansion National Historic Site, Mills Norrie State Park, Staatsburgh State Historic Site, and the historic Town of Hyde Park. In addition to providing greater connections between these popular sites and forming a crucial link to the Hudson River, the property will also serve as an important buffer against encroaching development along Route 9 in Dutchess County.
The Hudson River Valley Greenway provided a $6,500 Greenway Conservancy Grant to Scenic Hudson to support this important project.
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Upcoming Grants and Other Opportunities
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Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area 2015 Heritage Development Grant Program
The Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area announces its 2015 Heritage Development Grant Program. $50,000 in matching funds is available to projects that support programming, interpretation, and marketing of Hudson River Valley heritage and historic sites. Deadline: February 6, 2015. For more information, guidelines, and applications, please visit the program webpage.
Greenway Communities Grant Program
Financial assistance (approximately $5,000-$10,000) to designated "Greenway Communities" within the Greenway Area. Projects funded under this program include those that relate to community planning, economic development, natural resource protection, cultural resource protection, scenic resource protection, and open space protection. Applications must be postmarked or emailed by 5:00 PM: December 5, 2014; February 6, 2015; May 8, 2015; September 11, 2015.
Greenway Compact Grant Program
Funding for municipalities that develop, approve, and implement a regional compact strategy consistent with the Greenway criteria and the Greenway act. Applications must be postmarked or emailed by 5:00 PM: December 5, 2014; February 6, 2015; May 8, 2015; September 11, 2015.
New York Department of State Local Government Training Program
The NYS Department of State Local Government Training Program has four online interactive courses, with more to come in the near future. Upcoming webinars in December will cover the topics of rural planning, public meetings and hearings, and smart growth. For more information and a calendar listing of training events, please visit the program webpage.
New York Council for the Humanities Reading & Discussion Programs for Adults
Open to any tax-exempt organization in New York State, the Council's Reading & Discussion Programs for Adults bring together community members for a series of thematically-linked, text-based conversations about important ideas. Eight themes are available. More information available here. Application deadline: December 12, 2014.
National Trails Fund Grants
The American Hiking Society is accepting applications for National Trails Fund grants valued up to $5,000. If your organization is a member of the AHS Alliance of Hiking Organization and is preparing to complete a trail project in 2015, please consider applying for a grant. For more information, please visit the fund webpage. Application deadline: December 12, 2014.
U.S Fish and Wildlife Service Request for Proposals: Fiscal Year 2015 Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Restoration Act
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is accepting project proposals to protect, restore and enhance Great Lakes fish and wildlife habitat under the Great Lakes Fish and Wildlife Act. For more information and application guidelines can be found here. Application deadline: December 15, 2015.
Capital District Transportation Committee Community and Transportation Linkage Planning Program
The Capital District Transportation Committee is offering funding through its Community and Transportation Linkage Planning Program in order to encourage integrated land use and transportation planning. Additionally, the program provides technical assistance for joint regional-local planning initiatives that link transportation and land use. Application deadline: December 19, 2014. For more information, please visit the program webpage.
Riverkeeper Scholarship Early Admissions Deadline - Bard Center for Environmental Policy
Riverkeeper is proud to support the interdisciplinary graduate programs offered by the Bard Center for Environmental Policy. This unique program, located in the Hudson Valley at Bard College's Annandale campus combines science, economics, and law to train the next generation of leaders in environmental policy. Deadline: January 15, 2015. For more information, please visit this program webpage.
DEC Accepting Applications for Adirondack and Catskill Smart Growth Implementation Grants
The Department of Environmental Conservation is accepting applications for Adirondack and Catskill Smart Growth Implementation grants. $800,000 in Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) grants are available to municipalities and nonprofit organizations for smart growth projects, including capital improvements, economic development, and organizational capacity-building. The application deadline is January 30, 2015.
Summer Internship with Environmental Health Services
Applications are now being accepted for a 10-week internship with the Centers for Disease Control Summer Program in Environmental Health, which is geared towards majors in Environmental Health. More information available here. Application deadline: February 11, 2015.
Greater Hudson Heritage Network - 2015 Conservation Treatment Grant Program
Support of up to $7,500 is available for conservation treatment of paintings, works on paper, textiles, furniture, frames, sculptures, historical, ethnographic, and decorative objects owned by eligible organizations. For guidelines, application forms, and listings of past grantees, please visit the Conservation Treatment Grant Program webpage. Please note the new application deadline: March 2, 2015.
National Parks Service 2015 Battlefield Planning Grants
The National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Grant Program is now accepting proposals for 2015. Non-profit groups, academic institutions, and local, regional, state, and tribal governments are encouraged to apply for funding to support archaeology, cultural landscape inventories, cultural resource documentation, GIS mapping, National Register nominations, and preservation plans. For more information, please visit the program website.
Museum Association of New York Awards of Merit: Open Call for Nominations
The MANY Awards of Merit program acknowledges outstanding programs and individuals who have made the state's museum community richer and more relevant. They reward the innovative efforts of staff and volunteers and they provide encouragement for the development of new and remarkable projects. Nominations are sought for contributions made in 2014. For more information on the awards please visit the MANY website, email [email protected], or call (518) 273-3400.
Museums in Action 2015: Museums Mean Business - Call for Proposals
The Museum Association of New York (MANY) is soliciting session and workshop proposals for its April 2015 annual conference in Corning, New York. The theme of the upcoming conference is the museum as an economic engine. For more information, visit the MANY conference webpage.
2015 Office of Environmental Justice Small Grants
The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Environmental Justice announces the opening of its application period for the 2015 Environmental Justice Small Grants (EJSG) Program. The EJSG Program provides funding for eligible applicants for projects that address local environmental and/or public health issues within an affected community. Pre-application assistance calls will take place in October and November. For more information, please visit the EJSG webpage.
Master of Science in Engineering Management Program at Clarkson University
Clarkson University's Master of Science in Engineering Management program is expanding this fall. The two-year, 30-credit hybrid program, designed for rising at-work professionals, focuses on building expertise in project management, financial management, quality management, and operations management. Students meet with faculty in-person at the start of each semester and continue interactions online, building a sophisticated learning community with Web-conferencing, email, social media, and other innovative technologies. For more information, visit the program webpage.
Martha Washington Woman of History Award
Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site will be accepting nominations for its annual Martha Washington Woman of History Award through January 9, 2015.
This award, now in its thirteenth year, recognizes women who have distinguished themselves in the field of Hudson Valley history and continues the site's mission of public education. For more information, please see this PDF or call (845) 562-1195.
Cornell Cooperative Extension Trained Logger Certification Courses
The Trained Logger Certification (TLC) program was developed to provide loggers a comprehensive training program that covers tree felling techniques, forest ecology and silviculture practices, and first aid/CPR skills. For a listing of programs covering these three areas of importance to loggers, including the "Game of Logging" that teaches appropriate chainsaw use and safety courses, contact Marilyn Wyman at (518) 622-9820, Ext. 36.
New Farmers Grant Fund
The New York State New Farmers Grant Fund is now accepting applications. These grants provide assistance to new and early stage farmers and encourage farming as a career path to sustain and grow agribusiness across New York State. Empire State Development, in consultation with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, will administer the $614,000 fund, which will provide grants from $15,000 to up to $50,000 for eligible early stage farmers who substantially and materially participate in the production of an agricultural product on a commercial farm operation within New York. The deadline for applications is January 28, 2015. For more information on the grant fund and application process, click here.
Rolling Acceptance of Grant Applications:
Federal Grant Opportunities (courtesy of Congressman Paul Tonko)
A comprehensive and updated list of federal grant opportunities is available at the website of New York Congressman Paul Tonko.
Farmland Protection Implementation Grants (Ongoing)
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets invite municipalities and nonprofit conservation organizations to apply for Farmland Protection funding. Prequalification for all not-for-profits is required; all municipalities interested must register on the State's new Grants Gateway website. For more information, please visit the program webpage.
New York State Conference of Mayors Grant & Award Opportunities (Ongoing)
New York State Conference of Mayors and Municipal Officials provide access to several ongoing grant and award opportunities. NYSCOM shares several links to federal, state, private foundation, and corporate grant and award programs.
2015 Events:
The Hudson River Estuary Program's 2015 Summit on the Future of the Hudson
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's Hudson River Estuary Program will host the third Summit on the Future of the Hudson on April 16, 2015. Mark your calendars now and plan to join us for this important event. Look for more meeting details to be announced soon.
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Regional Events
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December 9 (also 11, 13, 17, 19, & 20)
Manor Hall Holiday Tour at Philpse Manor Hall State Historic Site - Yonkers
Visitors to this oldest building in Westchester County will hear about the Dutch and English Christmas traditions, the myths and history of St. Nicholas, and Twelfth Night on these popular daytime tours. For more information, please visit the Philipse Manor Hall webpage.
December 9
Tuesday Trek: Old Powerhouse at Minnewaska State Park Preserve - Kerhonkson
Join Laura Conner for an adventurous trek along the edge of the Peter's Kill stream to the site of the old powerhouse for the former hotels once located at Lake Minnewaska.
For required reservations, please call the park office at (845) 255-0752 or visit the Minnewaska webpage for more information.
Power on the Hudson: Storm King Mountain and the Emergence of the Modern American Environmental Movement: Book signing at Boscobel House & Gardens - Garrison
Robert A. Lifset will discuss his book with veterans of the landmark Storm King environmental law battle. For more information, go to the event webpage.
December 10
Nature Walk: Winter Tree Identification at Bylane Farm - Katonah
Learn to use a tree's structure, bark, and other clues to ID it, even after the leaves have fallen on this Bedford Audubon Society walk. Register by emailing [email protected] or call (914) 519-7801.
December 12
Special Holiday Evening Hours - Staatsburgh State Historic Site - Staatsburg
Spend a festive evening in the lavishly-decorated Mills Mansion, with costumed guides, music, and gift shopping. For more information, please visit the Staatsburgh webpage.
The Neighborhood that Disappeared on WMHT (TV)
Tune in to WMHT (TV) for The Neighborhood That Disappeared, a new documentary film by Mary Paley and Pat Bulgaro that unearths a vibrant Albany neighborhood more than a half-century after it was lost forever to make way for Empire State Plaza. For listings, please visit the WMHT website.
December 13
Christmas at Knox's Headquarters State Historic Site - New Windsor
Tour the candlelit 1754 Ellison House decorated for Christmas and staffed by costumed interpreters. For more information, please visit the Knox's Headquarters webpage.
Christmas Concert and Sing-Along at Gardner Earl Chapel of Oakwood Cemetery - Troy
The beautiful and acoustically brilliant Gardner Earl Chapel in historic Oakwood Cemetery is the site of this holiday concert by the Hoosac School Community Chorus and Highlight Acting Troupe. Sing along and enjoy cookies and hot cider. For more information, please see this PDF.
Create Your Own Holiday Wreath at Fort Montgomery State Historic Site - Fort Montgomery
Join Fort Montgomery staff and educators as well as Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners of Orange County to learn how to make your own holiday wreath!
Please call (845) 446-2134 for more information and reservations.
Winter Wildlife Strategies at Minnewaska State Park Preserve - Kerhonkson
Have you ever wondered how animals and insects survive winter? Join park educator Nick Martin at the Minnewaska Nature Center as we take a look at a few species and see how they do it. For required reservations, please call the park office at (845) 255-0752 for visit the Minnewaska webpage for more information.
December 14
Warm Up at the Washingtons at Washington's Headquarters State Historic Site - Newburgh
Enjoy a pleasant yuletide afternoon in the seasonally-decorated headquarters with costumed interpreters, fireside music by the Salmagundi Consort, cookies and hot cider
Please call (845) 562-1195 for further details or visit the Washington's Headquarters webpage for more information.
December 15
Preservation League of New York Symposium at SUNY PolyTechnic Institute - Albany
The Preservation League of New York presents this symposium on vacant industrial architecture in upstate New York and strategies that can be used to restore and reuse it. Please RSVP by calling (518) 462-5658 or by emailing [email protected].
December 18
"Joyful Traditions" at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site - Yonkers
In this free lecture - part of a New York Council for the Humanities series - food historian Peter G. Rose will discuss Dutch traditions in the veneration of Saint Nicholas brought to the Americas by seventeenth-century colonists, a discussion that will involve literature, religion, the arts, and Dutch cuisine. For more information, please call (914) 232-5651, Ext. 103.
Super Special Story Time: "Wildlife in Winter" at Minnewaska State Park Preserve - Kerhonkson
Discover how wildlife survives winter through stories and crafts. For registration and information, please contact the Gardiner Library at (845) 255-1255.
December 20
Christmas at Knox's Headquarters State Historic Site - New Windsor
Tour the 1754 Ellison House decorated for Christmas and staffed by costumed interpreters. Cannon fire will also herald the premiere of a short film about General Knox and the role of artillery during the American Revolution. For more information, please visit the Knox's Headquarters webpage.
December 21
Winter Solstice Hike at Minnewaska State Park Preserve - Kerhonkson
Walk on the winter solstice and take in some of the best views in the Hudson Valley and the Catskills. For required reservations, please call the park office at (845) 255-0752 or visit the park webpage for more information.
December 22
Bird Walk: Winter Solstice at Marshlands Conservancy & Read Sanctuary - Rye
OK, so the Winter Solstice is really December 21, but it's still a great time to look for Great Horned Owls and Fox Sparrows in the forest and for wintering ducks, loons, and grebes along the coast. Meet at Bylane Farm, Katonah. Register by emailing [email protected] or calling (914) 519-7801.
December 23
Manor Hall Candlelight Tour at Philpse Manor Hall State Historic Site - Yonkers
Visitors to this oldest building in Westchester County will hear about the Dutch and English Christmas traditions, the myths and history of St. Nicholas, and Twelfth Night on these popular candlelight tours. For more information, please visit the Philipse Manor Hall webpage.
December 27
Children's Craft Workshops at Staatsburgh State Historic Site - Staatsburg
Children are invited to search the Mills Mansion for the miniature houses of Mistletoe Mouse and make their own mouse houses in a hands-on craft workshop. Reservations (845) 889-8851.
For more information please call (845) 889-8851 or visit the Staatsburgh webpage.
December 30
Children's Craft Workshops at Staatsburgh State Historic Site - Staatsburg
Children are invited to search the Mills Mansion for the miniature houses of Mistletoe Mouse and make their own mouse houses in a hands-on craft workshop. Reservations (845) 889-8851.
For more information please call (845) 889-8851 or visit the Staatsburgh webpage.
Through December
Gilded Age Christmas at Staatsburgh State Historic Site - Staatsburg
Thursdays through Sundays - from November 28 through December 31
Mills Mansion will be decked in sumptuous decorations throughout the holiday season. For more information please call (845) 889-8851 or visit the Staatsburgh webpage.
Sundays in December
Holiday Whodunit Program at Staatsburgh State Historic Site - Staatsburg
Children ages 6 through 11 and their family members are invited to solve a history mystery at Staatsburgh. Costumed interpreters portraying Gilded Age houseguests and servants will reveal clues to young detectives on the case. For more information please call (845) 889-8851 or visit the Staatsburgh webpage.
Ongoing Events:
Prospect of America: Selections from the Edgar Holloway Art Collection at the Rensselaer County Historical Society - Troy
At the urging of Rev. Thomas Phelan, English artist Edgar Holloway spent three summers in the 1970s documenting the imperiled historic buildings and street scenes of the Collar City in watercolor and etchings. These works are now on display at the Rensselaer County Historical Society. For more information, call (518) 272-7232 or visit www.rchsonline.org. Through December 20th.
The Shakers: America's Quiet Revolutionaries at the New York State Museum - Albany
The New York State Museum, in collaboration with the Shaker Museum | Mount Lebanon, Hancock Shaker Village, and the Shaker Heritage Society (Albany), as well as the State Library and State Archives, presents this major exhibition detailing one of the most significant and influential communal religious groups in American history. On view from November 14, 2014 to March 6, 2016.
To have your event included in future editions of the newsletter and on hudsonrivervalley.com, please enter upcoming event information here.
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Green Tip Of The Month
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Go Green this Holiday Season! 
The holiday season is a wonderful time of giving, feasting, decorating, and traveling - and it also produces waste and consumes resources. To learn how you can do your part to reduce your impact on our world this holiday season - from recycling Christmas trees to giving gifts more responsibly - please visit this Environmental Protection Agency list of tips for staying green all winter long.
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The E-Newsletter is published monthly and emailed to friends of the Hudson River Valley
Questions or comments?
Email us or call (518) 473-3835
Be sure to visit the websites for the Hudson River Valley Greenway and the
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