Kingston Land Trust

The Kingston Land Trust Invited to Participate in the 89th Annual George Washington Dinner at the Old Dutch Church in February.

Kingston Land Trust — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 22:23:34 +0000

The Old Dutch Church - Kingston, NY

The Kingston Land Trust is pleased to participate and to celebrate the 89^th Annual George Washington Dinner on Wednesday, February 29^th 2012.

“The Celebration of Service and Community” will highlight several Not-For-Profits in Kingston who provide an important service and who have collaborated with the Old Dutch Church in recent past.

The Kingston Land Trust will provide a short presentation of their work with the Mt. Zion African-American Burial Ground Rededication. Others scheduled to participate is the O+ Festival presenting cutting edge music and the Queens Galley to cater this special event for guests. Special thanks to Elder Rob Sweeney for being as hip as he is heart.

First in War- First in Peace- First in the Hearts of his Countrymen

Please join us on

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

As we celebrate

His Excellency George Washington’s

280th Birthday

Take your place at the table for one of Kingston’s finest traditions

The 89th Annual

George Washington Dinner.

Beginning at 6:30 PM in Bethany Hall of

The Old Dutch Church, Kingston.

The program for the evening will be

A Celebration of Service and Community

______________________________________________________________

I would like to purchase_________ dinner tickets @ $30.00 each.

I would like the following name(s) to be listed in the Patrons List @5.00each:

______________________________________________________________

I regret I will not be able to attend, please accept my donation to the Old Dutch Restoration Fund in the

amount of $_____________.

______________________________________________________________

Please make checks payable to: “Old Dutch Church”

Tickets must be purchased in advance and will be held at the door.

Please send your reservations and payments before February 22nd.

Old Dutch Church, PO Box 3006, Kingston, New York 12402

“Hath not old custom made this life more sweet”

William Shakespeare

Public Notice of Kingston Conservation Advisory Council Meeting Feb. 2nd

Kingston Land Trust — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 07:17:11 +0000

Public Notice of Kingston Conservation Advisory Council Meeting:

The Kingston Conservation Advisory Council will host the monthly meeting, this Thursday, February 2, 2012, 6:30-8:30pm, City Hall, Conference Room 2, 3rd floor. Attached please find February’s agenda and January’s DRAFT minutes.

For further Information, please call Julie Noble, Chair, 481-7339.

Kingston Conservation Advisory Council

Monthly Meeting, Conference Room 2

AGENDA

Date: February 2, 2012 6:30-8:30pm

Council Members

Julie Noble (Chair)

Judith Deming

Elizabeth Higgins (Secretary)

Gregg Swanzey

Casey Schwarz

Welcome Guests and Public Comment

Approval of January 2012 minutes

Old Business (6:30-7:45)

1. CAC member recruitment

2. Governmental Meeting Liaisons for 2012

3. Updates:

KingstonCAC.org

Natural Resources Inventory

Green Guide

Climate Action Planning

Conservation Development Guidelines

Non-toxic Landscape Maintenance Initiative

4. EMC Report

5. Planning Board Meeting Report

New Business (7:45)

2. Follow up from Public Safety/General Gov’t/Auditing Meeting

Council Member Concerns

Government Environmental Assessment/Inventory

Flooding, especially in Ward 1

Advising Requested

Solar Installations on City Property

Hydrofracking, specifically Kingston WWTP as Hydrofracking sludge treatment site

*Next CAC monthly meeting, March 1, 2012, City Hall, Conference Room 2, 6:30pm*

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Kingston Conservation Advisory Council

Monthly Meeting, Conference Room 2

Minutes

Date: January 5, 2012 6:30-8:30pm

Roll Call: 6:52 pm

Board Members

Julie Noble (Chair) Present

Judith Deming Absent

Elizabeth Higgins (Secretary) Present

Gregg Swanzey Present

Casey Schwarz Absent

Guests:

Emilie Hauser

Approval of November, December Minutes

Liz moved and Gregg seconded to accept both the November and December 2011 Minutes. Accepted 3-0, with no changes.

Secretary Position

Liz agreed to stay on as the Kingston CAC Secretary for 2012.

Old Business

6. CAC member recruitment, terms- There have been no applications submitted for new CAC members. Recruitment will continue, with direct contact with other civic organizations and with the new Common Council members. Julie will ask each Common Council member if they could recommend a representative from each of their wards to sit on the CAC. Wards 7, 8 and 9 currently have representation. Recruitment will also focus on tangible actions to be accomplished in 2012, to attract community members with specific interests related to the current CAC initiatives.

3. CAC Website –www.kingstoncac.org. Julie reviewed the website layout and created a revised outline to give to CIXdesigns. Website content was brainstormed; specifically the content on the “Links” page and a great discussion was had about the scope of what information and organizations to link to. Julie will set up a meeting with Adam or Micah to relay this info and to finalize the most effective and functional design for the website. Then content will be inserted.

New Business

1. Governmental Meeting Liaisons for 2012- Casey will attend the first three Planning Board meetings of the year and Julie will attend the January Public Safety Meeting, to present the Year End Report and plan for 2012.

2. CAC Year End Report 2011 Review- The draft Year End Report was reviewed and revised. This will be distributed to the mayor, Common Council, planning, and interested local community members. It will also be available on the CAC webpage on the City website.

3. Planning for 2012-

Natural Resource Inventory: Steve and Julie Noble have started digitizing some of the data and gathering data that doesn’t exist for Kingston yet in GIS. The goal is to have all of the data layers complete by March 31^st. A grant was awarded to the Kingston Parks Department through the Hudson River Estuary Program to fund a consultant to, among other things: 1) create a sewer shed map for Kingston, 2) create a Geodatabase of the existing GIS data, which will be clipped to Kingston. This work should be done by March 31^st. After March 31^st, then individual maps will be created and narrative with recommendations will be composed to accompany the maps. The goal of completion of the NRI for Kingston is December 31, 2012.
Environmental Planning/Conservation Guidelines: This effort was initiated but then dropped off during 2011. A formal committee should reconvene on this.
Green Guide: Work will continue on creating this digital and hard copy guide to environmental services and resources in Kingston. Judith Deming is spearheading this effort.
Climate Action Planning: Climate Analyst Rich Schiafo has presented a draft of the Greenhouse Gas Inventory for Kingston, which the Climate Taskforce is reviewing and revising. The next meeting of the Taskforce is Tuesday, January 10. Rich’s position terminates in March, and so things are moving right along with the Climate Action Plan, with a goal of completion by then.
Non-toxic Landscape Maintenance Initiative: The effort to minimize/eliminate the use of toxic synthetic chemicals on city owned lands was broached at the end of 2011 and this initiative will continue to build into the new year.
Ulster County Environmental Management Council Representative: Gregg’s term as Kingston’s Representative on the UCEMC expires in May 2012, but he will be resigning effective January 2012. Liz will be recommended to the Ulster County Executive’s Office as the new Kingston Representative, to fill out Gregg’s term and then stay on as Rep. Julie will send a letter to this effect.

Motion to adjourn: Liz moved, Gregg seconded.

*Upcoming Meeting: CAC monthly meeting, February 2, City Hall, Conference Room 2, 6:30pm*

Adjournment: ___8:02____pm

Submitted by Julie Noble

The Kingston Land Trust Rail Trail Committee Looks Ahead

Kingston Land Trust — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 05:49:09 +0000

The Kingston Land Trust Rail Trail Committee hard at work.

The Kingston Land Trust Rail Trail Committee continues to strategize its work in 2012 and beyond. This evening, we were joined by guests from the Woodstock Land Conservancy – John Winter (Executive Director), Kevin Smith (Chairman of the Board) and Patty Goodwin (President). Also in attendance were guests Debra Harris (Holiday Inn and Tourism Advisory Board in Recreation and Signage) and Kingston resident Josh Gordon. May they all join us in this exciting and important process.

Recently, the group earned technical support from the National Park Service which allows us the expertise of Karl Beard and Jeremy Kane to help to guide us this year. A warm welcome to our new KLT RTC members Andi Turco-Levin and Brad Will – who both are also serving (newly!) as KLT Board Directors in addition.

The meeting was rich and part way, we were led by Tim Wiedemann (KLT Board Director and RTC member) in a visioning process to help in finessing our work plan this year. As founder of Rondout Consulting, Tim brings his organizational, advisory and consulting abilities to aid the committee in dealing with program design and evaluation, strategic planning, economic and financial impact analysis and more.

Communications and Outreach is the name of the game.

We are all looking forward to a continued collaboration with all of our partners, but most importantly – moving out into the communities to gather the citizens input and ideas on Rail Trails in Kingston and all of our surrounding municipalities.

You can learn more about the KLT Rail Trail Committee, its members and accomplishments by viewing this LINK.

The Kingston Land Trust Hosts Meeting to Discuss the Formation of an Urban Agriculture Committee

Kingston Land Trust — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 01:13:53 +0000

The Kingston Land Trust will host an open meeting on the creation of its Urban Agriculture Committee on Wednesday, 1/11/12 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm at the Kingston Land Trust offices, 280 Wall Street 2nd Floor in Kingston.

Agenda Items include:

The potential for Urban Agriculture – vacant land, schools, open space, surface parking, yard space, rooftops, site distribution and how the Kingston Land Trust can help.
Resources: Water, Compost and implications for urban agriculture.
Working to make more possibilities to garden/farm: A discussion on the COK current code.
Partnerships – Supporting what exists today.
Crops – What are the crop type possibilities?
Upcoming City of Kingston Comprehensive Plan – Implementing Urban Farming.
Committee Structure. What the KLT is looking to establish.
Open Discussion

For more information, contact Rebecca Martin, Executive Director at 845/750-7295.

Healthy Kingston for Kids School and Garden Committee Hosts Workshop

Kingston Land Trust — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 20:42:02 +0000

Those in attendance included: (L-R) Kingston Corridor's Gerald Berke, HKK Garden Committee member Cecilia DeFerrari, Kingston Land Trust Executive Director and co-chair of the HKK Garden Committee Rebecca Martin, HKK Project Coordinator Kristen Wilson, and HKK Assistant Alyssa Thompson.

The Healthy Kingston for Kids School and Community Garden Committee is in the midst of designing a citywide “Kingston City Garden” website that will help to bring together all of the current gardens, opportunities and provide helpful instruction in the city of Kingston. Included will be an interactive social media component called “BuddyPress” where immediate communications can occur on all garden related content.

Instructed by Kingston Digital Coordinator Mark Marshall at the Everett Hodge Center’s computer lab, the group learned how to apply BuddyPress to a WordPress site that is being developed with plans to launch in February, 2012.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the HKK School and Garden Committee, please contact co-chairs Julie Noble (JulieLNoble@kingston-ny.gov) or Rebecca Martin (kingstonlandtrust@gmail.com)

A very Special thanks to the City of Kingston, the Everett Hodge Community Center and Kingston Cares for their assistance.

The Kingston Land Trust’s Holiday Mixer and Benefit a Great Success

Kingston Land Trust — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 03:22:44 +0000

The Kingston Land Trust Executive Committee. (L-R): Gregg Swanzey (Board Director and Chair, KLT Rail Trail Committee), Rebecca Martin (Executive Director), Steve Noble (President), Kevin McEvoy (Vice President/Treasurer)

Thanks to all who came out this evening to show support and to celebrate the efforts of the Kingston Land Trust in 2011.

The Stockade Tavern was an excellent setting for about 50 guests who enjoyed presentations by Steve Rosenberg of Scenic Hudson and Mark Castiglione of the Hudson River Valley Greenway. The Kingston Land Trust raised $2,045.00 to go towards its match challenge of $5,000 before December 31st.

We’ve got just about a month to do it, and every contribution no matter how large or small helps us to continue this important work. Click on the “Just Give” link below to make a secure on line donation to our annual fund and match drive. Contributions are tax-deductible.

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From all of us at the Kingston Land Trust – Happy Holidays and thanks.

The Kingston Land Trust in 2011. Click the link to watch our powerpoint presentation.

A packed house. Mark Castiglione of the Greenway speaks with Pat Murphy from the FOHK.

Julie Noble wears many hats working for the City of Kingston, Forsyth Nature Center and Chair of the Conservation Advisory Council enjoys a special "Kingston Land Trust" cocktail made with Lemongrass from the South Pine Street City Farm.

Steve Rosenberg of Scenic Hudson listening on.

Amanda LaValle (Coordinator, Dept. of The Environment for Ulster County) and March Gallagher (Deputy Director for Economic Development at Ulster County).

Incoming Ward 9 Alderwoman Debbie Brown and Ward 1 Alderwoman Andi Turco-Levin.

Paul Maloney, owner of the Stockade Tavern. Where everybody knows your name.

The KLT Rail Trail Committee Hosts Final Trail Clean-Up in 2011.

Kingston Land Trust — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:38:19 +0000

Many hands make light work.

The Kingston Land Trust Rail Trail Committee secured a truck from the City of Kingston to remove the final load of brush and garbage from a section of the proposed Kingston Point Rail Trail over the weekend (Saturday, December 3rd, 2011). Located on First/Delaware Avenues, about a dozen volunteers helped to clean the site filling the dump truck to capacity in just a little over an hour.

More clean-ups will be scheduled in the spring of 2012.

If you’d like information on the Kingston Land Trust Rail Committee or wish to get involved, please contact Gregg Swanzey at gswanzey@gmail.com

Loading the truck. Thank you city of Kingston!

The Kingston Land Trust Acquires Eight Parcels through Competitive Bidding Process.

Kingston Land Trust — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 17:00:15 +0000

The Kingston Land Trust receives eight parcels through a competitive bidding process mostly along the Esopus Creek. The group looks ahead in creating public access points and programming for citizens and visitors to enjoy and protect the Lower Esopus Creek.

Kingston – The Kingston Land Trust, an urban trust committed to the protection and preservation of open space, historic sites, wetlands, scenic areas and forests in the City of Kingston and the surrounding region recently acquired eight properties, the majority along the Esopus Creek, through a competitive bidding process. A resolution was officially passed by the Ulster County legislature in the past few weeks.

“The acquisition of these properties flooded, all too often by the Lower Esopus will allow the Kingston Land Trust to develop public access points, provide beneficial areas for wildlife and will allow for greater flood mitigation in the Lower Esopus Watershed. These properties will join other Kingston Land Trust lands in the City of Kingston, as we strive to create a network of open space and protected sites along the Lower Esopus Creek in the Towns of Hurley, Ulster and the City of Kingston.” says Steve Noble, one of the co-founders of the Kingston Land Trust and current Board President.

Kevin McEvoy, Board Director and Chair of the Kingston Land Trust Land Use, Management and Planning Committee responsible for creating the bids agrees. “The Kingston Land Trust looks forward to having its open space preservation efforts in the Esopus Creek floodplain and nearby wetlands lead to the formation of partnerships including the municipalities along this designated inland waterway which is eligible for participation in the NYS Local Waterfront Revitalization Program.”

Currently the Kingston Land Trust is in the midst of an assessment provided by a grant through the Land Trust Alliance. As part of the effort, board and staff members will work to create management plans and ways in which to partner with other municipalities, organizations and community groups to help utilize these new public access points to the creek.

For more information, contact Rebecca Martin, Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust at 845/877-5263 or email kingstonlandtrust@gmail.com. To find out more about the Kingston Land Trust, visit www.kingstonlandtrust.org

Healthy Kingston for Kids School and Community Garden Committee Offers Free BuddyPress Workshop.

Kingston Land Trust — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 01:26:13 +0000

On Tuesday, December 6th from 10:00am – 2:00pm the Healthy Kingston for Kids School and Community Garden Committee is offering a free four hour instructional workshop on how to use BuddyPress, an open source social networking software package that can transform a word press website into a social network platform.

The workshop will take place at the Everett Hodge Center located at 15-21 Franklin Street in Kingston and led by web developer Mark Marshall of the Kingston Digital Corridor. The group will transform an existing word press site “Kingston City Gardens Network” into a dynamic and exciting garden site that will become a resource for the city of Kingston.

There are 25 slots, and only community members who are able to commit to the four hour program are encouraged to sign-up by contacting Rebecca Martin at kingstonlandtrust@gmail.com by November 30th.

Snacks will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring a lap top and a bagged lunch.

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About the HKK Garden Committee – Sponsored by Healthy Kingston for Kids, a project of Cornell Cooperative Extension, funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and co-chaired by Rebecca Martin and Julie Noble. The Healthy Kingston for Kids School and Community Garden Committee is charged with effecting policy and environmental change at the municipal and school level through supporting the installment and use of food gardens within the geographical area of the Kingston City School District.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the HKK Garden Committee, contact: Rebecca Martin (Community Gardens) at kingstonlandtrust@gmail.com or Julie Noble (School Garden) at JulieLNoble@kingston-ny.gov

The Kingston Land Trust Hosts Holiday Mixer and Annual Benefit Event at the Stockade Tavern in Uptown, Kingston.

Kingston Land Trust — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:50:36 +0000

The Kingston Land Trust hosts its annual benefit and mixer event at the Stockade Tavern located at 313 Fair Street in uptown Kingston on Sunday, December 4th 2011 from 4:00pm – 7:00pm. Kingston’s urban land trust will update the community on Kingston’s rail trails, urban farming and other exciting initiatives and host special guests Steve Rosenberg of Scenic Hudson and Mark Castiglione of the Hudson River Valley Greenway.

Kingston – On Sunday, December 4th, 2011 the Kingston Land Trust, Kingston’s Urban Trust, will host its annual benefit and holiday mixer at the Stockade Tavern located at 313 Fair Street in uptown Kingston.

The group boasts an impressive year with grant awards from the National Park Service, Hudson River Valley Greenway, Land Trust Alliance, Park & Trails New York and the City of Kingston’s CDBG, all of which will help to build capacity and bring attention to their projects such as a Rail Trail System with a ‘Midtown Hub’, urban farming and practices, protecting and preserving open space and historic sites and to be a strong partner in helping to devise a park conservancy strategy in Kingston.

Special guest speakers will include Steve Rosenberg, Senior Vice President and Executive Director of Scenic Hudson and the Scenic Hudson Land Trust on ‘Hudson Valley Farms and Agriculture’ and Mark Castiglione, Acting Executive Director of the Hudson River Valley Greenway on ‘Trails, Kingston and the Hudson Valley’.

A $30 donation is recommended and light hors d’oeuvres will be served.

For more information, contact Rebecca Martin, Executive Director of the Kingston Land Trust at 845/877-LAND (5263). To contribute to their year end match challenge, visit www.kingstonlandtrust.org or – view our recent NEWSLETTER for the event agenda.

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This is the time to show the Kingston Land Trust that you appreciate their efforts and want to help them continue to do this important work. One of our generous benefactors has offered to match each dollar that we raise up to $5,000. That means that the KLT has the potential to earn at least $10,000 that will be added to our annual operating costs. We have until DECEMBER 31st, 2011 to reach this goal and any donation large or small plays an important role. If you cannot be present at our upcoming event but wish to support us with a secure, on line donation to our annual fund and match drive, click on the ‘Just Give’ link. Contributions are tax-deductible.

From all of us at the Kingston Land Trust, we appreciate your support.