The votes are in – New Yorkers love their parks and trails now more than ever! ANNUAL REPORT 2009

Parks&Trails NEWYORK Creating and Protecting New York’s Green Network A Beautiful Investment

Dear Friends of New York’s Parks and Trails,

In these tough economic times, more than ever, we New Yorkers need our parks and trails. We need to connect with nature, restore our spirits, and be healthier. And we need our parks and trails because of their important and growing contribution to our recreational tourism economy.

This year, Parks & Trails New York invested in our Campaign to Save Our State Parks (SOS Parks) from closings and dramatic service cutbacks. And we’re continuing to fight for our parks, organizing a growing movement of grassroots “Friends” and park users groups who refuse to stand by and watch the death of our magnificent state park system.

We also invested in community trail projects from the St. Lawrence River to the Erie Canalway to Long Island Sound, working with local and state partners to bring nature, healthy living, and sustainable economic development to urban, rural, and suburban places previously locked out of these opportunities.

We couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for your support – and for David F. Shaffer Robin Dropkin everything you do for New York’s parks Board Chair Executive Director and trails. 1

State Parks – Everybody’s Backyard Our 2009 report, In 2009 our Campaign for Parks fought hard to sustain the momentum to revitalize New York’s state parks, and we obtained another $19 The NYS Park million in bonded capital funding for park infrastructure repair and System: An improvements. But this achievement is overshadowed as of early 2010 because the Economic Asset to unthinkable is happening: the Governor’s FY2010 budget slashes parks funding and more than 90 parks and historic sites may have to close. the Empire State, shows that parks We are fighting back: contribute nearly • On Parks Advocacy Day we bring park supporters to Albany from all over the state to educate legislators about the economic, Campaign for Parks $2 billion each Director Shawn McConnell environmental, and quality-of-life contributions of NY’s state parks year to state and • Using e-alerts, facebook, and other new and traditional techniques, we organize and rally parks Friends groups – and parks users – to spread the word and local economies, speak up for our state parks and create 20,000 • Our media campaign has resulted in pro-parks articles, letters to the editor, and op eds in dozens of newspapers and on TV and radio statewide, creating a growing jobs (not including groundswell of support. state park “If the proposed budget is adopted, the parks agency will have been cut employees). 1 40% in the last 22 years. No other agency has been hit as hard.”

Join the Campaign to Save Our State Parks at www.ptny.org/advocacy.

Long Island parkgoers protest park closings.

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Bear Mountain State Park 2

Our Vision: A Green Network Connecting NY’s Communities

Healthy Trails, Healthy Communities – helping local activists plan and build trails and strengthening the statewide trails movement

1 Greenleaf Trail 2 Long Island Motor Parkway & Grand Loop Network 3 Rockaway Beach Branch Greenway 4 Riverside Park North 5 Ramapo River Greenway Trail 18 Salmon River Greenway Fran Gotcsik, Director of Programs & Policy 6 Quassaic Creek Trail 19 Freeville-Dryden Trail 7 Delaware & Hudson Canal Trail 20 Chemung Valley Riverside Trail 8 Delhi River Walk 21 Robert Moody Trail 9 Albany County Rail Trail 22 Lakeville-Livonia Trail 10 Hoosic River Greenway 23 North Buffalo Greenway 11 Little Ausable River Trail 24 Tonawanda Rail Trail 12 St. Lawrence River Greenway Trail 25 Pendleton Rail Trail 13 Salisbury-Dolgeville Greenway 26 Erie Cattaraugus Rail Trail 14 Susquehanna Greenway 27 Black Creek Walk 15 Chenango River Greenway 28 Upper Hudson Rail Trail 16 Chenango Canal Connections Corrridor 29 D&H Rail Trail 17 Chittenango Creek Walk 30 O&W Rail Trail

• Number of miles of new trail to be created: 144 Martin Daley, Project Director • Funds generated by communities to support their trail projects: about $4 million • Volunteer hours contributed by communities: 10,000+ TrailFinder The green network is growing, and walkers, hikers, and bicyclists needed a comprehensive guide to New York’s trails. So we created one! TrailFinder, our interactive web guide to 115 rail trails, canal trails, and greenways, provides easy-to-find information about trail location, length, and accessibility to people with disabilities, as well as nearby services such as bike shops, restaurants, and bed and breakfasts. Check it out at www.ptny.org/trailfinder. Message from the U.S. Surgeon General: “Children should be having fun and playing in environments that provide parks, recreational facilities, community centers, and walking and bike paths.”

Building Rail Trails Abandoned rail lines are an important source of community trails, but it can be daunting for a local community to negotiate with a large railroad company over the details of obtaining and reusing such property. That’s why we created Getting on Track: Working with Railroads to Build Trails in New York State, with step-by-step explanations, sample letters, and examples of successful case studies. Like all of our technical assistance publications, it’s available free on our website, at www.ptny.org/publications. 3

Celebrating Our Green Partners During the two years we have been supporting local park and trail groups with capacity-building grants for outreach, membership development, promotion, and fundraising, we have received more than 130 applications, from groups in areas as diverse as the Bronx, Thousand Islands, Western New York, and the Adirondacks.

These small grants enable local groups to accomplish BIG things:

• a park group in NYC held a series of open forums in surrounding neighborhoods and tripled their volunteers corps to more than 1,500 • a trail group in Oswego County created and mailed new brochures, inspiring a $500 donation from the local fire department and several new “adopt-a-trail” commitments • a county-wide trail group in Wayne County created a PowerPoint program, presented it at each of the county’s 13 libraries and several scout and civic groups, and increased membership by 142 percent, including more than 20 new affiliated organizations

2010 Grantees (yellow, numbered stars) 1) Brooklyn Greenway Initiative, Brooklyn, Kings County 2) Friends of Grimes Glen, Naples, Ontario County 3) Friends of Kinderhook Trails, Kinderhook, Columbia County 4) Friends of Rockland Lake and Hook Mountain, Inc., Valley Cottage, Rockland County Honoree Diana Taylor receives PTNY’s Perkins Award from Board Chair David Shaffer at our annual award reception. 5) Owasco Flats Nature Reserve, Moravia, Cayuga County 6) Friends of Taconic State Park, Copake Falls, Columbia County Each year, Parks & Trails New York bestows our 7) Erie-Cattaraugus Rail Trail, Inc., Orchard Park, Erie and Cattaraugus Counties George W. Perkins Award on an individual or 8) Friends of Connetquot, Oakdale, Suffolk County organization for outstanding parks and 9) Association for Conservation of Recreational and Natural Spaces, Inc., conservation leadership. The award is named in Stafford, Genesee County honor of George Perkins, who worked tirelessly to preserve the integrity of New York’s 2009 Grantees (red, lettered stars) magnificent park system. A. Friends of Robert Moses State Park Nature Center, Massena, St. Lawrence County B. Friends of Van Cortlandt Park, Bronx In November we honored Diana Taylor, Chair C. Friends of Glimmerglass State Park, Cooperstown, Otsego County of the Hudson River Park Trust, for developing D. Hudson Valley Rail Trail Association, Highland, Ulster County almost three miles of new parkland, with E. Friends of the Rail Trail, Delmar, Albany County magnificent landscaping and a multitude of free recreational and educational activities, along F. Trail Works, Inc., Williamson, Wayne County New York City’s waterfront. G. Hoosic River Watershed Association, Hoosick Falls, Rensselaer County H. Friends of Great Bear Recreation Area, Fulton, Oswego County 4

Promoting Outdoor Recreation and Tourism

In an economic downturn, • We published people stay closer to home for Bicyclists Bring recreation and vacations, Business, for boosting local economies – community civic and especially in upstate New business leaders York. This year, we focused interested in on several initiatives to attracting bicycle promote this critical aspect of tourism. The guide economic development: is based on our popular roundtables, • We created a unique, includes easy-to-use searchable online gateway to Erie Canalway Trail checklists, and is the Erie Canalway Trail, Project Director Wally Elton available at www.ptny.org/publications with updated and expanded information from our • We advocated for completion of the Erie Canalway acclaimed guidebook, Cycling the Erie Canal. Find the Trail and promoted the trail via our Cycling the Erie guide at www.ptny.org/bikecanal Canal bike tour, bringing in 500+ riders from all over the country. We have been working with the NYS “Without the buzz of my car’s engine… Canal Corporation since 1998 on completing and I could actually smell, hear and see what promoting the Erie Canalway Trail – which, when was around me.” completed, will be the longest multi-use trail in the U.S. A Strong and Growing Organization Thanks to the continuing generosity and support of our members and donors, and as a result of strategic economies that do not affect program size or quality, we have been able to sustain our organization through this tough economic period. We are keeping a steady eye on our finances, and will continue doing our best to keep our mission alive and our goals both significant and reachable. Financial Statement Statement of Activities for the year ended June 30, 2009

Support and Revenue Expenses (continued) Management & General Individual contributions $ 180,341 Supporting services 3.7% Grants 597,598 Management and general $ 49,134 Programs Corporate contributions 28,022 Fundraising 85,991 89.9% Special events 49,490 Program revenue 421,801 Total supporting services $ 135,125 Fundraising Other 6,576 Total expenses $ 1,333,873 6.4% Total support and revenue $ 1,333,318 Net Assets Expenses Change in net assets (555) Program services Net assets, beginning of year 495,557 Conservation $ 940,776 Net assets (deficit), end of year $ 495,002 Public education 171,981 Membership 85,991 Total program services $ 1,198,748

A copy of our most recent audited financial statement is available upon request by contacting the Parks & Trails New York office Analysis of 2009 Expenses Ways to Give Visit www.ptny.org to learn more.

In times like these, it can be too easy to discount the importance of parks • Double your donation by sending us your employer’s matching gift form and trails to New Yorkers’ quality of life, health, and economy. • Remember Parks & Trails New York in your will • Give at the office via Earth Share New York If you would like to help protect New Yorkers’ access to public green space, • Keep informed – sign up for our free Parks & Trails E-NEWS you can: • Get involved – join us on Advocacy Days, participate in our trails and parks • Become a member of Parks & Trails New York or make a donation, coalitions, and help make New York greener, today and tomorrow online or by phone or mail

Parks & Trails New York is deeply grateful to the Thank You Members and Donors members and donors whose gifts of $1 to $99 also made Gifts of $100 or more our work possible.

GEORGE W. PERKINS CIRCLE William L. Bernhard Paul Gazzerro John & Mary Alice Spencer Reed Foundation NPS Hudson River Valley National $5,000+ Jim Costich Carol A. Giotto Mr. & Mrs. Aaron Spital, M.D. The Walbridge Fund Ltd. Heritage Area Anonymous Elizabeth Gilmore Alain Golay Robert W. Tafel, Jr. CORPORATIONS, BUSINESSES NYS Canal Corporation/NYS Merryl H. Tisch Mr. & Mrs. John M. Gross Lawrence B. Goldberg, Esq. Harold & Pamela Tarry & ASSOCIATIONS Thruway Authority Lucy R. Waletzky, M.D. Dr. Thomas R. Holmes Richard & Susan Goldman Fred J. Thompson Advanced Energy Research NYS Council on the Arts John & Susan Zuccotti Mr & Mrs William N. Hubbard Tony Goodwin Dr. Elizabeth Thorndike & Technology Center NYS Department of Economic Christopher J. Kennan Lorraine J. Gudas Tim Tompkins Aetna Development Alan Klingenstein Molly Gurney Hon. & Mrs. Russell E. Train NYS Department of Health STEWARDS’ CIRCLE Bank of America Brian McGinty Eric J. Hamilton Charles B. Updike NYS Office of Parks, Recreation $2,500 - $4,999 Brookfield Renewable Power Inc. Barnabas McHenry Walter J. Handelman Michael J. van Itallie Central Hudson Gas & Electric and Historic Preservation John Bernstein Richard J. Moylan Marjorie & Gurnee Hart Diane VanSlyke Corporation Oneida County Convention and Richard Cashin Heidi Nitze Barry Hartglass Monica Ali Wambold Chazen Engineering & Land Visitors Bureau Joan K. Davidson Michael Rosato Ronald Heilmann Tripp Warren Surveying Co., P.C. Orange County Tourism Douglas Durst Janet Ross Alexander Holstein Arete & William Warren Consolidated Edison Company of NY Orleans County Tourism Robert & Carol Kafin Klara B. Sauer Robert Hoover Larry & Shirley Warren CSEA, Inc. Palisades Interstate Park Judy & Eric Mower Jeffrey Corbin & Janette Schue Joyce Hounsell John P. Waugh Glenwood Management Commission Diana L. Taylor Edmund A. Schwesinger, Jr. P.A.T. & Bridgford Hunt Philip Weinberg Corporation The Research Foundation of SUNY Laurie Silberfeld Jeffrey Janowsky Allen J. Weller IBM Corporation Schenectady County TRAILBLAZERS Lorie Slutsky Jocelyn R. Jerry Paul Wollner Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Seneca County Tourism $1,000 - $2,499 Jeff Johnston David V. Woolf Cruises Syracuse Convention Ione Worth & Visitors Bureau Joan & Robert Arnow FRIENDS Nancy Peterson & Ed Kautz Terry Precision Cycling for Women Town of Dryden Jeannette G. Bamford $100-$249 Patricia H. Keesee The Nature Conservancy of NY Sara A. Kelsey Town of Gorham David Bronston Robert Abrams FOUNDATIONS Verizon Elizabeth & John Kennedy Ulster County Tourism Jane Clark Chermayeff Robert E. Adamski American Conservation Association Voss Signs, LLC Thomas Killeen State Senator David J. Valesky Mary L. Cotter Dr. & Mrs. Fred Agre Amica Companies Foundation Bill & Margaret Kleiber Wayne County Tourism Charles E. Dorkey III Chip Alleman Anonymous Jeffrey W. Knutson GOVERNMENT Robert M. Kaufman Robert I. Allen Arthur Ross Foundation Carl Kohls Albany County Convention Philip & Patricia Laskawy Stuart H. Angert Assemblyman Robert Reilly Salary IN-KIND Henryka Komanska & Visitors Bureau Mr. & Mrs. Leonard Lauder Joseph Bartley Fund - The Community The 1840 Inn, Bouckville Keith Kroon Cayuga County Convention J. Scott Lewendon Christopher Becker Foundation for the Greater Crandall Public Library Peter Kukk & Visitors Center Frederick Osborn III Jeffrey Bender Capital Region Friends of the Mohawk-Hudson Mr. & Mrs. Lars Kulleseid Columbia County Larry Rockefeller Anne S. Bergantz E.A.S.T.E.R. Foundation Bike-Hike Trail Judith M. LaBelle County of Rockland Ted & Connie Roosevelt IV Nancy Berner GE Foundation GOpromos Thomas R. Lalla, Jr. Dutchess County Economic Arthur V. Savage Alexander & Elizabeth Bernstein Gregg Family Charitable Fund L.L. Bean Laura Leso Development Harvey & Justine Fevola Schussler Joan Bertin Harriet Ford Dickenson Foundation Mohawk River Community Partners Nathan Leventhal Greater Rochester Visitor Center A. Joseph Scott III Gary Bigsby IBM Foundation of Colonie Harry H. Manko Greene County Tourism David F. Shaffer Richard & Karen Botjer Jewish Communal Fund Primeau Fahey Studios David J. Manning Hudson River Valley Greenway H. Peter Stern Paul M. Bray J.M. Kaplan Fund, Inc. Town of Colonie Joseph J. Martens Assemblyman William Magee Jeff Swain Harriet B. Brittain JPMorgan Chase Foundation Town of Niskayuna Dr. Appleton Mason III Montgomery County Michael Tannen Dr. Melinda Broman The Lauder Foundation, Leon Wegmans Carolyn Matzelle Natural Heritage Trust David A. Tanner Deirdre Brown and Evelyn Lauder Fund Stanley E. May NPS Erie Canalway National Helen Tucker David L. Bruner Macy’s Foundation Matthew & Nancy McKenna Heritage Corridor Alan Vincent Henry Bryan Pfizer Foundation Ann McPartlin and Family Elisa Burns Vincent J. Mirrione, Jr. Michael Buskus PROTECTORS Peter A. Morgan Michael Cardozo $500 - $999 Georgette Mosbacher Theodore Gewertz Richard T. Anderson Dick Nathan & Claire Chappell Kent L. Barwick Tim Nelson William & Laurie Clark John & Eleanor F. Brown Kevin Neumaier Thomas L. Cobb James F. Capalino John Nicolich David & Rosemary Coffin J. Martin Carovano Gail Norris Karen Cohen Ted Curtis Marita OíHare Mimi Corcoran Edward Doherty James & Mary Orrange Henry G. Corey Mr. & Mrs. Peter Georgescu David & Michelle Pastel Raymond & Claire Costantino Sibyl R. Golden A.J. Pietrantone Ed Cox John & Betsy Hunter Frank & Judy Platt Alice W. Damp Jim Laing — Tutor Perini Leslie Pomerantz Karen Davidson Civil Group Gail S. Port, Esq. Dr. James C. Dawson Charles & Barbara Manning Henning Webb Prentis III Henry L. Diamond Candace & John Marsellus Penelope Raphaely Stanley Domanowski Douglas R. McCuen David N. Redden Jeffrey L. Doppelt Lynden B. Miller Terry Reed, D.D.S. Dana C. Drake Donald Mullen Deborah Reichler Margaret Drobnik Constance M. Hoguet Neel Stephen J. Renison Lloyd Dropkin, M.D. Mr. and Mrs. Constantine Frederic Rich Fred & Barbara Eames Sidamon-Eristoff Karina R. Ricker Richard & Hildegard Edling Michael & Joan Steinberg Ray & Diane E. Rogers Howard B. Halstead Stephanie H. Wacholder John M. Ryan & Melissa A. Engler WolfBlock LLP Laurel Saville Jean & Peter Esser David Schiff David Fisher George & Theresa Schnepf SUPPORTERS Connie Fishman Robert Schuur $250-$499 Andrew Francis Thomas S. Shattan Jane Sokolow & Edward Ames Thomas E. Francois Boaz M. Shattan, Jr. Michael Baczkowski Pamela Frederick Monte Silberger George H. Beane Hugh & Delores Gabriel

We make every effort to ensure that our donor list is accurate, but mistakes and omissions can occur. Please call us at 518-434-1583 to let us know about any errors. Parks&Trails NEWYORK Dedicated since 1985 to preserving and expanding our statewide network of parks, greenways, and trails for all New Yorkers to enjoy

STAFF

Robin Dropkin, Executive Director Lauren Alpert, Program Intern (not pictured) Martin Daley, Project Director Wally Elton, Project Director Andrew Franciosa, Program Intern Martha Gershun, Director of Development Frances Gotcsik, Director of Programs & Policy Al Hastings, Ride Director (not pictured) Heidi Knapp, Administrative Assistant Shawn McConnell, Director, Campaign for Parks (as of January 2010, not pictured) Margaret McGivern, Director of Administrative Services Tim Sweeney, Director, Campaign for Parks (through December 2009)

BOARD OF DIRECTORS ADVISORY COUNCIL

David F. Shaffer, Chair Charles E. Dorkey III Edward A. Ames Barnabas McHenry James C. Dawson, Vice Chair David Grome Paul M. Bray Lynden B. Miller Robert J. Kafin, Vice Chair John Hunter Anne Perkins Cabot Peter L. Rhulen Judith C. Mower, Secretary Kevin M. Lanahan Joan K. Davidson Larry Rockefeller A. Joseph Scott III, Treasurer J. Scott Lewendon Henry L. Diamond Anne Sidamon-Eristoff Kent L. Barwick Douglas R. McCuen Douglas Durst Constantine Sidamon-Eristoff Robert F. Bristol Richard P. Morse John Hanna, Jr. David Sive David Bronston Arthur V. Savage Joseph J. Martens Diana L. Taylor J. Martin Carovano Michael Tannen Jane Clark Chermayeff Alan N. Vincent Mary L. Cotter Stephanie H. Wacholder Edward Doherty

29 Elk Street, Albany, NY 12207 • P 518.434.1583 • F 518.427.0067 • www.ptny.org • [email protected] Stay informed — sign up for free E-NEWS at www.ptny.org/e-news.

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