$8.00 Southern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan Balancing Development and the Environment in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed Metropolitan Conservation Alliance a program of MCA Technical Paper Series: No. 8 Southern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan Balancing Development and the Environment in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed by Nicholas A. Miller, Michael W. Klemens, and Jennifer E. Schmitz Metropolitan Conservation Alliance Wildlife Conservation Society Bronx, NY Cover photograph: Black Meadow Creek, Orange County, NY. ©WCS/MCA, Kevin J. Ryan Suggested citation: Miller, N. A., M. W. Klemens, and J. E. Schmitz. 2005. Southern Wallkill Biodiversity Plan: Balancing development and the environment in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed. MCA Technical Paper No. 8, Metropolitan Conservation Alliance, Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, New York. Additional copies of this document can be obtained from: Metropolitan Conservation Alliance Wildlife Conservation Society 68 Purchase Street, 3rd Floor Rye, New York 10580 (914) 925-9175
[email protected] ISBN 0-9724810-5-2 ISSN 1542-8133 Printed on partially recycled paper Gette © Linda In memory of Ann Botshon Her tireless work to conserve the Wallkill Valley continues to inspire us all iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would not have been possible without the enthusiastic collaboration and support of our key partners: the towns of Chester, Goshen, and Warwick, and the Village of Warwick. These communities have helped to guide this project and have contributed to its success through outreach to their citizenry and active engagement at meetings and planning charettes. We extend thanks to all of our partners within these communities (including many elected and appointed officials, town staff, volunteer board members, and concerned citizens) who have moved this project forward and who continue to make conservation of biodiversity a priority within their towns.