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Natural Resource Inventory
Understanding Our EcoSystem and our Role in It
The Town of Hyde Park, as part of our Climate Smart Communities efforts, is creating a Natural Resources Inventory (NRI). Hyde Park, Village and Town of Rhinebeck are grateful to be receiving expert support and technical assistance from the DEC’s Hudson River Estuary Program to jointly conduct an NRI process. We also thank Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County (CCE Dutchess) for their mapping assistance. The project kicked off in Spring 2021 and anticipates completion in Summer 2022.
A NRI is often used as planning tool by Town Boards, Conservation Advisory Councils/Boards, Planning and Zoning Boards. It is a collection of maps with narrative text explaining what is found on those maps. The content will be helpful as the Town undertakes updating its 2005 comprehensive plan, and the completion of the NRI will gain the Town points towards bronze certification in the Climate Smart Communities program. We also envision the NRI as a community tool, where residents and the school district can explore this public information and develop a deeper understanding of the various aspects of our ecosystem.
Working Group Members:
- Erin Drost, Member, Town Conservation Advisory Council, Town lead
- Neil Krupnick, Member, Former Town of Hyde Park Board Member
- Michael Dupree, Chair, Town of Hyde Park Planning Board
- Kerri Teed, Chair, Town Conservation Advisory Council
- Richard Mattocks, Coordinator, Town Climate Smart Communities Task Force
- Dorothy Chenevert, Hyde Park Citizen
- Jennifer Hann, Hyde Park Citizen
If you’re interested in being involved with the Town working group, please contact the Climate Smart Communities Task Force at csctaskforce@hydeparkny.us.
Any member of the public is welcome to join the meetings and review posted materials—details below!
Upcoming Meetings
The NRI group meets the fourth Wednesday of each month
Background Info on NRIs
Here’s a helpful 2-page fact sheet (PDF) about NRIs. For a more in-depth guide on how to create an NRIs, check out this PDF.
Example NRIs:
Philipstown’s NRI notably addresses carbon sequestration: ”Philipstown’s ecosystems capture 40%, or approximately 80,000 Metric Tons of CO2-equivalent, of the Town’s total annual community greenhouse gas emissions in a year, most of which is performed by the Town’s deciduous forests.”
The Town and Village of New Paltz just created an NRI and posted it here. They use an inset map to show the village on static maps and a web mapper to make zooming in even easier. Developing a mapper like this would be outside of our project scope but could be something we find funding for in the future.
The Town of Gardiner created a Natural Resources Inventory describing the Town’s fresh water, parks, natural habitats and scenic spaces essential to ensure continued prosperity, quality of life and responsible growth for the Town.