MAINTAINING MOMENTUM: Following up on America's Great Outdoors Initiative

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack speaking with Ned Sullivan and Scenic Hudson Board Member Chris Buck on Aug. 6.

The Aug. 5 and 6 listening sessions in Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park brought senior federal officials to the Hudson Valley as part of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative. The sessions, attended by over 400 environmental leaders and concerned citizens, were an important step in establishing new federal partnerships that will support Hudson Valley efforts to protect scenic vistas, preserve farmland and safeguard habitat. Our region was one of 25 locations selected for a listening tour, so we still need to work to keep the Hudson Valley and its needs in the spotlight between now and Monday, Nov. 15, when the departments of the Interior and Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Council on Environmental Quality will issue a report with recommendations to the president.

The best way to do that is through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's IdeaJam website, designed to capture the smart, creative ways communities are conserving outdoor spaces. When you visit the site, you are invited to register for a free account after which you can either submit your own ideas or "promote" or "demote" ideas that have already been submitted.

We've linked to six ideas that reflect top Hudson Valley priorities that came out of the listening sessions -- "promoting" those would be a good place to start:

IDEA #1: Preserve Working Farms and Connect People to their Food
IDEA #2: Support Implementation of Watershed Management Plans that Engage the Public
IDEA #3: Connect People to Landscape, History and Culture through Partnerships with Land Trusts
IDEA #4: Enhance Tourism and Recreation Partnerships
IDEA #5: Link People to Green Spaces by Rails, Trails and Waterfront Access
IDEA #6: Educate and Inspire People in Parks

With enough participation, ideas like these will find their way into the America's Great Outdoors report this November, paving the way for new federal policies that will help all of us concerned with protecting and enjoying the Hudson Valley.