Teaching The Hudson Valley

Volunteer, wander, enjoy!

Posted by Debi Duke
on September 21, 2011

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Living in the Hudson Valley we hardly need an excuse to glory in our surroundings, but it's been a rough end to summer what with storms and continuing budget cuts.

Sat., Sept. 24, is National Public Lands Day and Sun., the 25th, marks the final day in the annual Hudson River Valley Ramble. (See below for more on these annual events.)

NPLD and the Ramble offer perfect -- and nearby -- opportunities like these to get you outdoors.

• Maintain trails and gardens at Somers Intermediate School, 240 Route 202, Somers. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 914-277-4344.

• Remove weeds and maintain archaeological structures at Jay Heritage Center, 210 Boston Post Rd., Rye. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 914-400-6720.

• Maintain trails and signs or install fences and kiosks at Hackett Hill Park, 79 E. Market St., Hyde Park. Contact Town recreation director This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 845-229-8086.

• Pick up trash, pull weeds, plant bulbs, and rake at Hudson Crossing Park, Schuylerville. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 518-695-3104.

• Monitor water quality at Nanuet Outdoor Park in Pearl River. Contact Susan Gruskin, 914-450-9756 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

• Clear brush around Top Cottage, FDR's Hyde Park retreat. Meet at 11 a.m. at the Wallace Visitor Center, Home of FDR National Historic Site, board the shuttle, and meet park staff on site. Bring lunch and gloves plus boots, bug spray, and sun screen. Hand tools will be provided. Work will end at 2:15 p.m. and volunteers will take the 2:30 p.m. shuttle back to the Wallace Center. Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , 845-229-9115, ext. 2025.

The Ramble site features literally dozens more hikes, bike rides, paddles, festivals, and more all searchable by lower, mid, and upper Valley, as well as family friendly, wheelchair accessible, close to public transit, biking, paddling, history, culture, etc.

What is Public Lands Day?

It's the nation's largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands. Begun in 1994, NPLD aims to keep the promise of the Civilian Conservation Corps, the "tree army" that worked from 1933-1942 to preserve and protect America's natural heritage.

Last year, 170,000 volunteers worked at over 2,080 sites in every state, the District of Columbia and in many U.S. territories:

• Removing 450 tons of trash
• Collecting 20,000 pounds of invasive plants
• Building and maintaining 1,320 miles of trails
• Planting 100,000 native trees and plants

Eight federal agencies, nonprofits and state, regional and local governments participate in the annual day of caring for shared lands to:

• Educate about caring for critical environmental and natural resources;
• Build on the broad-based interest in enhancing public lands; and
• Improve public lands for outdoor recreation.

What is the Ramble?

The Hudson River Valley Ramble celebrates the history, culture, and natural resources of the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, as well as the amazing landscape, communities, and trails throughout the region.

What began as a modest event held during one weekend in September, has grown with this year's Ramble taking place over three weekends.

Many Ramble events connect heritage and recreation highlighting themes such as the Revolutionary War, Great Estates, Hudson River School artists, designated Greenway Trails, and the Hudson River Estuary. Generally they are outdoors, or include an outdoor portion, and offer interpretation of the landscape, history, or ecology of the area during walks; bike, kayak, or canoe trips; family festivals, or river explorations.

The Hudson River Valley Greenway and National Heritage Area includes all municipalities within these counties: Albany, Columbia, Dutchess, Greene, Orange, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Ulster, Washington, and Westchester, along with areas of New York and Bronx counties adjacent to the Hudson River and within the city’s waterfront revitalization program area.

Top photo: trail to Top Cottage by Bill Urbin, Roosevelt-Vanderbilt National-Historic Sites. Bottom: Civilian Conservation Corp workers, 1933.

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