Wentworth (left) and Rosenberg

WASHINGTON DC – Scenic Hudson has been presented with a national conservation award for its pioneering work in the land trust field in developing and implementing collaborative conservation management plans for important natural landscapes.

Scenic Hudson was selected by the Land Trust Alliance of Washington, D.C., from more than 1,700 land trusts across the country, to receive its National Land Trust Excellence Award, which was presented at Rally: The National Land Conservation Conference in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 14, 2011.

Scenic Hudson is an impactful environmental organization and land trust working in New York’s Hudson River Valley to protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape.  A crusader for the valley since 1963, Scenic Hudson is credited with saving the beautiful Storm King Mountain from a destructive industrial project and helping to launch the modern environmental movement.

“Scenic Hudson was born of the passion of people who loved the place and said ‘no’ to destruction of an icon and of a sacred mountain,” said Rand Wentworth, president of the Land Trust Alliance. “We presented this award because of Scenic Hudson’s breadth of vision and their accomplishment. They have embraced the concept of large landscapes, have been a model partner in engaging with diverse communities, people of color and other nonprofits. They have put their money and efforts in doing their work where people live for healthy communities.”

Having conserved almost 28,000 acres of lands that contribute to the scenic fabric, ecological integrity and agricultural viability of the Hudson River Valley, Scenic Hudson has a long and distinguished track record of collaborative conservation -- designing a model for conservation easements and establishing a collaborative process.  The tangible outcomes resulting from this process helped spur several municipalities to create their own farmland protection programs and funding streams.  Scenic Hudson has collaborated with several of these communities to conserve farms that are shared priorities.