Greene County Soil & Water Conservation District

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UPCOMING EVENTS

The Watershed Wednesdays Webinar Series starts Wednesday, April 30th! 

Watershed Webinar Series Schedule

The Watershed Wednesdays Webinar Series returns on April 30th! Join us at 6PM on Wednesdays through the month of May.
This year’s lineup includes:

  • Session 1, April 30: A Streamside Guide to Catskill Mountain Geology with Dany Davis, NYC Department of Environmental Protection
    Explore the geologic history of the Catskill Mountains! What can we learn about the geology of the Catskills through investigating Catskill streams? We will talk about the science and art of "reading the landscape", dip our toes into the ancient stream history of the bedrock geology, ponder how the mountains were made, spend a few minutes with the legacy of the most recent ice age, and wrap up by highlighting how you can learn about all of this by spending time exploring. Click here to register for Session 1.
  • Session 2, May 7: An Interactive Chat About Drought in New York State with Sylvia Reeves, National Integrated Drought Information System
    Explore the impacts of drought across energy, human health, and the economic sectors. Learn how the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) supports drought resilience across the country. Click here to register for Session 2.
  • Session 3, May 14: How Biodiversity Protects Us from Infectious Diseases with Dr. Felicia Keesing, Bard College
    Learn how biodiversity protects us from diseases shared between humans and other animals, the so-called zoonotic diseases. Keesing will explain why one of the best ways to prevent future pandemics is to protect biodiversity. Click here to register for Session 3.
  • Session 4, May 21: Sustaining a Brook Trout Stronghold: Initiatives in the Upper Schoharie with Steven Swenson, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
    Trout possess remarkable upstream migration abilities, crucial for their life cycle and ecosystem health. Learn about the abilities of trout to move and under what circumstances their movement typically occur. We’ll also showcase finished and ongoing conservations projects aimed at restoring Brook Trout populations by addressing barriers to migration and enhancing aquatic habitat. Click here to register for Session 4. 
  • Session 5, May 28: The “Deep Time” History of the Schoharie Watershed with Dr. Chuck Ver Straeten, New York State Museum
    The geology of the Schoharie Watershed, from Indian Head Mountain, along the Devils Path, to its junction with the Mohawk River, records Earth and Life history from ~450 to ~380 million years ago. Shallow water seas, to lands with some of Earth’s oldest fossil forests and animal life! Though covered extensively by soils and modern forests, much of the deep history of the Schoharie Watershed can be “read” across its mountains, valleys, hills, and flatlands. Click here to register for Session 5.

All land on Earth is part of a watershed, and the way we choose to use that land directly impacts the quality of our water.

The topics in this series offer a diverse range of information to help participants gain a more holistic understanding of Earth’s processes, ecological functions, and the vital role each of us plays in maintaining a healthy environment.The Watershed Wednesdays Webinar Series is offered as part of Schoharie Watershed Month (May) – a month-long series of events that celebrate and raise awareness of the waterways that flow across the Schoharie Basin, as well as the 315 square miles of land that feed them.

All Schoharie Watershed Month events are free and made possible through partnership between GCSWCD and NYCDEP.

District News

  • NYS Agricultural Assessment Program

    NYS Agricultural Assessment Program work will begin in January. Through this program, eligible landowners have the opportunity to reduce property tax bills for agricultural land. Landowners must submit an Agricultural Assessment Application to their town assessor by March 1st.

    GCSWCD will complete the first step in the application process by classifying all farmland that will be enrolled in the program by soil productivity. A soil map will be developed, along with the “Soil Group Worksheet,” which is used to define the acreage of each soil productivity group. To learn more about the Agricultural Assessment Program, visit the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance website: https://www.tax.ny.gov/research/property/assess/valuation/ag_overview.htm

    Please provide the following information when requesting a Soil Group Worksheet and soil map from GCSWCD:

    • Applicant Contact Information
      • Property Owner/Business Name (as it will appear on the application)
      • Mailing address (as it will appear on the application)
      • Phone Number and Email
    • Contact Information for whoever requests the assessment (if different from property owner)
    • Tax Parcel ID (ex. XXX.XX - X - XX)
    • Tax Parcel Local Address
    • Agricultural District Inclusion Status
    • Recent Property Changes
      • Clearing of woods
      • Subdivisions
      • Change of ownership
    • Rental Status
      • Is the property rented out or is it farmed by the property owner?

     In order to meet the March 1st application deadline, interested applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out as soon as possible.

    Requests should be directed to Michelle McDonough by phone at (518) 622-3620 or by e-mail at michellem@gcswcd.com.

Programs Available

  • Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM)

    GCSWCD has a renewed Agriculture program. We are currently looking to enroll farms in the AEM Program and provide assistance as needed. The goal is to be able to assess farms in the County and link them to potential funding sources to make improvements.

    For more information, please call: (518) 589-6871 or email alex@gcswcd.com

    To learn more about AEM, visit: https://agriculture.ny.gov/soil-and-water/agricultural-environmental-management