Town of Clinton's Conservation Advisory Council (CAC)
 

The CAC meets the second Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM at the Clinton Town Hall CAC@townofclinton.com

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NEW Energy Efficiency information for our community! Click here.
 

Important Information What can you do to protect your drinking water? Information about Septic Systems Why do we need to protect our wetlands, streams and ponds? Woodland Pool Conservation - Vernal Pools Nusiance & Invasive Species of New York State Giant Hogweed - A Noxious Plant Emerald Ash Borer - Invasive Insect Species to our Forests Bat Conservation - Why? Recommended Model Development Principles For Protection of Natural Resources In the Hudson River Estuary Watershed NYS Rechargeable Battery Recycling Law	Town of Clinton's Conservation Advisory Council (CAC) What is the Conservation Advisory Council? What can the CAC do for you? Members of the CAC CAC Brochure CAC Minutes Goals and Accomplishments Welcome to the Town of Clinton folders	Other Links Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Days Dutchess County Soil and Water Conservation District NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Cornell University Cooperative Extension Preserving Clinton through Conservation Easements Clinton Nature Trail: Eagle Project by David Foote Great Backyard Bird Count Bird Flu (H5N1 virus) Town of Clinton Nature Garden Dutchess Watersheds

What Is The Conservation Advisory Council (CAC)?
The CAC is charged with advising official municipal bodies active in community planning, and with promoting wise use of the town's natural resources. Membership draws interested citizens from across the Clinton community and includes a diversity of talent and expertise. The common commitment is a sincere dedication to preserving the quality of the environment. The CAC may have no fewer than three, and no more than nine members. Each member is appointed by the town board for a two-year renewable term, and serves without compensation.

What Can The CAC Do For You?

• Advise on matters affecting quality and use of natural resources and the environment.
• Develop and coordinate information on environmental matters.
• Conduct studies, surveys, and inventories of natural and man-made features.
• Maintain a current inventory of maps and file data for natural resources, open space, wetlands, and land use.
• Coordinate/maintain open lines of communication with public agencies and non-governmental organizations.
• Provide and maintain accurate records of meetings and activities for public use.

Members of the CAC:

Chairman, Jen Cavanaugh Town Board Liaison, Frank Venezia Norene Coller Sarah Love

Mike DiGiacomio Barbara Mansell Bill Relyea

Town of Clinton CAC's Brochure.

Recent CAC Minutes:

October 2010 November 2010 December 2010 February 2011 March 2011 April 2011 May 2011 June 2011 July 2011 September 2011 October 2011 November 2011

7/6/11 Northern Dutchess News: Eagle Scout Improves Clinton Nature Trail Report -> Click Here The Town of Clinton received a $10,000 grant from Hudson River Valley Greenway for the development of an Open Space plan. The Town of Clinton received a $25,000 grant from the State Department of Agriculture and Markets to develop an agricultural and farmland protection plan.    Daily Freeman, March 5, 2008  Poughkeepsie Journal, March 1, 2008

Goals for 2011

• Continue working with the Planning Board and ZBA to review proposals.
• Continue working with the Open Space and Farmland Protection Committee to develop town maps of hiking and biking trails and to protect natural habitats of concern.
• Continue working with the Comprehensive Plan Committee to update the natural resource chapter.
• Continue education programs for children with the library focusing on wildlife and water resources.
• Update brochures and map of the town’s Nature Trail to encourage visitors to walk trails. Celebrate the opening of the Nature Trail honoring Eagle Scout volunteer.
• Continue updating CAC information on town web site.
• Continue placing newcomer folders with town and environmental information in the offices of the Assessor and Town Clerk.
• Encourage the town to install more solar panels.

2010 Accomplishments

  Continued working with the Planning Board and ZBA to review proposals.
  Continued working with the Open Space and Farmland Protection Committee to develop Clinton Farmland Protection Plan. Plan was accepted by the Town Board in December, 2010.
  Continued working with the Comprehensive Plan Committee to update the natural resource chapter.
  Continued education programs for children with the library focusing on wildlife and water resources.
  Drafted brochures and completed map of the town’s Nature Trail to encourage visitors to walk trails. Worked with Eagle Scout to create trail markers and map.
  Continued updating CAC information on town web site.
  Placed newcomer folders with town and environmental information in the offices of the Assessor and Town Clerk.
  The town installed additional solar panels, with the encouragement of the CAC.
  Helped to design a farm tour including a meal featuring local foods.

Why do we need to protect our wetlands, streams and ponds?

Titled "Wetlands, Streams and Ponds" on the Cornell University Department of Natural Resources website, there is information describing the reasons why wetlands, streams, and ponds need to be protected and properly managed. The water from these areas eventually refills the aquifers from which our town residents get their drinking water.

Woodland Pool Conservation - Vernal Pools
Vernal pools are a type of small, temporary wetland found in forested landscapes. They occur in isolated, shallow depressions that typically fill during the spring or fall from rain, snowmelt or groundwater, but dry by late summer or during droughts.  They are critical breeding habitats for amphibians and invertebrates such as fairy shrimp, wood frogs and salamanders, because the pools are devoid of predatory fish. The pools also provide important links in the food chain in forests for plants and animals. The DEC website is a good source to learn more about vernal pools.

Dutchess Watersheds
There are four main watersheds in Dutchess: Hudson Direct, Wappinger Creek, Fishkill Creek and Tenmile River.  To learn why watersheds are important as well as see community events, go to the Dutchess Watersheds website.

Dutchess Watershed Awareness Month
In an effort to increase public awareness of the importance of our watersheds in Dutchess County, a series of educational, family-oriented activities are held in the month of July and be found on the Dutchess Watershed Awareness Month website.

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) website has a wealth of information not just on the protection of wetlands, waterways, and our groundwater but also: What to do about nuisance wildlife and invasive species such as Black Bear, Canada Geese, Tent Caterpillars, Emerald Ash Borer, Gypsy Moths, and Giant Hogweed; Facts on native amphibians and reptiles like Eastern Milk Snake, Timber Rattle and Massauga snakes, Snapping and Blanding's turtles, Eastern Tiger salamanders and Bog turtles; Species Conservation for Indiana Bats; Karner Blue Butterfly; Golden Eagles, Northern Cricket Frogs and Shortnose Sturgeon.  http://www.dec.ny.gov/

Cornell University Cooperative Extension - Dutchess County website provides important education programs to our residents and officials in Dutchess County for support of locally grown food through sustainable farming in our communities; energy conservation, preservation and protection of our environment; family health, financial and consumer management as well as provide 4-H youth programs. The main office is located at the Farm and Home Center, 2715 Route 44 in Millbrook. http://ccedutchess.org/

Nusiance & Invasive Species of New York State
Nuisance & Invasive Species of New York State - DEC webpage This is the webpage link: http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/265.html An invasive species is non-native that has become a "weed pest". They tend to grow very aggressively and quickly, and in doing so disturb the biodiversity of established ecosystems. Each year billions of dollars are spent in the U.S. in an effort to eradicate these plants. For an interim list of New York State invasive plant species visit the Department of Environmental Conservation webpage.

Giant Hogweed – A Noxious Plant
Avoid this plant, if you see it! Giant hogweed is a large impressive plant with big leaves and flower clusters. The plant sap is a clear and watery fluid and cause trouble for people who are sensitive to it. The combination of sap on the skin and exposure to sunlight can produce painful, burning blisters within 24-48 hours. Contact with the plant sap can also result in purple or black scars. For further information about what this plant looks like and how to remove it, go the New York State Department of Health’s website: Giant Hogweed – Health Advice.

Emerald Ash Borer - Invasive Insect Species to our Forests
The Emerald Ash Borer infests and kills North American Ash trees. It was first discovered in Michigan in 2002 and has moved into Western New York as of June 2009. This invasive insect is moving towards Eastern New York, and the USDA has established quarantines on ash trees, logs and hardwood firewood from moving out of areas where the emerald ash borer has been found. More information about this beetle can be found on the Emerald Ash Borer website http://www.emeraldashborer.info/ .

Bat Conservation - Why?
Bats are an integral part of our ecosystem because they feed on vast amounts of insects, pollinate our flowering plants and scatter seeds. But why are people frightened of them? Rabies? What are the chances of being bitten by a bat? How is a bat caught if it gets into a house? Did you know bats are in danger? The Bat Conservation International website answers these questions and more, and describes the disease, White-nose Syndrome, that is devastating enormous populations of bats. Learn how you can help save the bats by providing bat boxes in your yard. What have you got to lose but a thousand pesky insects?

Recommended Model Development Principles For Protection of Natural Resources In the Hudson River Estuary Watershed
Click Here For Town of Clinton Recommended Model Development Principles  This document, a product of the Town of Clinton Site Planning Roundtable, is the result of a year-long consensus process initiated by the Wappinger Creek Watershed Intermunicipal Council.

NYS Rechargeable Battery Recycling Law requires manufacturers of covered rechargeable batteries to collect and recycle the batteries statewide in a manufacturer-funded program at no cost to consumers. www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/72065.html

Preserving Clinton through Conservation Easements
A conservation easement is a voluntary, legally-binding agreement that limits certain agreed types of uses or prevents development from taking place on a piece of privately-owned property, now and in the future, while protecting the property’s ecological or open-space values for future generations. It enables owners to keep their property to live on and use their land. The easement is usually maintained by an agency, which holds the right to enforce the landowner's promise not to develop the property. There are two not-for-profit organizations dedicated to this preservation for the public in Dutchess County. To learn more about conservation easements, see: Dutchess Land Conservancy and Winnekee Land Trust.

Clinton Nature Trail - Eagle Project by David Foote of Troop 37
David Foote, from Boy Scout Troop 37 of Hyde Park, completed work on the Clinton Nature Trail as his Eagle Scout Service Project in August 2010. He enlisted the help of volunteers from his Troop, as well as from his father, and adult advisors Kurt and Barbara Schollmeyer, to complete his project. David organized the trail's cleanup, and performed maintenance. He also created a new entrance sign and numbered trail signs marking features of the trail. These features, of which there are twelve in total, include stream, wetlands, and tree species. He also created a  BROCHURE describing these features. David and his father conducted months of research and work in order to complete the project, and both the CAC and the Town Board have extended their thanks to him for his excellent work, which will enable many people to enjoy our Nature Trail. For the tour of the completed trail, see: David Foote Photo Album.

	Bird Flu For the latest information regarding Bird Flu, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website is an excellent source of information. It also states that it is safe for bird watchers to watch and feed wild birds because the bird flu has not been detected in North America.
Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) - February 17-20, 2012 The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual 4-day event that birdwatchers across the continent participate in the counting of birds that they find. Anyone can participate. All that is required is to spend at least 15 minutes per day and fill in the tally sheet for each day’s observations. The data collected helps scientists and birdwatchers learn about how the winter influences bird populations; where irruptive winter finches are located; what diseases such as West Nile are affecting bird populations; and note bird diversity in cities, suburban and rural areas. For more information on this, how you can participate and report your findings, go to the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) website. On the Saturday, February 10th, the Clinton Library and CAC held a GBBC educational program.  Our walk was limited to the parking lot around the Library and Highway Department considering the winter that was had.  Our count reported 10 species.

The entrance to the Town of Clinton Nature Trail is located by the baseball field at the Town Hall and Clinton Community Library on Centre Road.  Photos taken in and around the Nature Garden - Photos Taken By Barbara Mansell. Click Here To See More Pictures