The Town of Rochester Environmental Conservation Commission is pleased to announce the sponsorship of a series of presentations highlighting environmental topics pertinent to the town. This series will include 4-5 diverse topic presentations over the coming months, ranging from streams and flooding to bears.
The first presentation in the series is titled "Streamside Buffers in the Hudson Valley" and will be presented by Kevin Grieser, Riparian Buffer Coordinator, Hudson River Estuary Program.
The event will be held Thursday July 10th at the Town of Rochester town hall in Accord (Scenic Drive just off Granite Road).The presentation will be from 7 PM-8 PM. Following the presentation there will be a question and answer discussion period. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.
Topic of Discussion: "Streamside Buffers in the Hudson Valley" by Kevin Grieser, Riparian Buffer Coordinator, Hudson River Estuary Program
Streamside (riparian) buffers are a major component to maintaining healthy streams and water.~ These buffers, composed of trees, shrubs, and grasses help to reduce pollution entering waterways by slowing down and filtering runoff, thus extending retention time.~ Buffers also help to reduce flooding and erosion by stabilizing shorelines and absorbing high velocity flows.~ In addition, they serve an important role for wildlife as a shoreline transition zone and travel corridor, not to mention increasing overall biodiversity and improving in-stream health.~
Kevin's presentation will focus on the importance of streamside buffers and the difference between healthy and unhealthy buffers.~ He will also discuss the protection and restoration options regarding streamside buffers available in the Hudson River Estuary Wateshed, including the Town of Rochester, with an emphasis on the Hudson River Estuary Program's "Trees for Tribs" initiative, which provides free native trees and shrubs for qualifying projects in the Hudson River Estuary Watershed.
Kevin Grieser is the Riparian Buffer Coordinator of the Hudson River Estuary Program, having joined Cornell University and the New York Water Resources Institute in February of 2007. Kevin's primary focus is furthering the goals and objectives of the Hudson River Action Agenda's section on "Streams and Tributaries of the Hudson River Estuary Watershed". His current focus is on a new initiative called "Trees for Tribs", focusing on replanting stream (riparian) buffers in the Hudson Valley, which was responsible for planting over 4,000 native trees and shrubs this spring along streams throughout the Estuary Watershed at 28 different project sites with the help of over 500 volunteers.~ Kevin has been a member of the Town of Rochester ECC since 2007. |
