The CAC is the Town of Taghkanic’s Conservation Advisory Commission. It offers Taghkanic residents numerous ways to enjoy, learn about and help preserve our abundant and diverse natural resources.
How and When
Members of the CAC and interested residents of the town meet to plan educational walks and to discuss and recommend action on natural environment issues. The CAC sponsors field trips through significant conservation areas in our town and in Columbia County. Topics of interest include forest and wildlife management, watershed preservation and flooding preparedness, response to climate change and developing changes in land use. Following the height of the pandemic, activity resumed with a Zoom meeting at the end of April, and the CAC finally met in person again at the Town Hall at the end of May. Chair Tony LaSalvia intends to hold meetings every month going forward. These meetings are always open to the public.
Recent Activities
Tony LaSalvia, CAC Chair, and Larry Kadish, CAC member, represent the Town as participants in the Upper Taghkanic Creek Watershed Connectivity Plan and continue to learn more about the Churchtown Reservoir. They are considering a visit to the New Forge Forest in Taghkanic to see the current state of the Hudson City Water intake point from Taghkanic Creek.
Over the last year, their work with the Watershed group included a field trip to Rheinstrom Hill Audubon Center and Sanctuary, a 1,039-acre wildlife preserve in Hillsdale. They observed woodland and wildlife diversity resulting from recent forestry work and saw how select clear cutting is helping valuable natural resources adapt successfully to climate change. At the first 2021 CAC meeting they reported their observations and have begun further discussions about this forestry method in light of the work in progress at the Doodletown Wildlife Management Area by the Young Forest Initiative of NY State’s DEC (Department of Environmental Conservation). CAC field trips at Rheinstrom Hill and the Doodletown WMA are in the planning stages for this summer and fall.
A second Watershed field trip was at Wally Farm on Crow Hill Road in Taghkanic. Farmers there shared their ideas about good sustainable farming practices and their vision of an approach to agriculture that extends beyond their own farm. It includes a thriving community of local farmers, business owners, chefs, and entrepreneurs who explore climate solutions toward a shared goal of environmentally conscious agriculture that is sustainable for the future.
Upcoming Projects, workers needed
The 2021 CAC is looking at what would be involved to install Electric Charging Stations in Taghkanic. There are DEC Grants available for this and various locations are being considered. The Charging Station is part of the Clean Energy Community (CEC) project and would contribute to the larger project to make Taghkanic a Climate Smart Community (CSC). The Clean Energy Community project is already underway thanks to previous Town Board work, but the CAC is eager to help move it to the next level. It will start by setting up a Task Force dedicated to the Climate Smart Community (CSC) Project. If you are interested in joining the CSC Task Force, please email:
Tony LaSalvia tlasalvia08@gmail.com or
Larry Kadish lkadish@live.com.
Summary
So, there are lots of opportunities for Taghkanic residents to learn about and help care for our diverse natural resources. You can attend CAC meetings, go out on field trips and actively contribute to making Taghkanic a Climate Smart Community!
Thank you to Elizabeth Craig, Town Board member, for this article.
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