Dear ,

I hope you had a chance this summer to view the images entered in Scenic Hudson's first-ever Photo Competition, "Capturing the Magic of the Hudson Valley." The number of entries -- 2,500 -- and their astonishing quality are not only a testament to the valley's power to inspire, but underscore the urgency of our work to provide more places for people to connect with the river and the land along its shores.

Your Support Can Fuel Land-Protection Victories

Our victories this summer guaranteed that more of the valley's magical landscapes are permanently protected. We made five significant purchases in our campaign to Save the Land That Matters Most - preserving 65,000 acres of the highest scenic, ecological and/or agricultural significance:

• 81.5 acres of vernal pools, swamps and woods along Black Creek in Lloyd, Ulster County, conserving critical wildlife habitat and impressive vistas for paddlers. Read more.
• 48 wooded acres in Hyde Park, Dutchess County, surrounding a carriage road built by the Roosevelt family, now part of a heavily traveled public trail.
• Four adjoining working farms in Red Hook, Dutchess County, guaranteeing these 225 acres continue contributing to the local economy and the town's rural character. Read more.
• 102 forested acres on Mount Merino in Greenport, Columbia County, safeguarding views from Olana, home of artist Frederic Church and a prime valley tourist attraction. Read more.
• Another 117 acres of meadows, forests and wetlands in Stockport, Columbia County, bringing to 500 acres the scenic, biologically diverse lands we've preserved there.

We Need Your Help

Despite these recent successes, our work is not finished. While the real estate market may be slumping elsewhere, valley developers continue gobbling up waterfront properties, scenic ridgelines, fields and unspoiled woods. Seven acres of farmland alone is lost each day. This scourge not only despoils the valley's beauty but directly threatens the quality of our air and water, paving over precious aquifers and reducing the number of trees that sequester climate-changing carbon.

Scenic Hudson's experts are waging a pitched battle to ensure the valley remains the clean, healthy place we all love to visit or call home. But we need you. Please show your support by donating online today.

Help us keep the magic in the Hudson Valley. We simply can't do it without you.

Thanks for all you do,

Ned Sullivan
President
Scenic Hudson