Smart Growth

In The Hudson: A History, I found a powerful quote from Thomas Cole. In 1836, upon seeing the havoc the tanning and logging industries had raged upon the Hudson River Valley, he made an important observation that can be applied to many situations today. “The ravages of the axe are daily increasing. The most noble scenes are made desolate, and oftentimes with a wantonness and barbarism scarcely credible in a civilized nation. The wayside is becoming shadeless, and another generation will behold spots, now rife with beauty, desecrated by what is called improvement; which, as yet, generally destroys Nature’s beauty without substituting Art (p. 220).”

Although it has been nearly 200 years since Cole beheld the destruction of the Hudson Valley, such rabid and unthinking destruction continues elsewhere. The Hudson is slowly being restored, as tanning has long since moved elsewhere and the wanton disposal of chemical wastes is now monitored and restricted. However, the Hudson is still contaminated with PCB wastes and environmental degradation has shifted to different areas, such as suburban sprawl. Much of the Hudson Valley has now been developed, and in recent years countless suburban outcroppings and big box retailers have overtaken forest and farmland.

The environmental group Scenic Hudson (http://www.scenichudson.org/) believes a plan of “Smart Growth” is needed for the Hudson Valley to “protect resources and focus mixed-use and appropriately-scaled development in and adjacent to existing communities, thus reducing auto-dependence and creating a vibrant, walkable environment that will enhance community character, preserve the Hudson Valley's unique sense of place and help protect farmland and open space.” The Hudson River Valley is a region with such a rich history that a plan of smart growth and land preservation is a wise idea. Scenic Hudson alone has bought over 20,000 acres of land to preserve and give Hudson River Valley residents access to the great river. Through identification with the river will come a greater grassroots movement to save and protect the Hudson and restore it to its former glory.