The Future of the Hudson

Our trip into the heart of the Hudson Valley made me so much more optimistic about the future of the Hudson. For the sake of education, it was necessary for us to focus mostly on the mistakes we have made in the Hudson area in class so I think I had a skewed view of how messed up the Hudson really is. However, walking up to Kaaterskill Falls and looking up at the untouched majesty of nature I found myself wondering how different the area looked in the 1800’s when Cole painted it. Try as I might, I couldn’t imagine the falls looking any different than they do today other than a possible shifted rock here or there. It blows my mind that there are still places in nature preserved today that are only really affected by the ordinary processes of nature.
Going to Newburgh and Hudson also made me realize that maybe the river and its shores are not in as dire shape as I may have thought. There are people today who care about the river and care about the beauty of the area. Though Newburgh may still need some work, it is steadily revitalizing. It is refreshing to know that people are trying to build appealing shops and houses on the shores of the Hudson instead of the factories of the past. I was actually struck by how few factories and how much untouched forest I saw on the shores while on our boat ride. I think I had a sense that the shores would be packed on both sides with factories and condos, but, in reality, it’s a huge river with huge tracts of undeveloped land on both sides. As Professor Eismeier noted, its great that we live in a time where people are horrified at the thought of ripping off a mountainside and replacing it with electrical plants.
The Hudson still has a long way to go; I must admit that I felt like I might be covered in PCB’s when a little Hudson water splashed on my face. But, there are clearly people who care about what happens to the river and people who really take the time to think through what will be best for it’s future and the future of the people who live around it. I think the Hudson is going to be okay.