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THE KINGSTON GREEN TRAIL
Sponsored by Sustainable Hudson Valley
Sustainable Hudson Valley has launched the Kingston Green Trail to engage citizens and institutions in direct positive action to improve their very local environments with trees, container gardens, public art, bike amenities, and the like – and in the process to raise awareness about the connections among climate change, peak oil, and our fragile economy. We believe that by connecting the issues in this way, we can bring the most benefit at the lowest cost and build the best relationships.
The project Steering Committee consists of Julie and Steve Noble (environmental educators with the city’s parks department), Jessica Barry (Director of Business Development with Prism Solar), Emilie Hauser (Hudson River Estuary Training Program), Patrice Courtney-Strong (Mid-Hudson Energy$mart Communities) and Guy Kempe (Director of Community Development, Rural Ulster Preservation Company). It has an initial $15,000 seed funding from the Fund for Environment and Urban Life. $5,000 of this is a challenge grant, which means it is available only if it is matched from within the community, which now seems likely.
Launched at a standing-room-only gathering at City Hall on Earth Day, the Green Trail is currently:
* Matching the Tree Commission dollar for dollar for ten healthy trees along Broadway when they do their annual planting in the fall;
* Establishing several nice big planters in front of the shops of interested merchants, donated and painted by the artists of the Northeast Center for Special Care (after being shown off at their celebration coming up);
* an exciting gardening workshop in late June with “permaculture” designer Anya Raskin, focusing on planting for ecological and community restoration. Fruit and vegetable crops, plants that clean up toxics (including sunflowers), rooftop and container gardens, rain gardens to keep water in the soil.... All these got a group of us so excited that we will be developing programs, starting with a youth focus in partnership with the Center for Creative Education
* A bike-friendly city initiative, supporting the county’s non-motorized transportation plan and working with citizens to create a bike map; bringing forth matching funds to put in a few strategic bike racks; and hopefully working with the city to encourage the bike path connectivity improvements recommended in the county’s plan; we talked this up at the Tour de Kingston bike rally, and the campaign was covered by Ulster Publishing, bringing 20 volunteers to the first meeting and giving rise to an energetic Bike to Dinner Week in August. Now we are polishing up the bike map showing suggested safe routes around the city, bicycle racks (and their absence), and bike shops. This will provide a foundation for requests and recommendations to the City this fall.
Fall 2008 action also includes workshop and forum series on local climate change and energy issues, the Architects 2030 Challenge, natural landscaping, public art and transit-oriented development.
The Green Ride, a major Columbus Day Weekend fundraising ride, is still accepting riders to support SHV’s Bike-Friendly Community initiatives around the region. See www.thegreenride.org for more info.
The Green Trail has also developed relationships with the major institutions such as the hospital, high school, library, etc. to discuss the energy improvements they have already made and explore sources of funding for them to go farther. Plans in the works include green job skills trainings in such areas as solar thermal installation, greenhouse and rooftop gardening, bicycle repair and refurbishing, and making furniture with recycled materials.
Volunteers are welcome. Please call Melissa Everett at 331-2670 to get involved.
Home • Who We Are • News • Alderman • Government • Our Kingston
Projects • Drive Less, Live More • Contact Us
Ward 1 * Ward 2 * Ward 3 * Ward 4 * Ward 5 * Ward 6 * Ward 7 * Ward 8 * Ward 9