Today's overwhelming growth rate demands proactive action. Orange County Land Trust has worked to identify those land categories that are most critical to our quality of life. These Priority Protection Areas will be the focus of our land protection efforts: Distinctive Landscapes, Biological Diversity, Working Landscapes, Woodlands and Water Resources.
Orange County is a region of varied and beautiful landscapes. These landscapes, the gentle and pastoral surrounded by the prominent and dramatic, give Orange County its distinctive sense of place.
Priority protection landscapes include the rugged hills of the Highlands, including Mt. Adam, Mt. Eve and Schunnemunk Mountain, which provide the most dramatic landscapes in the Hudson Valley. With their lakes and wetlands, clear streams, and ancient rocks, the steep Highlands hills provide significant watershed protection, valuable wildlife habitat and regionally acclaimed opportunities for fishing, hunting, and recreation.
The western portion of the county is defined by the Shawangunk Ridge, called "One of the Last Great Places" by the Nature Conservancy, and the Catskill plateau and escarpment.
Orange County is unusually rich in biological diversity, due in part to the county's varied and complex soils and landforms. Healthy forests, wetlands, ridgelines and fields provide the foundation for healthy ecosystems including rare and unusual wildlife such as dwarf pitch pine/scrub oak/blueberry communities on the Shawangunk Ridge, bald eagles on the Hudson and Delaware Rivers, endangered mussels in the Bashakill/Neversink river corridor, and cave-dwelling bats in limestone outcrops.
Fifty years ago Orange County had large, unbroken blocks of forest cover, but the upsurge in demand for residential housing has resulted in the fragmentation of forests throughout the county. Woodlands act as surface and ground water filters, making them key to watershed management. Wooded areas, especially when they are part of large, contiguous tracts, provide ideal habitat for a wide range of mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. In addition they offer wide possibilities for recreation, including hiking, hunting, nature study, rest and renewal, and camping. The fall foliage display adds greatly to the local tourist economy.
Family farms are central to the County's cultural heritage and economy, while requiring minimal infrastructure and services. Preserving family farms is among the best ways to maintain soil and water quality as well as biodiversity, while providing scenic beauty for Orange County's residents and visitors.
High quality water supply is crucial to sustainable development and the County's future quality of life. Water courses, riparian corridors, vernal pools, and wetlands control flooding and stormwater runoff, and regulate natural flows. The County's rivers, lakes and trout streams are also important recreational assets.
The photos on this page were taken by Steven Valk, who graciously gave permission for their use on our website. Steven truly appreciated the beauty of Orange County and we are grateful for his generosity. His photographs are copyrighted and may not be used without express permission.
