Watershed Tours
Each year, the Watershed Agricultural Council hosts various groups on watershed tours throughout the region. They may be Bard College graduate students and Mongolian parliamentary representatives or Indian foresters and Mekong Delta policy makers. All come to the New York City watershed to find out how we manage our Payment for EcoServices (PES) programs, to visit our farms and models forests, and figure out how to replicate our successes in their home countries. We've succeeded in creating lasting public-private partnerships between the New York City Department of Environmental Protection and watershed landowners upstream. We're honored to share our experiences and the New York City Watershed case study with you and your colleagues.
Each year, groups ask us for pre-arrival specifics; the following files will provide you with information about lodging, necessities, and travel.
Presentations:
- NYC Department of Environmental Protection Overview and the Role of PES (Payment for EcoServices) by Presenter: John Schwartz and Fred Gliesing, NYC DEP (contact your tour coordinator)
- Forest Management, Conflict Models, Public Perception by Presenter: Dr. Rene Germain, SUNY-ESF
- WAC & its Watershed Forestry Program by Presenter Josh VanBrakle
- Frost Valley Whole Farm Plan by Presenter: Suzanne Baker, NRCS
- Overivew of the Watershed Agricultural Council by Presenter: Fred Huneke, WAC
- More About the Watershed Agricultural Council's Programs by Presenter: Tara Collins, WAC
- Watershed Agricultural Program Prioritization Methodology: Part I l Part II l Part III l Part IV
- International Visitor Leadership Program (2012.3.26, Presenter: Tara Collins, WAC)
Maps & Tools:
- Area Under NYC Supported Programs, State Land, NYC Land in NYC Watershed 2011
- NYC Watershed Agricultural Program, Location of Participating Farms in NYC Watershed 2011
- WAC-DEP Eased Lands (2011January)
- Environmental Review Problem Diagnosis (ERPD) Assessment Tool
- Sample Whole Farm Plan (WFP-2)
- Forestry Program Guidelines Handbook
- Forestry Program's 10-year Anniversary Booklet
- Forestry Best Management Practices Field Guide
Regional Reports by Urban Design Lab, The Earth Institute at Columbia University:
- Ground Up: Cultivating Sustainable Agriculture in the Catskill Region
- Regionalizing the Food System for Public Health and Sustainability
- Upper Delaware: A Citizen's Guide to Residential Development
- Hancock & The Marcellus Shale: Gas Extraction Along the Upper Delaware
Other Resources:
- Environmental Education Books for Kids & Adults (NYC DEP list)
- NYC DEP Environmental Education web page
Lodging & Places to Stay in the Watershed:
- Travel Companies to Get You To & Around the Watershed
- Things You Needs During Your Stay in the Watershed
- Watershed Tour Contact List & Speaker Biographies
- Watershed Tour Destination Descriptions (Frost Valley, FV Model Forest, WAC, DEP, CWC)
Videos of Interest:
We often provide presentations as part of the watershed tour offering. Here are links to presentations we've conducted to date.
We look forward to your visit to the New York City Watershed and hosting your group in the coming weeks.
If you would like to schedule a watershed tour or request additional information to this page, please contact:
Communications Director, Tara Collins
(607) 865-7090, ext. 226.
