Conserving Nature in Your Community: Critical Environmental Areas 

This video highlights how conservation planning can help communities build a more resilient future. The beautiful Town of Wawarsing in Ulster County, NY completed a natural resources inventory and open space plan to identify conservation priorities and recommend actions. In 2019, the town implemented one of the key policy recommendations by adopting Critical Environmental Area designation for two ecologically-important resources in the community. Thanks to this work, any potential impacts to the quality of these critical areas must be considered during environmental review.
To learn more:
• See if you’re a Climate Smart Community climatesmart.ny...
• Read about Critical Environmental Areas and view maps of existing CEAs in New York www.dec.ny.gov...
• Check out the Town of Wawarsing’s Open Space Plan (PDF) www.townofwawa...
• Learn about creating a Natural Resources Inventory for your community www.dec.ny.gov...
• Find more detailed information on CEAs in the SEQR Handbook www.dec.ny.gov...