In November the Town of Bethlehem, in Albany County, NY celebrated the acquisition of a new community forest in the Hamlet of Selkirk.
In honor of the new forest, the Town of Bethlehem held a “vine-cutting” ceremony, hosted by Town Supervisor David VanLuven and Open Space Coordinator Lauren Chiyoko Axford.
The ceremony was attended by New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) staff members; Betty Nolan, one of the former landowners; and other partners who made the project possible, such as Albany County Legislator Matthew Miller and Assembly Member Chris Tague, Ravena Coeymans Selkirk School District Superintendent Brian Bailey, and members of the Selkirk Fire Department.
By selling the property to the Town of Bethlehem, the former landowners wanted to ensure that the fields and forest would remain undeveloped, preserving the hamlet’s rural community character and allowing for public access.
The 68-acre acquisition was supported by a $195,000 grant through DEC’s Community Forest Conservation Grant Program.
This grant program is part of New York’s efforts to meet Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act goals to conserve forests and combat climate change by increasing the rate of forest protection.
The program also supports New York’s efforts to conserve 30% of the state’s lands and waters by 2030.
Funding for this program is provided by New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund.
Photo: Ribbon cutting for Town of Bethlehem’s new community forest in Selkirk (courtesy Lauren Chiyoko Axford).
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