Since 1969, we have led the effort to protect the Catskill Park and Catskill Forest Preserve, while enriching the vitality and sustainability of our communities
Since 1969, the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development has been a leader in preserving and fostering the well-being of our region. We understand that for our Catskill communities, conservation creates opportunity and we must help create vibrant, sustainable communities that prosper within the protected natural resources that surround them. At the Catskill Interpretive Center and our other properties, we welcome tens of thousands of visitors a year to the Catskill region and help them discover and explore the Catskills. We see opportunities for economic growth by attracting and promoting environmentally-friendly economic development in our communities.
Our approach is collaborative and recognizes the importance of respectful dialogue in creating more effective relations and understanding between stakeholders. Greater understanding leads to unseen opportunities, cooperative efforts and greater impact. Through engagement, dialogue and collaboration, we can help local communities thrive, lead advocacy efforts that raise awareness of local issues and garner resources for the Catskill region, advance actions that meet specific needs, and support arts and culture in the Catskill region.
We coordinate efforts to strategically advance regional land conservation efforts and welcome unique opportunities to reach these goals. As a conservation organization, we see the value in protecting our unique natural resources and landscapes in the Catskill region. We protect lands through conservation easements, land transfers to the State of New York, the management of our Preserves and through partnerships with government agencies to protect riparian corridors, contain invasive species and manage the region’s historic Fire Towers.
We use the Catskill Interpretive Center, the Erpf Center, the Platte Clove Preserve, the Thorn Preserve, Fire Towers, classrooms and the Catskill region itself to teach students, residents and visitors about our home in this unique area. We provide a sense of place for all to learn and understand the importance of the Catskill region. We serve as a crucial interpreter and access point for visitors to the Catskills, and ensure the unique arts and cultural resources of the Catskill region are publicly accessible.
To protect and foster the environmental, cultural and economic well-being of the Catskill region.
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