Keep Plastic Out of Our Waters; Register for the Natural Resource Mapper Webinar

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation sent this bulletin on 04/30/2019 09:07 AM EDT
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Hudson RiverNet
News from the Hudson River Estuary Program

Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper Webinar

This is a scenic view of a tidal marsh in the foreground with a mountain in the background during the autumn.DEC's Hudson River Estuary Program is offering a webinar about the Hudson Valley Natural Resource Mapper on May 15, 2019, from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. The Natural Resource Mapper is an online, interactive tool with over 30 geographic data sets identifying important habitats and water resources, as well as scenic and recreation areas in the Hudson River estuary watershed. The webinar will introduce participants to the mapper layout, functions, and data layers and provide examples of applications for local conservation, land use, and watershed planning. Register now!

Keeping Plastic Out of Our Waters

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo signed legislation on Earth Day that bans the sale of single-use plastic bags in New York starting in March 2020, a significant step to reduce pollution and protect fish and wildlife. Single-use plastic bags do not degrade and often wind up as litter on lands and in waters, harming birds or wildlife that ingest the plastic. Read more about the ban in the Governor’s press release.

A plastic tube fixed to a wall by the Hudson River is used for collecting fishing line.The Norrie Point Environmental Center in Staatsburg is taking steps to reduce and prevent marine debris in the Hudson River. Responsible fishing is one solution in which every angler can participate. Fishing line collectors were just installed by the popular fishing spot in front of the building. Now anglers can dispose of line and other plastic debris so that it won’t make its way into the Hudson River.

Check it out on Saturday, May 4th when you can join Norrie Point's family-friendly, free, angling program from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. All equipment is provided—no license required. Angling is wheelchair accessible, and adaptive fishing rods are available. This program is sponsored by DEC's I Fish NY. For more information contact the Hudson River Research Reserve at 845-889-4745 x109.

Trash Bass

Students gather around a sculpture of a striped bass made entirely of plastic debris found on coastal shores.

Watch a video about a life-size sculpture of a striped bass made entirely of plastic debris found along our nation’s coasts. This beautifully re-purposed “trash bass” is made of drinking straws, plastic bags, flip flops, and even bike parts, and makes for a great interactive scavenger hunt. It’s also a reminder that we want real fish in the Hudson, not plastic ones.