Originally posted by the Times-Herald Record, by Erin Crotty
February 17, 2016
February 17, 2016
In a state as large and diverse as New York, there will always be issues vying for attention. There is, however, one issue that impacts every New Yorker no matter if they live in a rural upstate community or in an urban center and no matter their political affiliation – safeguarding our environment and natural resources.
In his 2016-2017 budget proposal, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced an historic investment in protecting New York's natural resources and generations of New Yorkers, including ours, will see benefits for years to come. All beings in every corner of New York – humans, plants, birds and other animals – will be better off for it.
Gov. Cuomo's proposal impacts the environment in key areas:
• Provides for cleaner water and access to clean water – Clean water is essential for the survival of birds and people – history has often shown our fates to be intertwined. New York's clean waterways provide the foundation for healthy ecosystems. Ensuring these ecosystems are protected and improved is the purpose of much of the funding proposed by Gov. Cuomo. Additionally, and not incidentally, investment in clean water infrastructure will have a huge economic multiplier effect as tourism and economic progress will continue to spring forward.
• Protects Places – The funding proposed by Gov. Cuomo puts resources in the hands of public and private landowners to protect and manage property for the benefit of people, birds and other wildlife. Last year, Audubon New York conducted forestry workshops that engaged more than 300 landowners and managers representing more than 5 million acres from New York and beyond, including the Catskill Mountains, where participants learned about best forest management practices for bird-friendly land stewardship and habitat management practices.
• Builds a Bridge to Our Future – The funding proposed by Gov. Cuomo helps us inspire the next generation to care for our natural resources by supporting many education programs. Through Audubon New York's education centers, more than 6,000 young people each year learn more about the value of environmental conservation at seven education centers and sanctuaries located throughout the state. I often say that the desire to protect the environment is in the DNA of every New Yorker and it is certainly in our Constitution. This funding safeguards that legacy.
I'm sure that there are areas of Cuomo's budget that can and will stir controversy. Investing in our future and our environment simply isn't one. The poet John Keats once wrote, "The poetry of the earth is never dead." Thanks to this historic investment proposed by the governor, and the bi-partisan commitment from the Legislature, the poetry of New York's natural landscape will continue on.
Erin M. Crotty is the executive director of Audubon New York and vice president of the National Audubon Society.
