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Development will mar Shawangunks
Poughkeepsie Journal editorial
Friday, January 17, 2003


A private developer wants to build hundreds of homes at the base of UlsterCounty's inspiring Shawangunk Ridge.
It's a lousy place for development. Town of Gardiner officials should do everything they can to discourage it, or at least mitigate the environmental effects, which could be numerous and devastating to the region.

The Shawangunks are more than a regional gem. The Nature Conservancy has named the ridge one of the Earth's "Last Great Places.'' Thousands of people come to the area each year to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They go to commune with nature, they go to rock climb, hike or mountain bike at nearby Mohonk Preserve or Minnewaska State Park. Both
preserves are noted for their foot trails and carriage roads. For Hudson Valley residents, they provide a respite from sprawl without having to travel deep into the Catskills or venturing up to the Adirondack Park or Vermont.

But, if the biggest private landowner on the ridge has his way, more than 300 upscale homes will be carved into the forests, forever changing the ecological nature and dynamics of the area. Under the seemingly harmless name of ''Awosting Reserve,'' this development would entail 349 pricey cabins and a small village center including a fitness center, swimming pool and restaurant, even a golf course.

Landowner John Atwater Bradley can argue his case all he wants -- how most of his land will not be developed, how he wants those living in the community to be good stewards of the property -- but the fact is the Shawangunks would be better off without this development.

Consider:

- More than 540 acres of forest would be developed.

- New roads would be constructed through hundreds of acres of forest, breaking up these large tracts, which are havens for wildlife and are the best way to nurture watersheds.

- More than 1,100 gallons of chemicals and/or petroleum could be stored in this now-pristine area to use as herbicides or pesticides on the golf course.

Protecting the ridge is the priority

As a private landowner, Bradley has a right to build on his property, within certain limits. But government leaders also have a duty to look at the bigger picture and do everything they can to protect the ridge. The standards in this review must be exceedingly high and exact.

Most of Bradley's property is in Gardiner, though some of it lies in the towns of Shawangunk and Wawarsing. The plan requires at least 26 re-views and/or approvals from town, Ulster County, state and federal governments. All must be equally as thorough.

Regrettably, Bradley is not interested in selling his land to environmental groups that want to protect it for future generations. Instead, he wants to dot the base of the ridge with cabins, forever changing one of the most breathtaking areas in the Hudson Valley.

Environmental groups and others concerned about open space protection should use every legal means at their disposal to fight this development.

Relevant Web links
To read about Chaffin/Light Associates, the firm chosen to develop Awosting
Reserve, visit www.chaffinlight.com. To read about opposition to the
development, visit www.savetheridge.com.