The New York Protected Areas Database: Mapping Conservation Lands and Uses in Municipal Planning

New York State contains over 5 million acres of land – about 20 percent of the state – protected for the purposes of conservation, recreation, and open space. Where is this protected land in your town? In neighboring towns? The New York Protected Areas Database (NYPAD) is a comprehensive map and database of lands in New York that are protected or designated as natural areas, conservation lands, open space, or recreational areas through fee ownership, easement, management agreement, or other mechanism that prevents development. It compiles the best available data about protected areas from state, federal, and local governments; land trusts and other organizations whose missions include land conservation and management; and county tax parcel data. The first phase of a major update of NYPAD was released this summer. NYPAD is a project of the New York Natural Heritage Program, a partnership between the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Collaborators include The Nature Conservancy, Scenic Hudson, and New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.

This webinar will introduce NYPAD 2.0 and show ways to access the maps and data. We will also discuss ways this information can inform municipal land use planning and decision-making and conservation efforts in communities.

Speakers:
Nick Conrad, New York Natural Heritage Program
Ingrid Haeckel, Hudson River Estuary Program