Keyword: dogs

Peter R. Paden
Executive Director, Columbia Land Conservancy

I write to clarify the policy of the Columbia Land Conservancy regarding the presence of dogs at our Public Conservation Areas: Dogs are welcome, so long as they are on a leash and owners remove their waste from the site.

CLC manages ten Public Conservation Areas throughout the county so that people can enjoy the extraordinarily rich and diverse outdoor world that surrounds us. These areas are quiet and peaceful. They provide an opportunity for exercise, relaxation, and outdoor education. They ensure that everyone, regardless of where they live and how much land they own, has access to beautiful natural lands.

Recent complaints by a neighbor have led some, including the Greenport Town Board, to suggest that we should ban dogs from the Greenport Conservation Area. In considering the issue, we have spoken with numerous visitors to our sites, stepped up notice and enforcement of our leash rules, and conducted on-the-ground research. We believe the majority of people are complying with our rules. We have seen no evidence that the current situation poses a threat or a nuisance to the public. Banning dogs altogether would deprive a large number of people of a pleasurable and important outdoor experience.

I encourage anyone who suspects our current policy poses a danger to spend a few hours at one of our Public Conservation Areas. I’m pretty confident it will be the most tranquil moment of your day. More information on our Public Conservation Areas and our dog policies can be found at clctrust.org/dogs.

Don’t ban dogs

Published in the Register Star on Thursday, October 20, 2011
by Kitty Osterhoudt of Claverack

In response to the article regarding the complaints of Mr. Koblica, I find it ludicrous that the town board of Greenport would consider a resolution to ban dogs from the Conservancy area. CONTINUE READING

October 5, 2011

Hon. Edward Nabozny, Supervisor
Town of Greenport
600 Town Hall Drive
Hudson, NY 12534

Re:  Greenport Conservation Area

Dear Supervisor Nabozny:

The September 22, 2011 edition of The Columbia Paper carried an article reporting that at a special meeting on September 15, the Greenport Town Board passed a resolution “strongly encouraging” the Columbia Land Conservancy to prohibit dogs at the Greenport Public Conservation Area (the “PCA”).  The article reports that the Board included a finding that “the presence of dogs at the PCA poses a threat to the health, safety and welfare of patrons, abutting landowners and neighboring residents alike.”

We have not seen the resolution, nor received notice from the Town of this action.  But assuming the press report to be accurate, the language of the resolution compels the Columbia Land Conservancy to respond.  For the reasons explained below CLC takes serious exception to the statement that our current policies and practices concerning dogs at the Greenport PCA pose a threat to public health or safety. CONTINUE READING