ADVOCACY UPDATE: CATSKILL PARK DAY

ADVOCACY UPDATE

CATSKILL PARK DAY 2021: A VIRTUAL VOICE FOR THE CATSKILLS

The Catskill Center has advocated for the Catskill region since its start in 1969. That is 52 years of educating people, from visitors to lawmakers, about all the Catskills have to offer. One of our major tools in maintaining these efforts is Catskill Park Day: together with 27 local groups that comprise the Catskill Park Coalition, the Catskill Center composes a list of the Catskill Park and its communities’ fiscal needs and presents them to the governor and state legislators in an organized day of advocacy in Albany.

This year due to COVID-19, Catskill Park Day looked different; however, with your help, we were still able to give the Catskills a virtual voice. Instead of our normal gathering of Catskill advocates in Albany, the Catskill Park Coalition worked together to schedule conference calls with our representatives. In collaboration with the Catskill Mountainkeeper, we held the first

PHOTO: JEFF SENTERMAN

ever Catskill Park Day webinar on February 9th, 2021 – 200 people tuned in to the webinar to support the Catskills.

The Catskill Park Day panel included Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos, NYS Senator Michelle Hinchey, Assembly Member Aileen Gunther, Assembly Member Chris Tague, Catskill Mountainkeeper’s Deputy Director Katherine Nadeau, and Catskill Center’s Executive Director Jeff Senterman. We went into the day strongly committed to a set of priorities essential for the region to thrive this year: an increase in Catskill Park management to further ensure public safety, Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) programs to enhance and protect the Catskills, and important actions to take in support of the local economy.

When asked how these requests were received at Catskill Park Day, the Catskill Center’s Stewardship & Advocacy Coordinator, Andy Mossey, said, "The advocacy season is ongoing. We feel that the Catskills are in a good place and we should expect to see continued funding in the areas we were drawing attention to."

Although Catskill Park Day was different this year, as long as those who want to maintain the beauty of the Catskills and cultivate a healthy local economy continue to show their support, the Catskills will continue to thrive. After a record number of visitors last year, the Catskill Center is preparing for another busy season. Catskill Park Day has set us up for a successful year of advocacy, but always remember that maintaining the well-being of the Catskill region is also every visitor’s responsibility.

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