Mission
Help celebrate, preserve, and enhance the Hudson River Valley.
Vision
HRVG envisions a Hudson River Valley that cares for its ecological, scenic, cultural, historic, agricultural, and recreational treasures and builds a sustainable economy so that both the land and its people thrive.
History
The Hudson River Valley Greenway was an ambitious conservation idea, first sparked in the 1950s and championed by influential figures like Laurance S. Rockefeller and Henry Diamond. The vision took shape following Governor Mario Cuomo's 1988 State of the State address, which provided the political momentum to form the Hudson River Valley Greenway Council and commission key studies.
On December 31, 1991, Governor Cuomo signed the authorizing legislation into New York State law. The Greenway Act established a distinct system built on voluntary regional cooperation among the counties bordering the Hudson River. Its core mission then was to preserve vital resources, foster a strong regional identity, and establish a continuous Hudson River Trail network all while respecting local home rule. This effort expanded in 2001 with the creation of the Hudson River Greenway Water Trail, which was later recognized as one of the nation's first National Water Trails by the Department of the Interior in 2012.
These successes were instrumental in gaining federal recognition. In 1996, Congress authorized the Maurice D. Hinchey Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area. This designation, established in partnership with the National Parks Service, formally acknowledged the Valley's nationally significant cultural and natural resources and solidified the Greenway's essential role in coordinating regional preservation and tourism efforts.
Greenway Criteria
Regional Planning
Development of cooperative regional strategies addressing resource protection, economic development, public access, and heritage and environmental education.
Natural & Cultural Resource Protection
Protection, preservation, and enhancement of natural communities, open spaces, historic and cultural resources, scenic roads, and scenic areas.
Economic Development
Promotion of economic growth compatible with resource preservation, including agriculture, tourism, and revitalization of established community centers and waterfronts.
Public Access
Expansion of public access to the Hudson River, including parks and the Hudson River Valley Greenway Trail System.
Heritage & Environmental Education
Increased awareness among residents and visitors of the Valley’s natural, scenic, cultural, and historic resources.