Identification and Protection of Small Streams and Wetlands Field Workshop 2025

Identification and Protection of Small Streams and Wetlands: A Field Workshop

This workshop was held Wednesday, October 8th, 2025 in Ulster Co, NY

This workshop was developed through a partnership with Cornell University and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Hudson River Estuary Program with funding from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund.

Small streams and wetlands have a greater influence on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems than their size would suggest. However, many do not appear on public maps. Although they are threatened by our land uses and by the changing climate, most are unprotected by federal and state laws. Some Hudson Valley communities protect these important resources through local policies, conservation design, and open space protection.

To foster planning decisions that proactively consider the importance of small streams and wetlands, this outdoor workshop discussed:

• the values of small wetlands and streams;

• how to find and identify them, even in their dry condition;

• threats to wetlands and streams; and

• effective regulatory and non-regulatory protections.

The workshop was especially designed for municipal officials, including elected officials, members of planning boards and conservation advisory councils, and for members of watershed groups, land trust staff, and others who are regularly engaged in municipal or other land use planning and policy-making, reviewing land development proposals, advising landowners, or making land management or regulatory decisions. This workshop was targeted towards those with less experience with small streams and wetlands.

Visit our Fact Sheets page to access additional resources on this habitat type and more.