Today’s valley is less developed than it used to be, in some ways. Industries have phased out and people have moved away. Dairy farmers, caught between loss of government price supports and increasing land values, cannot maintain their farms and are selling their herds. Fields have turned to forest, there is more wildlife, and wooded hills overlook the valley. There is talk of restoring river habitat along some of the flood control areas. Much of the river is clean enough for recreation and has a fine trout population. But this will not last unless we are careful. As the Hoosic recovers and becomes a beautiful part of the landscape again, more and more people want to build near it. We now see the dividing and selling of forests and fields for development into residences, second homes, tourist attractions, and new businesses.
The last time the Hoosic Valley was developed, we made a mess of the river and the watershed. Will we do it again? We know more we used to. We know that good development
- keeps the river clean
- preserves farmland
- protects habitat for wildlife
- prevents erosion
- gives the river room to change its route now and then
- provides river access for the public…