I agree with what Robert wrote, in that this is definitely an optimistic paper. They begin by listing the specific successful plans and revivals of species, such as the bald eagles (9). It shows once again that the time and effort put into research and conservationism can actually pay off and reverse a significant amount of the contamination pollution. I feel like I have learned a lot about the Hudson River in this class, so I definitely have a stronger connection with the river than I did before. We began learning about the pollution of the Hudson in chapter 6 of City at the Waters Edge. I remember that McCully spoke a lot about the garbage dumping and the PCB’s that went into the Hudson and severely polluted it. It really made me view the current state of the river as a gross dump. Having that background made me understand the importance of the Hudson River Estuary Program, in the efforts to reverse the effects of pollution and restore the wildlife that used to be plentiful in the river. I also just wrote a paper on the geological history of the Hudson, and knowing that it is one of the most beautiful natural ecosystems in New York that has existed for over a billion years, I believe that its longevity and beauty is even more of a reason to restore it to what it once was.
At first when reading this, it bothered me that they were putting such an emphasis on human recreation and human uses of the Hudson. When preserving nature, it shouldn’t be done just so that humans can directly benefit from it. If we want drinkable water, maybe we should stop contaminating it. The authors spoke about swimming and fishing in the Hudson, and I thought that maybe it would be better off if humans were not able to go in the Hudson and disturb the ecosystems. However, I remembered from the beginning of the semester how we discussed the importance of having a connection to the environment. The recreational activity that goes on in the Hudson is actually so important in its conservation, because if people can enjoy themselves and make memories doing fun things in the Hudson, they will probably be more likely to want to help protect it. That is why it is good and should be a priority for recreational activities to exist along the river.
This has been said many times in class, but the most important of the proposed plans in this paper is the policies made by the federal, state, and local governments. The government needs to find ways to limit pollution, so that all these efforts aren’t pointless. Also, a lot of funding needs to go towards the variety of different programs at hat are discussed. Clearly these programs have been successful, and that is why we must increase funding for them and also make more people aware of the volunteer opportunities. The importance of community efforts is also shown and it is important to remember that if we want to be able to enjoy the Hudson and drink its water we should all pitch in and help protect it. While there has been much success so far, they emphasize the need for continuous efforts by communities and long-term planning.
