The broad, meandering Hudson River—deemed one of the country’s most beautiful rivers and certainly one of its most historically significant—winds its way upstate from the tip of Manhattan. Rolling hillsides are adorned in lush green foliage that explodes into picturesque red, yellow, and orange hues come autumn.

So compelling is the landscape here, it inspired one of America’s earliest artistic movements, the Hudson River School, and produced some of the most important and progressive landscape paintings of all time. In the 1800s, the country was just beginning to focus on the preservation of national parks and the establishment of urban green spaces, and these landscape paintings helped communicate these natural places to a broader audience.

As time went on, the resources of the Hudson River Valley proved to be increasingly important to protect. The watersheds provide clean drinking water for millions of people. The valley also provides nearby recreation opportunities for 25 million people in the greater New York metro area, which is just an hour or two by bus, train, or car.

While significant portions of the valley have been preserved, its natural legacy is threatened by population growth and sprawl. In response, Trust for Public Land is assisting the state and affected counties and municipalities in protecting more than 51,000 acres across the valley. Project highlights include Hudson River access, Sterling Forest State Park, the Shawangunk Mountains, and Fahnestock State Park.