Episode 198: Habitats of Columbia County (Part 1)

In this episode, Master Gardeners Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas sit down with all four authors of the most comprehensive field guide available of a single county in New York State: From the Hudson to the Taconics”An Ecological and Cultural Field Guide to the Habitats of Columbia County by Anna Duhon, Gretchen Stevens, Claudia Knab-Vispo, and Conrad Vispo for the HAWTHORNE VALLEY FARMSCAPE. This conversation is in two parts because of, not only the number of participants in the interview, but the size of the topic.

The interview begins with an introduction to the organizations responsible for making such an effort possible. The Hawthorne Valley Association is the overriding organization, and supports the Farmscape Ecology Program. Hudsonia is the other organization participating in the production of the guide. Hudsonia is a non-advocacy group focusing on data collection and guidance to local governments and advocates in land use decisions. The authors are: 

• Conrad Vispo, wildlife ecologist with 21 years of experience at Hawthorne Valley with the goal of exploring and sharing research results; 
• Claudia Knab-Vispo, Botanist studying plants/animals/people interactions for the last twenty years, especially wild plants and how they grow and interact; 
• Anna Duhon, since 2009 specializing in cultural research and outreach, weaving ecology and culture; and 
• Gretchen Stevens, Emerita from Hudsonia, thirty five years in the Hudson Valley, specializing in biodiversity assessment in the Hudson Valley. 

The guide is informed by decades of original research and enables readers to get to know 36 distinct habitats including: 

• Information on how to identify and distinguish each habitat in the landscape 
• Maps of public areas where habitats can be experience 
• What to look for, including lists of associated wild plants and animals 
• Stewardship ideas and considerations 
• Habitat history in the context of human history 
• Perspective from people interacting with the habitats Interactive suggestions for engaging with different habitats 

When asked why and how they were able to assemble such vast amounts of data, Conrad explained that it was the way they found to communicate informed compassion for the natural world. They devised the concept of habitat descriptions to best express the sense of place, describing the specific geography clearly while remaining aesthetically pleasing. Interestingly, the scope included agricultural habitats and suburban ecology as well as “wild” places.

The volume of historic data collection in Columbia County is staggering, dating back as far as the early 1800s, and continuing to the present. The researchers talked to hunters and farmers, foragers and conservationists, and even children in their quest to reference all types of people using the land. Their idea was that the more users were consulted, the wider the audience for the field guide. People with different perspectives who used the land differently could all use the guidebook successfully. The goal was to raise awareness of differing habitats and connect with each.

The layout of the book is divided into thirty two habitats, each describing the plant and animal life, interrelations between the organisms, then bringing in the history of its land uses and discussion of possible future use. There is often a perspective from the people who actually make use of the habitat, and each section closes with an interactive suggestion to invite reader participation.

Tim was curious about the value of the guide in other New York counties and whether it was transferable. The immediate answer is that while features of some habitats are universal, it's better to take the information as a suggestion in another region. While many things are the same, the type of habitat can often be blended in another site. The idea of the guide is to be able to study as deeply or casually as one chooses. It is meant to be a tool used as the user wishes.

Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas 

Guests: Anna Duhon, Gretchen Stevens, Claudia Knab-Vispo, and Conrad Vispo 

Photo by: Teresa Golden. Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Deven Connelly, Teresa Golden, Tim Kennelty, Amy Meadow, Xandra Powers, Annie Scibienski, Jean Thomas 

Resources: 

• BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT MANUAL for the Hudson River Estuary Corridor
• From the Hudson to the Taconics
• Hudsonia Ltd
• Black Dome Press

Last updated November 6, 2025