District News
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NYS Agricultural Assessment Program
NYS Agricultural Assessment Program work will begin in January. Through this program, eligible landowners have the opportunity to reduce property tax bills for agricultural land. Landowners must submit an Agricultural Assessment Application to their town assessor by March 1st.
GCSWCD will complete the first step in the application process by classifying all farmland that will be enrolled in the program by soil productivity. A soil map will be developed, along with the “Soil Group Worksheet,” which is used to define the acreage of each soil productivity group. To learn more about the Agricultural Assessment Program, visit the NYS Department of Taxation and Finance website: https://www.tax.ny.gov/research/property/assess/valuation/ag_overview.htm
Please provide the following information when requesting a Soil Group Worksheet and soil map from GCSWCD:
- Applicant Contact Information
- Property Owner/Business Name (as it will appear on the application)
- Mailing address (as it will appear on the application)
- Phone Number and Email
- Contact Information for whoever requests the assessment (if different from property owner)
- Tax Parcel ID (ex. XXX.XX - X - XX)
- Tax Parcel Local Address
- Agricultural District Inclusion Status
- Recent Property Changes
- Clearing of woods
- Subdivisions
- Change of ownership
- Rental Status
- Is the property rented out or is it farmed by the property owner?
In order to meet the March 1st application deadline, interested applicants are strongly encouraged to reach out as soon as possible.
Requests should be directed to Michelle McDonough by phone at (518) 622-3620 or by e-mail at michellem@gcswcd.com.
- Applicant Contact Information
Programs Available
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Catskill Streams Buffer Initiative (CSBI)
Are you a landowner with streamside property located within the Schoharie Reservoir watershed? If so, are you interested in improving the wildlife habitat within your streamside area and protecting your streambanks from erosion during future storm events?
The Catskill Streams Buffer Initiative at GCSWCD is a cost-free streamside planting program that may be able to help.
Landowners that participate in the CSBI program work with our knowledgeable staff to develop an individualized planting plan to enhance or restore their streamside area, known as the riparian buffer zone, with native trees and flowering shrubs.
Why should landowners participate? Riparian buffers function as an integral part of the stream ecosystem. There are many benefits to creating or increasing the size of a riparian buffer along a stream. Some of these examples include:
• Streambank stabilization
• Increased wildlife habitat to attract birds and pollinators
• Improved water quality
• Flood resiliencyNo stream is too small or too large to benefit from a riparian buffer.
Riparian buffers come in all shapes and sizes and we work with each CSBI participant to determine the best fit for their streamside property. An ideal riparian buffer planting begins at the water’s edge and has an average width of 50 to 100 feet to provide maximum benefits.
Landowners can help restore and protect riparian buffers, which in turn restore and protect the quality of our streams.
For more information about the CSBI program, or to learn more about the benefits of riparian buffers, click here or email laura@gcswcd.com or (518) 622-3620.
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Agricultural Environmental Management (AEM)
GCSWCD has a renewed Agriculture program. We are currently looking to enroll farms in the AEM Program and provide assistance as needed. The goal is to be able to assess farms in the County and link them to potential funding sources to make improvements.
For more information, please call: (518) 589-6871 or email alex@gcswcd.com
To learn more about AEM, visit: https://agriculture.ny.gov/soil-and-water/agricultural-environmental-management