Southwestern New York State Economic Plan

about

engagement

background & swot

action plan

evaluation

conclusion

data visuals

pdf plan

Natural Environment

Focus Group Meetings

---

All focus groups emphasized that southwestern New York's natural environment is its greatest strength. Strengths must be tended, invested in, and monitored, in order to remain a strength. Waterways were especially noted as a primary strength and a high priority for investment and protection.

---

Strengths

geography, health of environment, caring citizens, culture, fisheries and wildlife, waterways, trail efforts

---

Weaknesses

​lack of collaboration, failure to use a regional approach, poor follow-through and enforcement of regulations, myopic vision

---

Opportunities

​increased interest in rural outdoor tourism, attractive residential location for those who work remotely, increased collaboration opportunities

---

Threats

​increasing demand for people to buy and build on rural lands, economic collapse, sprawl, failing infrastructure

---

Map indicating rare plants and animals populations (orange highlighted areas) in the vicinity of Salamanca and Allegany State Park.
NYS DEC Environmental Resource Mapper GIS tool, 2023

Objectives

• Objective #1 Assist communities in developing best practices for water protection & management, solar siting, and environmental planning

• Objective #2 Create regular communication across region and share efforts for mapping, planning and conserving land

• Objective #3 Promote ecotourism and recreation economies

• Objective #4 Mitigate the impact of invasive plants

• Objective #5 Protect water bodies from damage due to septic systems, poorly sited development and other threats

ACTION PLAN