New Staff at the Catskill Center’s New Tannersville Office

Two new staff members, Julia Solomon and Lisa Wachtel, have joined the Catskill Center for Conservation and Development in the Center’s new Tannersville office. Working closely with Kali Bird, Associate Director of the Catskill Center, Julia Solomon has joined as Real Estate Project Manager and Lisa Wachtel as Real Estate Closing Manager. Both will work on the Catskill Center’s Streamside Acquisition Program (SAP), a new initiative developed in partnership with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection.

Focused during a five-year pilot phase on the Schoharie Basin, the Streamside Acquisition Program works to preserve healthy streams by protecting sensitive streamside lands. The goals of the program include preventing streambank erosion, mitigating flood risk, protecting fish and other wildlife habitat, and where possible providing recreational opportunities, while safeguarding water quality for the millions of families in the Hudson Valley and New York City metro region who get their drinking water from Catskills reservoirs.

Under the Streamside Acquisition Program, the Catskill Center works with eligible, interested landowners to buy vacant streamside ‘buffer’ lands and floodplains. These lands will ultimately be held by New York City and will be preserved as natural, forested areas.

Jeff Senterman, Executive Director of the Catskill Center says “We are very excited about the opening of our Tannersville office, where we can better serve communities and landowners participating in the new Streamside Acquisition Program. The office will become a location for visitors and residents alike to learn more about the Catskill Center’s work to foster conservation and economic well-being, and help visitors explore the Catskills with resources from our Catskill Interpretive Center.”

The Catskill Center’s Tannersville office is located at 6049 Main Street, in space shared with the Greene County Soil and Water District. An opening reception for the new office will be held in upcoming months. All public events at the Tannersville office will be promoted via the Catskill Center’s mailing list and social media.

JULIA SOLOMON
REAL ESTATE PROJECT MANAGER
ulia brings a background in land conservation and sustainability planning to her work with the Catskill Center. She will promote the program to eligible streamside landowners, visit with interested landowners at their properties, and work with landowners through the initial stages of the acquisition process. Julia grew up in Rochester, New York, and received her undergraduate degree in biology from Cornell University and her master’s degree in conservation biology and sustainable development from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is thrilled to be back in her home state working and playing in the Catskills. She loves hiking, canoeing, and camping with her husband and two young children.

LISA WACHTEL
REAL ESTATE CLOSING MANAGER
Lisa comes to the Catskill Center with over twenty-five years of experience in the legal, title insurance, and land services industries. She manages the later stages of the property acquisition process for the Streamside Acquisition Program. Her primary responsibilities include coordinating, reviewing, and documenting all closing-related activities, including managing contracts for services and other technical and legal aspects of the closing process. A lifetime resident of New York State, Lisa enjoys hiking, volleyball, golf, and travel— especially when those activities include the company of her family.

-- ABOUT THE CATSKILL CENTER FOR CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT
Our Mission: To protect and foster the environmental, cultural and economic well-being of the Catskill region.

Guided by the foundational understanding that conservation creates opportunity, we are the major force advocating for the Catskill region. Since 1969, we have led the effort to protect the Catskill Park and Catskill Forest Preserve, while advancing local and regional economic development initiatives. Our interdisciplinary approach to protecting our ecosystems and creating vibrant communities encompasses four program areas – Arts & Culture, Education, Natural Resources, and Regional Planning. -- Streamside Acquisition Program contact: Kali Bird, Associate Director of the Catskill Center and Program Manager of SAP—Office: (845) 586-2611; Mobile: (845) 544-9096; kbird@catskillcenter.org Streamside Acquisition Program info: catskillcenter.org/streamside Join Catskill Center’s mailing list: catskillcenter.org/contact Connect with Catskill Center on social media @catskillcenter #catskillcenter