Assembly Resolution No. 521 BY: M. of A. Levenberg CONGRATULATING Frances F. Dunwell upon the occasion of her retirement after 30 years of dedicated service to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize those individuals who have dedicated their lives to public service, striving diligently to enhance the quality of life in their communities and to bring about positive change in the environment; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate Frances F. Dunwell upon the occasion of her retirement after 30 years of dedicated service to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; and WHEREAS, Frances F. Dunwell has served the people of the State of New York with distinction during her 30-year tenure as Hudson River Estuary Coordinator at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), overseeing the implementation of the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda, an ambitious program to conserve the fish and wildlife, landscape, and water resources of the Hudson River Watershed from Troy to the New York harbor; and WHEREAS, Frances F. Dunwell has played a key role in strengthening DEC's management of tidal habitats and coastal fisheries, protecting shoreline properties, establishing and fostering a groundbreaking new DEC program to identify and conserve at-risk plants, animals, and habitats, and developing ambitious long-range goals for the Hudson River; and WHEREAS, Throughout her tenure, Frances F. Dunwell has demonstrated an unyielding commitment to protecting and preserving the natural beauty and resources of the Hudson River and its surrounding areas, and her exceptional work has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades; and WHEREAS, Frances F. Dunwell's leadership and expertise will be deeply missed by her colleagues at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and throughout the environmental community in New York State; and WHEREAS, Frances F. Dunwell dedicated her career to the conservation of the Hudson River Watershed from Troy to the New York Harbor, implementing the Hudson River Estuary Action Agenda to conserve the fish and wildlife, landscape, and water resources of the region, which won the EPA's highest award in 2012; and WHEREAS, Frances F. Dunwell's experience in environmental conservation began with her work in the Dutchess County Environmental Management Council in 1975, before becoming the Executive Director of the Center for the Hudson River Valley; over the course of her career, she strengthened DEC's management of tidal habitats and coastal fisheries, supported the development of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, and helped map and conserve sites on the river side of the railroad tracks that have become new public access areas; and WHEREAS Frances F. Dunwell created the Hudson River Improvement Fund, a grant program of the Hudson River Foundation which supports river projects, and developed ambitious long-range goals for the Hudson River and supervised the implementation of priority actions to make progress towards these goals; and WHEREAS, Frances F. Dunwell administered the Hudson River Estuary Program from its inception to its current status as a model of ecosystem-based management with an annual budget of $7.5 million, including a grant program, carried out by an interdisciplinary team of professionals, and guided by an active advisory committee of stakeholders; she also represented DEC on Hudson Valley Greenway, the Hudson River Valley National Heritage Area, and the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial Commission; and WHEREAS, Prior to working for DEC, Frances F. Dunwell was a Richard King Mellon Fellow at Yale University, where she did research for her award-winning book, The Hudson River Highlands, published in 1991; she completed a Master's degree and served as Associate Director of Scenic Hudson, where she supervised a project to list historic sites in the Hudson Highlands on the National Register of Historic Places, and established statewide bi-partisan coalitions to support passage of NYS Waterfront Revitalization Law and Conservation Easement Law; and WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon all citizens to recognize and applaud the efforts of individuals such as Frances F. Dunwell who work tirelessly on behalf of protecting our natural surroundings for the benefit of present and future generations of New Yorkers; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate Frances F. Dunwell upon the occasion of her retirement after more than 30 years of dedicated service to the conservation and restoration of the Hudson River Estuary, and to wish her continued success in all her future endeavors; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Frances F. Dunwell.