What’s in a Name? Who was Franny Reese?

Frances (Franny) Stevens Reese (1917-2003), a lifelong advocate and protector of land and life in the Hudson Valley, was considered an environmental trailblazer.

In 1963, Franny collaborated with a group of concerned neighbors to stop a hydro-electric power plant from being built on top of Storm King Mountain. Worried about damage the plant could cause to the air and land, the group fought in and out of court for 17 years. They rallied support from across the globe and eventually triumphed--the plant was never built.

The group of concerned citizens evolved into Scenic Hudson, a not-for-profit environmental organization that aims to conserve land in the Hudson River Valley. Franny Reese served as chairman of the organization's board for 18 years.

The Storm King victory marked the first time that citizens were granted a legal right to initiate lawsuits to protect the environment, setting the stage for the modern grassroots environmental movement. This case also provided legal precedent for federal legislation, including the 1969 National Environmental Policy Act and the Clean Water Act of 1977.

Since this first victory, Scenic Hudson has initiated hundreds of land and historic preservation projects, created dozens of parks, and preserved thousands of acres of farmland.

In 2003, Scenic Hudson saved 251 acres of bluff-top forest in Ulster County from a massive residential development. This land eventually became Franny Reese State Park, after Scenic Hudson turned it over to the Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historical Preservation in 2009.

The park, named after a “Hero for the Hudson Valley," is maintained by Scenic Hudson and offers 2.5 miles of hiking trails with views over the Hudson River, the Walkway over the Hudson, the City of Poughkeepsie, and the Mid-Hudson Bridge. The park’s trails present opportunities for cross country skiing, snowshoeing, mountain biking, and hiking. The park is free and open year round, sunrise to sunset.

According to Dennis J. Murray, Marist College President, Franny Reese was “a teacher at heart, [she] taught us to see the Hudson Valley’s exceptional beauty and reminded us that we are its stewards... Her life was a special gift to us all.”

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