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An ecosystem is a biological community that includes all the non-living factors influencing that community. Together, the living and non-living components of ecosystems form one physical system, exchanging energy, water, and nutrients. The quality and availability of soil, water, and air all play a role in how a forest ecosystem functions, as does the presence of other species including vegetation and wildlife.

Ecosystems can be as small as a community of microorganisms in a teaspoon of soil, or as large as the entire planet Earth, which is itself one whole ecosystem of interconnected living and non-living things. The size and complexity of ecosystems vary according to the scale at which people observe them. To aid in the development of conservation practices and policies at several scales, from national or continental to state and regional, scientists and policymakers group areas with similar ecosystems into ecological regions. At the broadest scale, Dutchess County is located within the eastern temperate forest ecological region, distinguished by its moderate-to-mild humid climate, its relatively dense and diverse forest cover, and its high density of human inhabitants. At more local scales, topographic and rainfall patterns within different parts of Dutchess County support different types of vegetation and wildlife communities.

Interactions within ecosystems are affected by the geologic setting in which they occur. Geologic processes determine topography, soil structure, and the distribution and availability of water; these underlying conditions vary across the landscape, supporting different types of ecological communities. For example, some geological formations in Dutchess County create conditions that provide habitat for rare and unique species. These communities are discussed in the Physical Resources section of this NRI.

Ecosystem processes provide clean water, clean air, sources of food, recreational resources, and other benefits to humans. The functions performed by ecosystems that directly or indirectly benefit humans are called ecosystem services. These benefits include provisioning services, regulating services that affect climate, floods, disease, wastes, and water quality; cultural services that provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits; and supporting services such as soil formation.[2]

These services have many linkages to human well-being. They provide the basic materials for life, including food, shelter, and livelihood. Healthy ecosystems offer security and stability, in part through access to resources, which in turn contributes to healthy social relations. In addition, they benefit physical health by providing clean air, clean water, and other resources.[2]

It is important to understand how ecosystems function, especially to avoid sacrificing the ecosystem services on which people depend. Because components of ecosystems are interconnected, and these relationships may be complex, changes made to one part can have an impact on others. Conserving healthy, functioning ecosystems is essential to ensure that they continue to provide us with these invaluable services over time.

Increasing sprawl has become a concern nationally and within Dutchess County. [3][4] As the county’s population has grown, many people have moved away from rural areas and city centers towards developments in outlying open areas. Sprawl is characterized by low-density residential and commercial areas extending far out of traditional settlement areas, and is often the result of poor or no land-use planning. Sprawl can cause many problems, including loss of a sense of place, habitat loss, threats to farmland, increased costs of services to local governments, and health impacts.[3] Sprawl patterns in Dutchess County are associated with the major transportation routes, such as Route 9, Route 44, Route 55, Route 52, and Interstate 84. Extensive commercial and residential development can be found along, and spread out from, each of these transportation corridors.

Planners have become increasingly aware of the problems associated with sprawl, adopting or encouraging sustainable development practices such as smart growth.[5][4]Smart growth includes focusing development in traditional settlement areas, taking advantage of existing infrastructure, maintaining open space, implementing zoning laws that allow for multiple uses within buildings and neighborhoods, and providing access to mass transit.5][3] Examples of how to implement smart growth principles can be found in the Dutchess County Greenway Compact Program and Guides for Dutchess County communities.

Climate change is a critical challenge that is affecting human beings and the natural resources upon which they rely, both globally and locally. Climate change refers to major changes in temperature, rainfall, snow, or wind patterns lasting for decades or longer.[5] The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an international body of scientists working through the United Nations has concluded that the earth’s climate is changing much more rapidly than ever before, and that "human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land" by increasing the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs).[6]

Climatic changes are already occurring, on both a global and local scale. Temperatures have risen almost 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit in New York State since 1900 due to the emission of GHGs. [7] These changes have caused scientists to predict higher average annual temperatures, decreased snowfall, and increases in extreme precipitation, punctuated by longer periods of dry conditions. [8] These changes will have a profound effect on water resources, soils, air quality, and biological resources. As local municipal officials plan for future land use and infrastructure, it will be increasingly important to consider scientifically based projections of climatic change in the northeastern United States and Hudson Valley region.