Butternut Valley Alliance

Founded in 2008 Butternut Valley Alliance (BVA) is a 501(c)(3) organization. Our activities connect communities, protect the environment, and promote the arts. BVA envisions leading the Butternut Creek watershed toward a sustainable future. Learn more at http://butternutvalleyalliance.org

The organization currently fulfills our mission through annual community events i.e. On the Trail of Art, the Butternut Valley Gravel Grinder, the Summer Harvest Festival, and a Creek Float. BVA also hosts education events e.g. archaeological and mill history, environmental issues such as invasive species management and riparian buffer development, as well as other topics of community interest. BVA supports economic development through trail building and grant applications to support business development. Recently, BVA was pivotal in retaining banking services in the Valley when the existing bank branch closed, and it is spearheading an effort to apply for NY Forward community development grants. BVA engages in environmental conservation activities such as Earth Day cleanup programs, creek erosion assessment and tree planting events.

The 40-mile Butternut Valley, home to approximately 5,500 residents, is comprised of two villages (Gilbertsville and Morris) and three hamlets (Garrattsville, Noblesville, and Burlington). It is a rural area with approximately 25% of its land use designated as agricultural. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Morris in 2022 was $81,875, approximately $10,000 more than that of Gilbertsville. Butternut Valley Alliance encourages the preservation and protection of the environmental qualities, farming, economic development, and cultural heritage of the Butternut Creek watershed.