Last week, we announced that HHLT has agreed to accept a major land donation from local philanthropist Christopher Davis. The 74+ acres, lying along Snake Hill and Philipse Brook Roads in Garrison, are currently part of the 300-acre Garrison Golf Course being decommissioned later this year. We plan to permanently protect this land and intend to oversee habitat restoration, while simultaneously working with the community to develop a thoughtful plan for public access. We are very grateful for the opportunity and to Mr. Davis for his vision to conserve the heart of Garrison.

You can read the full announcement on our website. You can also learn more in the Highlands Current and the Putnam County News and Recorder.

Earlier this month, Katrina Shindledecker became the new Executive Director of HHLT, after more than 14 years as the organization's Director of Conservation. This week, Katrina had the opportunity to introduce herself to the community, and share HHLT’s next steps for the Garrison Golf Club project (see above), in an OpEd for the Putnam County News and Recorder.

You can read Katrina's full "Perspectives" article on the PCNR website or in this PDF.

Thanks to many of you who attended our Environmental Review of Development Projects: How to Make Use of Philipstown’s Natural Resources Inventory webinar last month.

If you missed it, the recording of the webinar is now available on our YouTube channel. The full NRI report, which documents the natural, cultural and recreational resources within Philipstown, can be found on the Town's website. Links to additional tools and resources mentioned during the webinar can be found on our website.

A big thank you to Climate Smart Philipstown for partnering with us on the webinar. Be sure to check out their brand new website and join in on their "Philipstown Fight Dirty" challenge.

Your input is needed! We want to hear from the Philipstown and Putnam Valley communities as part of a project to connect lands for people and wildlife across the Eastern Hudson Highlands. Your survey responses will be used to help identify community priorities for open space conservation, with a focus on connecting natural areas so wildlife and people can move easily across the region.

The survey should take about 10 minutes and your responses will be confidential. If you have any questions about the project or survey, please email Ashley Rauch at ashley.rauch@hhlt.org. Thanks in advance for sharing your input! Please feel free to share the survey links with your friends and neighbors.

Our fantastic volunteers have been very busy in Granite Mountain Preserve! They have been caring for the land by cleaning out hiking trail water drainages, and protecting the forest by removing invasive species like garlic mustard, reporting on downed trees, and even building a beautiful new trailhead kiosk.

Many thanks to Scout Troops Pack 53 Den 3, and especially leader Steve Gherardi; Scout Troop 41 and especially leader Matt Fitzmaurice; Putnam Valley High School senior Lindsay Cohen and her father Jason Cohen; and superstar volunteers Jane Crossley, Val Peyronnet, Pat Grove, Christopher Gurr, Stephanie and Paul Ruzzo Tarnell, and Sue Lent.

Last week, our Director of Natural Resources Manager, Nicole Wooten, helped train new Breakneck Ridge Trail Stewards as part of our partnership with the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference on their Trail Steward Program for the 2021 season. During the training, Nicole shared information on natural resource protection and strategies for the safe, enjoyable and responsible use of the popular hiking trail. Thank you to the Trail Stewards for caring for the trails we love! We would also like to thank the John and Frank Sparacio Foundation for their generous support of our partnership in this program.

If you own between 10 and 1,000 acres of forested land in New York and are interested in forest regeneration on your property, cost-share grants are now available through the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation's Regenerate NY program. Landowners who want to plant trees, control competing vegetation, restore a degraded forest stand, or exclude deer are encouraged to apply for project funding.

Visit the DEC website to learn more about applying for funding. Interested landowners can apply until October 8, 2021 (or until funding runs out). A webinar on the application process will take place tomorrow, Friday, May 21st, at 10am.