News from HHLT: January 2022
HHLT Permanently Protects 57 Acres at Garrison Golf Club
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust, Inc. (HHLT) is pleased to announce that we have accepted a generous donation of 57 acres of the former Garrison Golf Club land from property owner Christopher Davis. Along with permanently protecting this land, HHLT will oversee habitat restoration, and we look forward to collaborating with our community to develop a thoughtful plan for public access.

“I can’t think of more trusted or capable organizations than HHLT and the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival to work in collaboration as stewards of this wonderful landscape," Davis said. "I'm inspired by their shared vision of ecological restoration and grateful that our community will be able to enjoy this special place for generations to come."

In the interim, we are making some key improvements to help protect public safety and to enhance opportunities for passive recreation. While this work is in progress, the property is open for non-motorized recreation, such as walking and bird-watching, at your own risk and we advise all visitors to exercise caution.
Town of Putnam Valley Donates 28 Acres Adjacent to Granite Mountain Preserve
Granite Mountain Preserve is growing! The Town of Putnam Valley recently donated 28 acres of land to HHLT to expand our Granite Mountain Preserve. More and more hikers, bird-watchers, dog walkers, and photographers are enjoying the Preserve’s trails and woodland vistas. In addition to outdoor recreation, this conserved land also helps protect the drinking water sources for the City of Peekskill and Town of Cortlandt. Thank you to the Town of Putnam Valley for being such a great partner on this project! 

But that’s not all—HHLT is also managing and stewarding an additional 91 acres of land adjacent to the Preserve through a Cooperative Management Agreement with Putnam County. We are grateful to County officials and everyone who worked with us to develop this new agreement. 

We look forward to sharing updated maps and further information about these new additions to the Preserve later this year. For more info about Granite Mountain, visit our website.
Philipstown Climate Fund Program Helps Residents Transition to Cleaner Energy Solutions
A newly launched campaign is making it easier for Philipstown residents to transition from fossil fuel-based appliances to electric ones. The Philipstown Climate Fund Award Program, part of the Philipstown Fights Dirty campaign, is open to low- and moderate-income residents (renters or owners) in Philipstown and aims to lower household carbon emissions to help the town reach its goal of carbon neutrality by 2040.

Applications are available in English and Spanish, with a submission deadline of February 15, 2022 for the first lottery drawing in early March. Learn more here.
HHLT Participates in Winter (Christmas) Bird Count
Earlier this month, the Putnam Highlands Audubon Society led a Winter (Christmas) Bird Count at one of HHLT’s newest properties. This popular citizen-science project started in 1900 and continues to help track long-term trends in bird populations, providing a deeper understanding of conservation measures that can help birds.

HHLT staff and board members joined and had the opportunity to observe many species, including a small flock of bluebirds, white-throated sparrows, and a flicker.

Our thanks to the Putnam Highlands Audubon Society for their expertise and excellent suggestions on how we can invest in our land to help enhance bird habitats.
Lenapehoking: A Special Exhibit of Historic and Contemporary Lenape Cultural Arts
Lenapehoking is the Lenape word for the Lenape homeland, extending from the Hudson Valley to Delaware, and from Western Connecticut to Eastern Pennsylvania. Lenapehoking is also the name of a groundbreaking art exhibition that opened this month in Brooklyn—the first Lenape-curated exhibition of Lenape cultural arts in New York, featuring masterworks by Lenape artists past and present. Look for an upcoming article in our Relearning Highlands History series that explores how these never-before-seen works of art are helping to retell the history of the vibrant, resilient Lenape people.

HHLT protects the Hudson Highlands for all of us. You make it all possible.
Thank you for your support!
The Hudson Highlands Land Trust protects and preserves the natural resources,
rural character and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands.

Hudson Highlands Land Trust
20 Nazareth Way, P.O. Box 226, Garrison, NY 10524
(845) 424-3358