Natural Resources
The lands we steward are situated in the Hudson Valley, 60 miles north of New York City, within the key highlands corridor that connects natural areas from New Jersey to Massachusetts. These lands reach from agricultural valleys up to some of the highest elevations in Dutchess County. The region is hydrologically complex and valuable, as it supplies clean drinking water for numerous communities in the region.
Like much of the Northeast, these lands show many scars of ecological degradation and contain several invasive species. Nonetheless, the acreage contains rich ecological resources, including hemlock swamps, pitch pine-oak-heaths, sedge meadows, beaver ponds, lakes, and streams. These rich habitats are essential for diverse species, including rare plants, birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, insects, and many other species. All of these environments need focused land stewardship.
History
The site's cultural landscape history is fundamental to our understanding of its ecological conditions today. The area was vital hunting and gathering grounds for the Mahican people prior to colonial settlement, thanks to its rich forests, waterways, and diverse wildlife. Through the 18th and 19th centuries, European settlers transformed Northeastern landscapes through deforestation, industry, and agriculture. These transformations resulted in habitat change and declining biodiversity. Furthermore, the introduction of invasive insects and diseases have devastated important tree species such as American chestnut, American elm, eastern hemlock, butternut, and ash species.
The region's fertile valleys once served as the New York City's breadbasket. Then, during the Merino wool boom in the 19th century, the highlands were settled by small-scale farmers. As agriculture evolved in the 20th century, many of these lands were abandoned for more fertile ground in the Midwest. Now, decades later, farms continue to disappear from the Northeast, replaced by housing and suburban sprawl.
Key Events
Today
The lands we steward still contain some extraordinary biodiversity, but across the region, natural systems are out of balance and under pressure from invasive species and development. Across these lands, we are demonstrating stewardship practices to restore and enhance biodiversity and ecological integrity, and we are implementing regenerative farming practices that produce healthy, local food and help to heal the land.
