Owning land in the Hudson Highlands comes with both opportunity and responsibility. Whether you’re looking to conserve your property, improve habitat, or simply learn more about what’s on your land, we’re here to help.
This page brings together simple ways to get connected with HHLT, with your land, and with other trusted conservation partners throughout the region.
How We Can Support You
Exploring Conservation Options
Every property is unique. If you’re considering protecting your land, we can walk you through:
Caring for Your Land: Stewardship & Land Management
Good stewardship is more than maintenance, it’s an ongoing relationship with the land you own. The choices you make year to year, from what you plant to how you manage water, shape the health of local forests, streams, and wildlife for generations to come. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining what you already do, here are areas where we and our partners can offer guidance:
- Native Planting & Pollinator Support
Native plants are the foundation of healthy ecosystems. Replacing lawn or invasive plantings with native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees supports birds, bees, butterflies, and more. - Managing Invasive Species
Invasive plants like Japanese barberry, garlic mustard, and mile-a-minute can outcompete native vegetation and degrade habitat. Early identification and thoughtful management make a real difference. - Forest & Habitat Care
From selecting which trees to remove to creating brush piles for wildlife, small decisions add up. We can point you toward resources for managing your woodlands with ecological health in mind.
HHLT partners with a number of regional organizations who offer technical assistance, site visits, and cost-share programs for landowners interested in habitat improvement. Check out: Lower Hudson PRISM, Pollinator Pathway, DEC Private Forest Management, Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Know Your Land
Tools to Explore Your Property
One of the most rewarding parts of owning land in the Hudson Highlands is discovering what’s already there. Old-growth trees, vernal pools, migratory bird corridors, native wildflowers, this region is home to remarkable biodiversity, and your property may be part of it. Whether you’re starting from scratch or refining what you already do, here are areas where we and our partners can offer guidance:
iNaturalist, Picture This, iMapinvasives
Log plants, animals, fungi, and more right from your phone. Your observations can contribute to real science and help document biodiversity across the region.
New York Natural Heritage Program (NHNYP)
Search for documented rare species and ecological communities in your area. NYNHP also provides additional resources to help landowners better understand and address the impacts of invasive species found on their property.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology, eBird, Merlin
Track bird species on your property and contribute to some of the world’s largest citizen science databases.
USDA Web Soil Survey
Understand the soils beneath your feet, including drainage, productivity, and sustainability for different land uses. Soil data and information is produced by the National Cooperative Soil Survey.
My Woodlot
Interested in enhancing habitat for native plants and animals? Discover the many ways nature depends on your land, and find out how you can make it even more attractive to wildlife.
Trusted Regional Partners
Conservation in the Hudson Highlands is a team effort. HHLT works alongside dozens of organizations, agencies, and community groups who can offer additional support, technical expertise, and funding opportunities for landowners.
State & Federal Resources
- NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Programs for forest management, wetland stewardship, and habitat improvement. - USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Cost-share programs for landowners, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). - Hudson River Estuary Program
Resources and funding for landowners near the river and its tributaries.
Conservation Organizations
HHLT maintains close relationships with many peer organizations who can provide additional resources and expertise:
Our work depends on strong partnerships with private landowners, other conservation organizations, government agencies, municipalities and local community groups, visit our Community Partnerships page.
Explore More
This page is just the beginning. The icons below link to other sections of our site where you can learn more about HHLT’s conservation work, public preserves, education programs, and regional advocacy.
Get Outside
Our Work
Get Involved
