New York Highlands Network

The New York Highlands Network supports the vital work of protecting the wildlife you care about across the New York Highlands region, pictured below. By bringing together the top conservation organizations, as well as neighbors and landowners, and creating green corridors, the Network amplifies successes in this race against time.

Wildlife can’t wait. We learned in 2019 that animal populations are declining faster than ever. “One million animal and plant species are now threatened with extinction” many within decades, according to the United Nations. More than three billion birds have been lost since 1970. Bugs like butterflies “which are the core of our ecosystem” are declining even faster than birds.

Conservation is the solution. The New York Highlands Network brings together partners, neighbors and landowners to take action across the region. By connecting green spaces, the Network makes sure wildlife can still move across the land to seek refuge, find mates, and thrive.

The success of the Network depends on you. Here’s how you can help:

• Tell your municipal leaders to work for what you care about. Attend and speak out at public hearings involving open space issues, such as development projects, comprehensive plans, and zoning changes.
• Get to know your town, city, or county’s Conservation Advisory Committee.
• Read up on the Wildlife Corridors Conservation Act and talk to your representatives to enlist their support.
• Help improve scientific records in your own backyard or favorite park. Use iNaturalist (or, for kids, Seek) to identify what species of plants and animals are all around you.
• Finally, your financial support will make a world of difference for our wildlife.

There are many more ways to get involved in conservation in your town or in community science initiatives.

The New York Highlands Region