Breaking news! One of the largest and most vulnerable tracts of land along the ridge just went into conservation: Humpo Marshlands and Forest. This 174-acre property is your view when you drive from New Paltz to the Ridge. This fragile land could have been drained and cut down to make way for development but thanks to the hard work of the Preserve and our friends at Open Space Institute, Wallkill Valley Land Trust, and the Town of New Paltz, the land is now forever protected as part of Mohonk Preserve to benefit nature and our community.

Land protection projects take surveys, appraisals, insurance, lawyers and lots of time with landowners. Then, once we protect the land we are forever obligated to care for and defend it with annual boundary monitoring, invasives removal and care. Your donations will make sure we are ready to care for protected areas today and act when the next opportunity strikes.

Photo: Gerald Liddelow

The power of environmental education at Mohonk Preserve is real and manifests itself daily. It builds curiosity and confidence. It gives students a reason to use language, to ask questions, share discoveries, and explain what they see. And, perhaps most importantly, it gives young people the experience of being capable participants in the world around them. You have the opportunity to help make more experiences like this possible.

Your support can put students outside, give them hands-on opportunities to learn, and help them discover that the places and environmental challenges around them are not just something to study - they are things they can help protect.

Let's give these young people the opportunity to become the next generation of environmental leaders with your donations to education.

Photo: Stephen D. Stewart-Hill

Sometimes the best course of action is to let nature lead the way. At Mohonk Preserve, we're applying that principle to Duck Pond and the Kleine Kill, where restoration will help return the stream to a more natural, free-flowing state. The work is grounded in conservation science: understanding how water moves through the landscape, how temperature affects aquatic life, how native plants can stabilize streambanks, and how healthy ecosystems can better withstand a changing climate.

This is conservation science, not trying to control nature, but understanding it well enough to give it the conditions to thrive.

Your support tonight will help us do exactly that: give future generations, and all the species that share this place, a healthier Shawangunk Ridge.

Have you seen the restored Undercliff carriage road? It's due to the hard work of Mohonk Preserve's Stewardship team and made possible by donors like you.
The goal for our historic network of carriage roads is to keep these iconic routes maintained so they are enjoyable for climbing access, biking, hiking and running. And, the improved roads will make it easier for rescue vehicles to reach people in need. The Undercliff restoration project is a kind of project that is so big it only happens about every 20 years. But, in the face of climate change we face 100-year storms on a regular basis and the washouts and culvert repair is impossible to keep up without your help. Please secure the future of our carriage road and trail network with your generous donations tonight.

Photo by: Chuck Reid

Everyone has a story about Mohonk Preserve, climbing in the Gunks, running or hiking the trails. Help us create an environment that's welcoming and inclusive for all with your general donation today. Your donation will help others create new memories and stories on the land we're saving for life!

Photo by: Winnie Abramson