Winnakee awarded $1.25 million forestland protection grant

Winnakee is thrilled to announce the award of a $1.25 million land capital grant from The Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation to support a future forestland protection acquisition. While details of the property will be shared upon closing later this year, we can express our profound gratitude to the PCLB Foundation for making it possible to permanently protect an ecologically invaluable property that was highly vulnerable to development. 

The forestland that will be protected ranks among the top 5% for local connectedness, according to the New York Natural Heritage Program (NYNHP)’s Hudson Valley Forest Patch Assessment, and further strengthens a Hudson Valley Core Forest, benefiting wildlife habitat connectivity. Additionally, The Nature Conservancy’s Resilient Sites tool rates portions of this land as “far above average resilience”, identifying it as a critical biodiversity stronghold capable of adapting to future climate change impacts. READ MORE

Grant enables the permanent protection of an ecologically invaluable property that was highly vulnerable to development. 

So many of us have been drawn to the Hudson Valley and made it a big part of our lives because of the beautiful forests that surround us.  

What most are not aware of is that without intervention, in 40-50 years most of these woodlands in the Hudson Valley will look vastly different because young trees are not surviving to take their place.   READ MORE

Stewardship programs in action this summer

Winnakee Expands Turtle Monitoring Program to Protect Local Wetland Species

Now in its second year, Winnakee’s turtle monitoring program—led by Director of Land Stewardship Jen Adams in partnership with The Wetland Trust—expanded this summer in both scope and reach, extending to additional wetlands across Winnakee’s preserves.

The program’s primary goal is to assess current turtle populations and implement targeted habitat management strategies to support their survival. This year, the program introduced radio tracking, allowing staff to track turtle movements and better protect critical nesting sites from predators.

Another major focus was identifying road crossing hotspots where turtles travel to breeding grounds. One high risk crossing was found, helping staff identify where to build new nesting sites closer to wetland habitats. These efforts significantly reduce the need for turtles to cross roads, improving their chances of survival during the breeding season.

Winnakee also hosted select environmental professionals and volunteers at the monitoring sites, offering hands-on volunteer opportunities to support vulnerable turtle species. Attendees included representatives from Scenic Hudson, Columbia and Dutchess Land Conservancies, local students, and others.

Most turtle populations in New York State are declining, primarily due to habitat loss. Winnakee is working locally to change this by protecting more wetlands and monitoring how turtles inhabit them so that we can help existing populations thrive. 



Oak mortality monitoring project

Winnakee has begun a comprehensive oak monitoring effort on our properties in response to significant oak mortality observed across Dutchess County. Field assessments on Winnakee properties—along with reports from concerned landowners—point to a significant die-off driven by repeated defoliation from spongy moth outbreaks and two consecutive years of drought. Early evaluations suggest oak loss may be as high as 50% in some areas, particularly on upper-elevation sites more vulnerable to drought stress.

While tree mortality is a natural part of forest dynamics, large-scale losses such as this are uncommon and alarming. Losing over half of the oak population on our properties threatens long-term forest health, including risks such as failed natural regeneration, invasive species encroachment, and a potential decline in biodiversity. Winnakee is currently surveying the most at-risk areas of our forest holdings. Although we cannot reverse the current die-off, establishing an accurate and actionable baseline will allow us to track future impacts, identify priority areas for intervention, and develop a proactive response strategy.

Winnakee Hosts Forest Management Workshop for Landowners

Winnakee opened an important local forest in Hyde Park—donated to Winnakee in 2022, but not yet open to public—for a hands-on forest management workshop with landowners to learn about silviculture practices that can enhance their conservation goals.

At Robert’s Refuge, attendees learned about the regeneration challenges faced by most regional forests due to overabundant deer populations, invasives and pests and pathogens. Our Conservation Forester, Trevor Keough, demonstrated how to assess tree health and use simple data on tree vigor and quality to create a step-by-step plan for improving woodlands.

Winnakee recognizes that private landowners have a vital role to play in safeguarding our region's landscapes and biodiversity. This program was one of many to come dedicated to empowering landowners to sustainably manage their land for our region's future.