Bedford Hills, NY— Westchester Land Trust (WLT) has been awarded $100,000 in grants from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) through the 2026 Conservation Partnership Program (CPP), supporting both the permanent protection of WLT’s largest preserve and investments that will strengthen the organization’s conservation work for years to come.

WLT received a $75,000 transaction grant to support the protection and stewardship of Lodestone Preserve, a more than 200-acre forested property in Southeast, acquired by WLT in December 2025 as the largest fee acquisition in the organization’s history. A $25,000 capacity grant will support improvements to WLT’s technology and data systems, helping staff work more efficiently and better connect conservation, stewardship, fundraising, and community engagement efforts.

“These grants are an investment not only in the land we protect, but in our ability to be thoughtful caretakers of the land forever,” said Kara H. Whelan, president of Westchester Land Trust. “We applaud Governor Hochul, Commissioner Lefton, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, and our friends at the Land Trust Alliance for recognizing that lasting conservation requires both protecting extraordinary places like Lodestone Preserve and building strong organizations equipped to steward them for generations.”

Protecting a Critical Water Resource and Habitat

The $75,000 transaction grant supports WLT’s acquisition and stewardship of Lodestone Preserve, the largest land acquisition in the organization’s history.

The 200-acre property protects mature forests and other important habitats while helping to safeguard a public drinking water supply serving more than nine million people in Westchester County and New York City. The preserve includes northern hardwood forest, rocky outcroppings, floodplain areas and a vernal pool, as well as habitat for several endangered and at-risk bat species, including the federally and state-listed northern long-eared bat.

The grant will help support work associated with the preserve’s permanent protection and preparation for future public use, including stewardship and restoration, signage and kiosks, accessibility improvements, and community outreach.

“Lodestone is a remarkable example of how protecting one piece of land delivers benefits far beyond its boundaries,” said Janelle Robbins, vice president of conservation at Westchester Land Trust. “By keeping this forest intact, we’re not just conserving wildlife habitat and creating a space for the public to experience nature and enjoy, but we’re also protecting drinking water for millions of people across the region. This funding helps us turn permanent protection into thoughtful, long-term stewardship.”

WLT is currently developing a comprehensive management plan, creating a trail system and other visitor infrastructure before opening Lodestone Preserve to the public.

Building a Stronger Land Trust for the Future

WLT’s $25,000 capacity grant will support a broader effort to modernize the technology and information systems behind its conservation work.

The project includes transitioning WLT’s constituent management system to a platform that integrates with the organization’s stewardship and communications systems, organizing decades of digital files, and strengthening organization-wide project and grant management.

The upgrades are designed to give staff more accurate, accessible information across the organization while improving internal coordination and the ways WLT communicates with easement landowners, preserve neighbors, donors, volunteers, and program participants. The project builds directly on Conservation Partnership Program funding WLT received in 2025 to implement a robust conservation stewardship system.

“Some of the most important conservation work happens behind the scenes,” said Carissa Gospodinoff, vice president of operations at Westchester Land Trust. “Investing in better systems means our staff can spend less time navigating disconnected information and more time focused on protecting land, caring for our preserves, stewarding easement relationships, and serving our community. This grant helps build the organizational foundation we need to meet the opportunities ahead.”

WLT is one of 45 nonprofit land trusts statewide receiving funding in this year’s Conservation Partnership Program. DEC awarded $2.7 million for 56 projects supporting open-space conservation, outdoor recreation, water quality, and climate resiliency. The grants are funded through New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund and are expected to leverage an additional $2.2 million in private and local funding.

Since its creation in 2002, the Conservation Partnership Program has awarded more than $36.7 million through 1,325 grants to 100 land trusts across New York. The program is administered by the Land Trust Alliance in coordination with DEC.

“These grants demonstrate what’s possible when public investment and local conservation expertise work hand in hand,” Whelan said. “With the State’s partnership, we are protecting extraordinary places for communities to enjoy today while building the capacity to care for them long into the future.”

We acknowledge that our region is within the traditional territories of the Lenape people and that their culture and traditions live on today.