The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy is proud to announce the recent award of $100,000 from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant (NAWCA) to support the acquisition of a conservation easement on the Heldeberg Workshop property in New Scotland. The US Fish and Wildlife Service designates these funds to support the protection of wetlands and adjacent uplands that serve as important bird habitat.

Located at the base of Helderberg Escarpment, the Heldeberg Workshop property is a prominent geologic feature that rises out of the landscape like a beacon for migratory birds, encouraging them to stop and rest, or stop and nest. The deeply forested lands of the Escarpment are an excellent habitat for nationally declining and highest-priority species such as the Cerulean Warbler, Wood Thrush, Golden-winged Warbler, and Canada Warbler. This area has even been known to host nesting Peregrine Falcons along the cliffs. Mallard, Black Duck, and Wood Duck can be found resting and nesting in the wetlands - all species students can spy while exploring Vly Swamp in the Workshop's "Swamping" class.

The Heldeberg Workshop has been providing outdoor education on this incredible property for more than 50 years. The backdrop of the Escarpment makes this area ideal for students to learn about and experience the unique geology of the area, as well as explore its unique amphibians in Vly Swamp, an area known to be one of the most biodiverse for amphibians in all of New England. This property is critical to providing students with unique outdoor education experiences; the long-term protection of the Heldeberg Workshop lands through this grant and fundraising effort is vital to ensuring it exists for future generations.

The NAWCA grant has moved us closer to our meeting our fundraising goal, but there are still funds needed to complete this project. You can learn more about how to donate to support this project and our conservation efforts for the Heldeberg Workshop here.

Sarah Walsh
Conservation Director

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Photo by Dietrich Gehring

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