Given that the Hudson Valley is a National Heritage Area, it's fitting that it would be a hotbed for non-government organizations to form and help preserve the natural and scenic beauty of this area. Rich in history, heritage, agricultural resources, water resources, and unique landscapes, this region is, and always will be, a cradle to the conservation and preservation of the natural world.
Whether you are a long-time resident or a new arrival looking to connect with your community, supporting local conservation efforts is one of the best ways to give back. Following are the area's most active, effective, and important conservation organizations, which we look to as beacons of preservation for our natural landscapes and resources:
Scenic Hudson
Name of Organization: Scenic Hudson
Headquartered: Poughkeepsie, NY
Core Mission: To protect and restore the Hudson River and its majestic landscape as an irreplaceable national treasure and a vital resource for residents and visitors.
Important Project in the Last Decade: Spearheading the creation of the 500+ acre Sojourner Truth State Park in Kingston.
How to follow them: Instagram @scenichudson
Website: www.scenichudson.org
Charity Navigator Rating: 4-Star Rating
About Scenic Hudson: Often credited with launching the modern grassroots environmental movement following their famous 1960s battle to save Storm King Mountain, Scenic Hudson continues to be a powerhouse for land preservation and climate resilience. In the last decade, their work has increasingly focused on environmental justice and ensuring equitable access to nature for all communities. A shining example of this mission is their monumental effort to remediate former industrial cement-making land along the Kingston waterfront. By partnering with the state, they successfully transformed this scarred landscape into Sojourner Truth State Park, opening over 500 acres of historic shoreline to the public for hiking, biking, and breathtaking river views.
Orange County Land Trust
Name of Organization: Orange County Land Trust (OCLT)
Headquartered: Mountainville, NY
Core Mission: To preserve water resources, critical habitat, rural and scenic character, and working farmland in Orange County.
Important Project in the Last Decade: The historic acquisition and preservation of Sugar Loaf Mountain.
How to follow them: Facebook @OrangeCountyLandTrust
Website: www.oclt.org
Charity Navigator Rating: Fully Accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission
About Orange County Land Trust: Operating in one of New York’s fastest-growing counties, the Orange County Land Trust does the urgent, critical work of balancing development with the preservation of natural habitats and working family farms. Over the past decade, they have secured numerous pivotal conservation easements, but their standout achievement was the successful campaign to purchase Sugar Loaf Mountain. By stepping in to protect this iconic 300+ acre forested peak from private development, OCLT not only preserved a cherished scenic viewshed for the historic hamlet below but also paved the way for it to eventually open as a public recreation area with accessible hiking trails.
Hudson Highlands Land Trust
Name of Organization: Hudson Highlands Land Trust (HHLT)
Headquartered: Garrison, NY
Core Mission: To protect and preserve the natural resources, rural character, and scenic beauty of the Hudson Highlands region.
Important Project in the Last Decade: The creation and expansion of the Granite Mountain Preserve.
How to follow them: Instagram @hhlandtrust
Website: https://hhlt.org/
Charity Navigator Rating: 4-Star Rating (98% Accountability Score)
About Hudson Highlands Land Trust: The Hudson Highlands Land Trust acts as the guardian of the dramatic, mountainous corridor where the Hudson River slices through the Appalachian chain. Their work is highly localized but incredibly impactful, focusing on saving the highlands' fragile ecosystems and drinking water reservoirs. In the last ten years, their most celebrated victory has been the piecing together of the Granite Mountain Preserve in Putnam Valley. By continuously acquiring adjoining parcels of threatened forest land, HHLT has successfully protected over 400 acres of continuous wildlife corridors, headwater streams, and multi-use trails, ensuring this rugged terrain remains wild forever.
Open Space Institute
Name of Organization: Open Space Institute (OSI)
Headquartered: New York, NY (with massive regional operations in the Hudson Valley)
Core Mission: To protect scenic, natural, and historic landscapes to provide public enjoyment, conserve habitat and working lands, and sustain communities.
Important Project in the Last Decade: The development of the River-to-Ridge Trail and large-scale expansions of Minnewaska State Park Preserve.
How to follow them: Instagram @openspaceinstitute
Website: www.openspaceinstitute.org/
Charity Navigator Rating: 3-Star Rating (84% Score)
About Open Space Institute: The Open Space Institute operates on a grand landscape scale, utilizing immense financial agility to conserve thousands of acres at a time. In the Hudson Valley, OSI’s vision over the last decade has fundamentally transformed the way residents recreate outdoors. They have consistently funded the expansion of the Shawangunk Ridge parks, but their most visible recent triumph is the River-to-Ridge Trail in New Paltz. This beautifully engineered multi-use path safely connects the village center directly to the foothills of the Mohonk Preserve, effectively bridging the gap between urban life and world-class wilderness while protecting the active farmlands that the trail meanders through.
Riverkeeper
Name of Organization: Riverkeeper
Headquartered: Ossining, NY
Core Mission: To protect and restore the ecological integrity of the Hudson River and its tributaries, and safeguard the drinking water of NYC and the lower Hudson Valley.
Important Project in the Last Decade: Brokering the historic agreement to close the Indian Point nuclear power plant and removing obsolete dams.
How to follow them: Instagram @riverkeeper
Website: www.riverkeeper.org/
Charity Navigator Rating: 4-Star Rating
About Riverkeeper: Recognized globally as a model for water advocacy, Riverkeeper functions as the Hudson Valley’s premier clean water watchdog, utilizing citizen science, grassroots organizing, and fierce legal action. The last ten years have been a defining era for the organization. They successfully championed the multi-decade battle to close the Indian Point Energy Center, putting an end to a major source of radioactive risk and the daily destruction of billions of fish and river organisms. Additionally, their rapidly expanding Dam Removal initiative has been breaking down obsolete, decaying valley dams, instantly reviving dead tributaries and allowing native fish to return to their ancestral spawning grounds for the first time in centuries.
Clearwater (Hudson River Sloop Clearwater)
Name of Organization: Hudson River Sloop Clearwater
Headquartered: Beacon, NY
Core Mission: To inspire, educate, and activate the next generation of environmental leaders through hands-on education and the celebration of the Hudson River.
Important Project in the Last Decade: The massive, multi-million dollar structural restoration of the historic tall ship, the sloop Clearwater.
How to follow them: Instagram @sloopclearwater
Website: www.clearwater.org/
Charity Navigator Rating: Highly rated for transparency; universally recognized as a historic community bedrock.
About Clearwater (Hudson River Sloop Clearwater): Founded over 50 years ago by legendary folk musician and activist Pete Seeger, Clearwater approaches environmentalism through the deeply human elements of song, heritage, and hands-on teaching. The heart of the organization is their 106-foot wooden sailing ship, which acts as a floating classroom for thousands of local school children every year. Over the last decade, the organization undertook a massive, grueling, multi-million dollar hull restoration of the sloop. This vital project ensured that Pete Seeger's iconic wooden ship remains structurally sound and seaworthy, guaranteeing that the next generation of Hudson Valley youth can physically set sail, hoist the mainsheet, and fall in love with the river they will one day inherit.
The Nature Conservancy (New York Chapter)
Name of Organization: The Nature Conservancy
Headquartered: New York, NY (with a strong regional presence and active field sites across the Hudson Valley)
Core Mission: To conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends, with a local focus on tackling climate change, protecting clean water, and securing connected, resilient landscapes.
Important Project in the Last Decade: The Aquatic Connectivity and Flood Resilience Initiative, a sweeping project to assess and upgrade vulnerable road-stream crossings (culverts) throughout the Hudson River Estuary.
How to follow them: Instagram @nature_ny
Website: www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/new-york/
Charity Navigator Rating: 4-Star Rating
About The Nature Conservancy (New York Chapter): While The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a renowned global conservation powerhouse, their New York chapter has a deeply localized and profound impact on the Hudson Valley. TNC is unique because they bring world-class, data-driven science directly to local municipalities. Over the past decade, one of their most crucial, community-saving endeavors has been their focus on climate resilience—specifically, a massive regional effort to replace outdated, undersized culverts and road-stream crossings. By partnering with local towns to install larger, climate-resilient bridges and open-bottom culverts, TNC is actively preventing severe road washouts during extreme storms. In the process, they have successfully reconnected miles of native streams, allowing fish and wildlife to migrate freely through the valley for the first time in generations.
Preserving Our Home, Together
The natural beauty of the Hudson Valley isn't just a picturesque backdrop for our daily lives; it’s a living, breathing ecosystem that requires constant care and advocacy. The organizations highlighted above work tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that our trails remain open, our drinking water remains clean, and our historic landscapes are protected for future generations. Whether you choose to become an annual member, volunteer for a weekend trail clean-up, or simply make a one-time donation, supporting these local conservation heroes is a direct investment in the future of our beloved region. Get out there, explore the preserves, and consider lending a hand to the groups that make the Hudson Valley such an extraordinary place to call home.
