In March 2026, the NYFOA state board approved developing a program partnership with the Winnakee Land Trust (WLT), called The Woodland Stewards Collaborative. The Collaborative seeks to connect two organizations with a common cause: supporting the private landowners who are essential to the future of NY’s forests, water-sheds, and climate resilience by collaborating on educational programs and hands-on experiences in woodlot management. The Collaborative grew out of several joint conferences and programs, where the consistent message Winnakee and NYFOA kept hearing from landowners was a desire for more programming around wildlife, water quality, aesthetics, and long-term stewardship.
For NYFOA, the partnership deepens its commitment to the family woodland owners at the heart of its membership while expanding the range of programming available to them. Programming through The Woodland Stewards Collaborative focuses on land management topics surveyed directly from landowners interests:
*Wildlife habitat
*Water quality
*Forest regeneration
*Aesthetics and quality of life
*Long-term conservation legacy
Content is delivered through statewide webinars as well as on-site demonstrations on Winnakee and NYFOA member properties, making it accessible to landowners wherever they are in New York.
Whether someone is just beginning to think about the future of their land or is deep into a long-term management plan, The Collaborative is designed to meet them where they are. The aim is to serve as a trusted, conservation-first based resource for landowners at every stage of their stewardship journey.
For details on Woodland Stewards Collaborative events, visit our page.