Mission

Our Mission

To protect and connect forests and promote the safe passage of wildlife from the Hudson Valley to Canada.

OUR GOAL

To protect at least 50% of each core forest and one secure linkage connecting each core totaling an additional 250,000 acres of forest habitat with an estimated 500 linkages between them by 2040. Preserving forests and the linkages between them helps us form a forest corridor that can facilitate the movement of plants and animals as the climate changes.

Check out our Follow the Forest Map and our Wildlife Linkages Map.

OUR VISION

It’s a BIG idea — that we can reconnect the woodlands, fields, and wetlands of a vast wildlife corridor that passes through the heart of the Housatonic River Valley from the Hudson Valley to the forests of Canada. It brings together conservation partners in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Vermont at an unprecedented scale. Together, we can realize a shared vision that connects us to the places we love and the wildlife we share this land with.

To learn more, please visit our Story Map.

protecting & connecting forests

Our Commitments

  • Support our partners in protecting at least 50% of each core forest and one secure linkage connecting each core in the Follow the Forest region.
  • Actively engage new and existing FTF partners.
  • Create shared resources and engaging media to help partners raise funds for land conservation projects.
  • Create a collaborative, inclusive, and dynamic space that empowers our partners to share in a joint mission.
  • Offer partners a platform for promoting events & volunteer opportunities and for celebrating conservation success stories that align with our mission.
  • Provide data and maps to help partners set conservation priorities that align with our mission of connected habitat
  • Attend Regional Conservation Partnership (RCP) gatherings and networking events to promote our initiative.
  • Advocate on behalf of the native animals and plants that rely on this resilient corridor for survival.
  • Support landowners in caring for the land they love.
  • Educate the public on the issue of forest fragmentation and the importance of maintaining habitat connectivity through informational resources and sponsored events.
  • Help build the next generation of conservation leaders by teaming up with local land trusts to deliver Follow the Forest programming to schools throughout the corridor.