Stronger Communities Through Conservation
FORESTS FOREVER
CAMPAIGN
Nate Simms
CAMPAIGN RESULTS
On October 25th, 2022 we announced the Forests Forever Campaign has reached - and exceeded - its 2 million dollar goal.
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300 individual donors contributed to raising 2.23 Million Dollars.
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Through the Campaign we were able to leverage an additional $779,000 in grants.
The campaign has supported the acquisition of important forestland on the Rensselaer Plateau and established a fund for long-term land management and stewardship.
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THANK YOU
to our community for sharing our vision and being a part of this campaign!
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OUR STORY
In 2006, a small group of neighbors banded together to conserve the Rensselaer Plateau, a 118,000-acre forested region in Eastern New York. By 2020, they conserved more than 12,000 acres on the Rensselaer Plateau.
But the challenge is far from over.
With development pressure rising in Rensselaer County...
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climate change impacting our towns and cities...
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an increased need for access to nature...
the next decade will be critical.
Nate Simms
For the Human Spirit
Just a short drive from Albany and Troy, NY and Bennington, VT, you can find miles of trails, community forests, accessible trails, and places to play, learn, and unwind.
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“The beautiful community forests so accessible to the entire Capital District really make one feel like they are miles from civilization.”
- Susan Poisson-Dollar and Jerry Dollar
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For Climate Resilience
Large, connected forests and wetlands sequester carbon and will allow wildlife to move as the climate warms. The Plateau’s 3,000 + acres of wetlands absorb flood waters like a sponge.
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“One of the most direct ways for individuals to make a positive impact on climate change is to help preserve open spaces, forests and water.”
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- Kevin & Mary Albert
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Nate Simms
For Clean Air & Water, and Healthy Wildlife
The Rensselaer Plateau’s forests and wetlands protect our drinking water and keep our air clean and support the many birds, plants, and animals that call this beautiful region home.
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“I believe that the Capital Region is rising to the next level of cultural and economic success. That is why I support conservation on the Rensselaer Plateau — our natural areas are essential to healthy and successful communities.”
- Chet Opalka
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Our Vision
Connecting the forest pieces
for a healthy landscape
The Forests Forever Campaign seeks to conserve adjacent lands to create a large, intact forestland across the Rensselaer Plateau.
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This is a representation of the possible ways to
create a
a corridor of conservation.
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​Properties in dark green are lands conserved by the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance.
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Properties in light green are lands conserved by other organizations.
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Properties in orange are a few of the lands we are currently conserving through this campaign.
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*This map is a concept and not a literal representation*
Jessica Barthel
Share our Vision
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Imagine that you could plan a Rensselaer Plateau thru-hike - walking from East Nassau to Pittstown without leaving conserved land...
For Conservation
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What if wildlife like moose and bobcat had a corridor of uninterrupted forest to safely move through - from one side of the Rensselaer Plateau to the other - without having to cross human developments?
Nate Simms
On the Rensselaer Plateau
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“Forests Forever is truly a legacy project. It’s something we can leave to our community, to our children... We as a community have the opportunity to create this kind of legacy in our own backyards.”
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- Jim Slavin,
Forests Forever Campaign Chair