ECOLOGIES OF WATER

Water has flowed across this planet for billions of years. Through that unfathomable span of time, the water cycle has quietly regulated and renewed the very foundation of life. More than streams and rivers, water nourishes forests like the Zena Highwoods, sculpts entire landscapes like Sloan Gorge, and shelters habitats for sensitive species like the salamanders and frogs that live at Rock Oak Preserve. For millennia, humans shared that connection, living at the river’s edge, drinking directly from its banks.

Today, it is largely unsafe to drink from local waterways. In just the past year, the Hudson Valley has faced Harmful Algal Blooms, flash floods, stormwater run-off and deepening drought, further fracturing our primordial bond with water ecology. This rupture, as well as the plea of fragile local habitats, calls us to protect, restore, and reimagine our relationship with water.

Because of this, in 2026, the Woodstock Land Conservancy turns its focus to one of the more vital and imperiled elements of our ecosystems. Our year-long program, Ecologies of Water, invites our community to explore, celebrate, and advocate for this life-sustaining resource through art, science, and collective action in a series of free community events.

Check out our 2026 Program Video to learn more.

Programming Highlights
- Conversations in Conservation: A discussion series featuring Drinkable Rivers by Li An Phoa and Maarten Van Der Schaaf, with the goal of sparking dialogue on how healthy rivers sustain both ecosystems and human well-being as well as actionable ways to restore local waterways
- Mapping the Sawkill: An interactive exhibition at Woodstock Artists Association and Museum with local artist Jennifer Zackin
- Educational Water Workshops: Hands-on programs for all ages on topics like water testing, waterfowl observation, and creek-side artmaking
- Elementary School Collaborations around Stream Health: Classroom visits with students in the Woodstock Area, culminating in a youth-led installation at the Woodstock Library
- Stewardship Opportunities: Community-based volunteer days focused on restoring riparian zones, maintaining trails, and keeping our watershed clean
- Legislative Action & Advocacy: In partnership with Beyond Plastics, connecting people to actions for cleaner water for all

Water moves through every forest, every creature, and every one of us. By restoring our relationship with it, we restore something essential in ourselves: a sense of belonging to the living world. Perhaps together we can work toward a future where our rivers are once again drinkable.

- Miranda Javid, Program Coordinator