PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) has been selected for the Salazar Center for North American Conservation’s Peregrine Accelerator for Conservation Impact 2025 cohort. 

 

This international program aims to enhance the impact of strategies addressing biodiversity loss, ecological connectivity, and community resilience.

 

Through this six-month program, which includes funding, mentorship, and collaboration with organizations in the North Atlantic region of the U.S. and Canada, HVA's "Follow the Forest" initiative will be expanded. "Follow the Forest" involves over 50 partners working to protect and connect forests across Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and Vermont.

 

"Follow the Forest is about working across natural, political and organizational boundaries to protect the connections that sustain life,” said Tim Abbott, HVA’s Conservation Director. "The Peregrine Accelerator is an exciting opportunity to elevate this work and strengthen the partnerships that make it possible."

 

Julia Rogers, HVA’s Senior Land Protection Manager, added:

 

"The Accelerator will catalyze our connectivity work across the region, inspiring collaborative efforts informed by community members and scientific data,” she said. 

 

HVA staff are scheduled to attend a retreat on Prince Edward Island in early June to commence the program. The "Follow the Forest" initiative focuses on safeguarding forest acreage in eastern New York, western Connecticut, western Massachusetts, and Vermont, an area identified as crucial for species movement, ecosystem health, and carbon storage. The initiative has engaged various land trusts and conservation partnerships to address habitat fragmentation and conserve forested areas to foster a more connected and climate-resilient landscape. The Accelerator will provide HVA and its partners with support to strengthen community science tools, communication strategies, and funding and governance models for the initiative.