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WALLKILL VALLEY LAND TRUST
NEW PALTZ, NY · EIN 222867070 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · wallkillvalleylt.org
revenue
$397K
expenses
$447K
net assets
$894K
employees
4
volunteers
105
program ratio
87%
mission · from form 990

TO PROMOTE THE PRESERVATION, PROTECTION AND BALANCED USE OF THE WALLKILL VALLEY THROUGH ACQUISITION, HOLDING AND MANAGEMENT OF FEE SIMPLE TITLE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS.

profile · synthesized from sources

Land trust operating in Ulster County, NY, focused on conserving lands of scenic, agricultural, ecological, and cultural significance. The organization acquires and manages conservation easements, owns and stewards protected properties like the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary and Joppenbergh Mountain, and maintains the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail. It also provides education and outreach to support land conservation and sustainable land management.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2022

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $153K
    STEWARDSHIP: PRESERVE WAY OF LIFE BY PROTECTING VALUABLE ASSETS THAT MAKE ULSTER COUNTY A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE, WORK, AND VISIT. STEWARDSHIP INCLUDES CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND OWNED LANDS FOR OPEN SPACE RECREATION BY PURCHASE, ACQUISITION, OR DONATION.
  2. #2 $34K
    EDUCATION PROGRAMS AND OUTREACH: EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND ADVOCATE FOR THE NEED TO PROTECT AND CONSERVE LAND. ASSIST LANDOWNERS IN UNDERSTANDING HABITAT PROTECTION AND LAND MANAGEMENT. INTERPRETIVE PROGRAMMING ON THE CULTURAL, BIOLOGICAL, HISTORICAL, AND WILDLIFE BEHAVIORS AND HABITATS.
named programs · 5 · from sources

What they call their work

Conservation Easement Program
Works with landowners to establish permanent conservation easements that protect land from development while allowing continued private ownership and use.
Joppenbergh Mountain Conservation
Owns and manages Joppenbergh Mountain as a public open space with trails, habitat protection, and limited recreational access, including oversight of seasonal bow hunting.
Land Conservation Education and Outreach
Provides public education on conservation easements, land stewardship, and ecological benefits through workshops, interpretive programming, and volunteer engagement.
Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary Stewardship
Manages a 56-acre sanctuary including invasive species removal, trail maintenance, habitat restoration, and ecological monitoring in partnership with local volunteers and SUNY New Paltz interns.
Wallkill Valley Rail Trail Management
Maintains a 22+ mile rail trail for public recreation, including trail safety, signage, and coordination with towns along the corridor.
activities · 6 groups

What they do

  • Nature Preserve Management and Public Access 4 activities
    • Ensure accessibility of public trails and natural areas
      Allows wheelchairs and similar mobility devices on all trails where foot travel is permitted and has conducted accessibility assessments for Joppenbergh Mountain and the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary to improve inclusive access.
    • Maintain and provide access to a network of nature preserves
      Manages three primary nature preserves—Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, Joppenbergh Mountain, and Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary—that collectively offer trails for walking, running, biking, hiking, birdwatching, and wildlife observation, with free public access and ecological stewardship.
    • Manage and provide public access to Joppenbergh Mountain
      Owns and manages the Joppenbergh Mountain property in Rosendale for conservation and public recreation, including trail access from Willow Kiln Park to the summit, offering scenic views; supports multiple recreational activities such as hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing on a daily basis from dawn to dusk.
    • Manage the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary
      Manages the 56-acre Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary in New Paltz, including trail maintenance, invasive species management, meadow habitat preservation, and ecological restoration such as removing 10,000 pounds of invasive water chestnut; assumed full ownership in 2023 to ensure long-term protection.
  • Onsite & Outreach Environmental Education Programs 1 activity
    • Conduct land conservation education and outreach programs
      Provides education and outreach to the public and landowners on land conservation, habitat protection, and land management, including interpretive programming on cultural, biological, historical, and wildlife topics.
  • Recreational Trail Development and Maintenance 1 activity
    • Manage and maintain the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail
      Manages and maintains a 22+ mile unpaved rail trail and linear park along the former Wallkill Valley Railroad corridor in Ulster County, New York, acquired through purchases in 1991 and 2009, with public access for walking, biking, and other recreational uses.
  • Local Land Conservation Advocacy 1 activity
    • Produce and share habitat and scenic resource maps for conservation planning
      Conducts and publishes habitat mapping projects and scenic resource assessments for towns in southern Ulster County, including completed maps for Gardiner, Shawangunk, and six additional towns, to support inter-municipal land conservation planning.
  • Land Acquisition and Conservation Easements 1 activity
    • Protect land through conservation easements and ownership
      Protects natural and agricultural lands in perpetuity through conservation easements and direct ownership, including the Mill Brook Preserve (134 acres), Phillies Bridge Farm Project (65 acres), and 18 properties in active agricultural use, preventing future development and ensuring public access or sustainable land use.
  • Uncategorized 2 activities
    • Obtain and maintain land trust accreditation
      Maintains accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Commission, demonstrating adherence to national standards for operational excellence, governance, and land conservation practices.
    • Provide maps of protected lands in the Wallkill Valley region
      Offers a publicly accessible map showing the location and status of protected lands across the Wallkill Valley region to inform conservation efforts and public awareness.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$397K
Contributions & grants$318K80%
Program service revenue$22K6%
Investment income$51K13%
Other revenue$6K
expenses
Total expenses$447K
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead6%
Fundraising7%
Salaries & benefits$275K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$966K
Cash$97K
Investments$510K
Liabilities$73K
Net assets$894K
Liquid reserves16.3 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +30.1%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 1
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
CHRISTINE DEBOER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 40 $90K
board members · 10
  • ANGELICA SNYDER — DIRECTOR
  • ARIF KAHN — DIRECTOR
  • ARTHUR ZACZKIEWICZ — SECRETARY
  • BILL HUESTON — DIRECTOR
  • BRAD BARCLAY — DIRECTOR
  • JOE PIRROTTA — PRESIDENT
  • MARTY IRWIN — VICE PRESIDENT
  • SALLY CROSS — DIRECTOR AT LARGE
  • SETH HOLLANDER — TREASURER
  • WILLIAM SCHUSTER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 19

Who they work with

  • Eventbrite Partner — Platform used for event registration for Wallkill Valley Land Trust activities.
  • Facebook Partner — Social media platform used for outreach and engagement
  • Historic Huguenot Street Partner — Donated a permanent conservation easement to WVLT in 2009 for the protection of the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Hudson River Estuary Program of the NYS DEC Funder — Funded the 2014 habitat maps for Gardiner and Shawangunk and contributed to the 2015 scenic resources project.
  • Hudson River Valley Greenway Funder — Funded the 2015 scenic resources project for southern Ulster County.
  • Instagram Partner — Social media platform used for outreach and engagement
  • Land Trust Alliance Funder — Funded the 2018 habitat mapping project for six towns in the WVLT service area.
  • Land Trust Alliance Government — Accrediting body for the organization, indicating a formal relationship through the accreditation process.
  • Land Trust Alliance Network — Accredited by the Land Trust Alliance Accreditation Commission.
  • New Paltz Gardens of Nutrition Partner — Receives invasive water chestnut plant material from the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary for composting.
  • Open Space Institute Partner — Co-acquired Joppenbergh Mountain property in 2011
  • Open Space Institute Partner — Partnered with WVLT in 2009 to secure a permanent conservation easement on the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary.
  • Open Space Institute Partner — Partnered with WVLT to protect the Phillies Bridge Farm Project in 2003.
  • SUNY New Paltz Partner — Provides interns who conduct research projects on the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary to support ecological management.
  • Shawangunk Conservancy Partner — Co-acquired Joppenbergh Mountain property in 2011
  • Town of Gardiner Partner — Partnered to transfer and manage sections of the Wallkill Valley Rail Trail with retained conservation easements.
  • Town of New Paltz Partner — Conveyed sections of the rail corridor to the town while retaining conservation easements.
  • Town of Rosendale Government — Leases Willow Kiln Park, which provides trail access to Joppenbergh Mountain
  • Village of New Paltz Partner — Conveyed sections of the rail corridor to the village while retaining conservation easements.
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Community-Supported Stewardship Model
    methodology: community-supported-stewardship
    By engaging community donations and volunteer labor in habitat restoration and land maintenance, we sustain conserved lands because local investment fosters long-term ownership and commitment to environmental care.
  • Education and Outreach as Conservation Engagement
    methodology: education-and-outreach
    By educating the public and landowners about habitat protection and land management through interpretive programming, we advance land conservation because increased ecological and cultural understanding fosters community support and stewardship.
  • Integrated Conservation of Working Farms
    methodology: working-family-farm-conservation
    By integrating conservation with agricultural use through partnerships with farm-owning families, we protect working lands because aligning economic viability with land protection ensures long-term sustainability of both farming and ecosystems.
  • Land Conservation for Community Quality of Life
    methodology: land-conservation-for-community-benefit
    By conserving land with scenic, agricultural, ecological, recreational, and cultural value through easements and acquisition, we enhance community quality of life because preserved landscapes maintain local character, public access, and long-term environmental resilience.
  • Research-Informed Land Management
    methodology: research-informed-land-management
    By partnering with academic institutions and using intern-led research to generate ecological data, we improve long-term land management decisions because science-based monitoring ensures adaptive, effective conservation practices.