A group of women in conservation from New Jersey spent two days in Blairstown earlier this month learning about forest stewardship, land preservation and the personal connections people form with woodlands.
The Sept. 13–14 retreat, called Women and Their Woods, was hosted by Ridge and Valley Conservancy at the Princeton-Blairstown Center. The program combined expert presentations with hands-on activities such as guided tree identification walks, workshops, and evening discussions around the campfire.
Speakers included Joan Maloof, founder of the Old-Growth Forest Network; restoration ecologist and author Leslie Sauer; and Wild Ridge Plants co-owner Rachel Mackow. Topics ranged from climate resilience and invasive species to developing stewardship plans and options for preserving land.
Participants represented a wide variety of backgrounds, from longtime landowners to those new to conservation projects. Together, they are involved in stewarding more than 900 acres of forest. Some shared stories about growing up in the woods, inheriting family property, or turning to nature as a practice of mindfulness.
Feedback from participants described the retreat as both practical and restorative. One called it “nourishing, supportive, and inspiring.”
According to Ridge and Valley Conservancy — which provided information about the event in a press release — the goal of the program is to blend science, community, and personal experience to strengthen conservation efforts.
Based in northwestern New Jersey, the Conservancy has protected nearly 6,000 acres through habitat restoration, outdoor education, and partnerships that sustain open spaces and forests across the region.
