Education is a core part of the North Shore Land Alliance’s mission and is integral to helping community members understand the benefits associated with the preservation of Long Island’s land and waters and the important role land conservation plays in ensuring a healthy quality of life.

It is particularly important in these days and times that people understand the benefits of and timely need to preserve and protect our lands and waters. Without natural, undeveloped areas our community wouldn’t have the ability to recharge underground aquifers so critical to the quality and quantity of our drinking water. Without farmland we wouldn’t have access to healthy local food and much, much more.

Throughout the year, the Land Alliance organizes a series of educational activities and programs that help people better understand the important role land conservation plays in a healthy environment.

Educational Programs

Walks in the Woods

Established in 2007, our Walks in the Woods is series of free, educational and interactive explorations. They are designed to guide visitors of all ages through Long Island parks and nature preserves, many of which are off the beaten path, for investigation while educating them about the wildlife and plants that call them home. Participants also gain an understanding and appreciation of local land conservation and its benefits to our food and water supplies and wildlife habitats and its connection to the strength and health of our communities.

Water Education Protects Long Island's Drinking Water

Long Island Water Education Program

Established in 2014, our Long Island Water Education Program educates fourth, fifth and sixth graders about Long Island’s water resources—particularly the sole-source aquifer that supplies our drinking water, as well as the streams, wetlands, bays and Sound that make Long Island such a desirable place to live.

Through interactive lessons, the program demonstrates the connection between protecting land and water and actively engages students in environmental stewardship.

2025 O'Neil Conservation Stewards

O’Neil Conservation Stewards

The Land Alliance’s William C. and Joyce C. O’Neil Conservation Steward program delivers valuable conservation-related experiences to qualified college students interested in building a career in the protection of our natural resources.

Conservation Lectures and Workshops

Lectures and Seminars

The Land Alliance hosts lectures, seminars, panel discussions and workshops featuring leading experts on various timely and relevant topics. Our mission is to promote understanding and appreciation of land use, conservation, water, farming and the value of getting children outdoors.

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Conservation News
Highlights from Our Educational Programs

  • Exploring the Hidden Costs of Plastic

    Posted on June 12, 2026

    On Tuesday, May 5th, the Land Alliance welcomed supporters and friends in midtown Manhattan for a memorable, thought-provoking evening. It featured acclaimed environmental journalist Beth Gardiner, author of “Plastic Inc.”

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  • Oh DEER! Symposium: Addressing Challenges, Exploring Solutions

    Posted on June 8, 2026

    As most of us will bemoan, white-tailed deer have wrought havoc on our woodlands and other natural communities locally and throughout the eastern U.S. To address this devastating problem, the Land Alliance will partner with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Suffolk and other organizations to host a deer symposium on August 11, 2026 at LIU Post.

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  • Land Alliance Installs Monarch Butterfly House at Wawapek Preserve

    Posted on June 8, 2026

    In 2025, North Shore Land Alliance received a grant from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program to launch a public education program about the iconic monarch butterfly. Monarchs are a beloved butterfly species, but their numbers are declining due to factors like habitat loss, increased pesticide use and climate change.

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  • Long Island Water Education Program Reaches 15000 students

    Long Island Water Education Program Reaches 15,000 Students

    Posted on December 5, 2025

    Educator Beth Finger helped celebrate a milestone in spring 2025: as of spring semester the Long Island Water Education Program had reached 15,000 students since its inception. The goal of this hands-on program, supported in part through funding from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, is for elementary school students to understand where their drinking water comes from, the values of our ground and surface water resources and how they are threatened, and how land conservation and stewardship can protect them.

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