In early 2026, NDPonics protected 169 acres of forest and open land in western Virginia, expanding a growing conservation corridor within the Short Hills landscape. The property contains diverse wildlife habitat, streams, and forested ridges while providing a critical connection between previously protected lands and the broader landscape of public and private conservation areas.
The acquisition holds particular importance because it secures access to a neighboring 149-acre conservation property that contains more than 50 acres of old-growth forest, the headwaters of a unique mountain spring system, and a 20-foot waterfall. Together, the two properties create a larger protected landscape that supports wildlife movement, safeguards water resources, and strengthens long-term ecological resilience across the region.
Located adjacent to other conserved lands, the project advances NDPonics’ vision of building a connected cultural and ecological corridor linking thousands of acres of protected habitat throughout the Short Hills region. The newly protected acreage helps prevent future fragmentation from development and commercial logging while preserving important natural and cultural resources for future generations.
Support from The Conservation Alliance’s Confluence Program provided essential funding that allowed NDPonics to move quickly on this opportunity and leverage additional conservation investments. Protecting this property represents another significant step toward establishing a permanently connected landscape where conservation, cultural revitalization, and Indigenous stewardship can thrive together.
NDPonics will continue implementing Indigenous-led stewardship practices throughout the corridor, including cultural gatherings, ecological restoration, and long-term land protection through conservation easements. The organization is actively pursuing additional acquisitions that will further strengthen habitat connectivity and safeguard culturally significant places throughout the Short Hills landscape.
