Environmental Leaders Learning Alliance: A program of Teatown Lake Reservation

The Environmental Leaders Learning Alliance (ELLA), first introduced in 2007, was relaunched in 2019.  The Alliance currently brings together members of 22 municipal conservation commissions from the lower Hudson Valley that serve as advisors to town councils, planning boards and zoning commissions on critical land use decisions and other important environmental matters.

ELLA provides a much-needed mechanism for improving communication between municipalities on regional environmental issues that cross political boundaries.  The more knowledgeable Alliance members become in relevant technical matters and best management practices, the more effective they will be at guiding their town’s zoning and permitting officials and policy decision-makers. Bringing a broad range of expertise, ELLA members are provided a forum to share their experiences and learn from each other in order to create lasting change. Members participate in quarterly training workshops, share lessons learned, and build inter-municipal solutions to regional environmental issues.

Teatown Lake Reservation, in partnership with Pace University and the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County, serves as the convener and administrator of ELLA.  With its unique team learning approach, the Environmental Leaders Learning Alliance aims to positively influence future environmental decisions in the Hudson Valley, and to become a model for other regional networks throughout New York State.

This is about more than just workshops, though. ELLA is working to empower a community of scientifically-minded policymakers in the Lower Hudson Valley with the tools to create a more sustainable and resilient future.   Bringing a broad range of expertise, ELLA members are provided a forum to share their experiences and learn from each other in order to create lasting change. From forest management to plastics recycling, environmental issues regularly cross political boundaries and so must their solutions. We at Teatown are excited to share program updates with you, and look forward to expanding our community of lifelong environmental stewards.

Would you like to support Teatown and initiatives like ELLA?  Become a member today! 

Questions about ELLA?  Email Nadya Hall at nhall@teatown.org.