Ranger Rachel Is on Patrol at the Huyck Preserve

RENSSELAERVILLE – In 2024, the Huyck Preserve, a non-profit nature preserve, biological research station, and accredited land trust in Rensselaerville, was awarded a Professional Development Grant from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP) and New York's Environmental Protection Fund. The NYSCPP is administered by the Land Trust Alliance, in coordination with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. The Professional Development Grant funds the first three years of a Seasonal Ranger position at the Preserve and strengthens the land trust’s programming by adding important staff.

After a successful first year, the Seasonal Ranger position has been filled for the 2025 season by Rachel Colchete. Colchete is a graduate of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Natural Resource Management. According to Huyck Preserve Executive Director Anne Rhoads, “Rachel’s academic and work background are a perfect fit for the job. She brings experience with the flora and fauna of New York State and an interest in helping people connect with nature and all the Preserve has to offer.” 

With a love of camping and backpacking, Colchete has led trail construction and maintenance crews across Vermont, Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Oregon. She says, “These experiences made me grateful for the natural world, and I want to pass on that feeling to others while also protecting the important resources of the Huyck Preserve.” Ranger Rachel will spend the next six months at the Preserve serving as a resource for visitors on the Huyck Preserve’s trails and at the Visitors’ Center promoting responsible recreation and keeping an eye on its natural and cultural resources.

Ranger Rachel will be regularly available, including on weekends, on the trails and at the Huyck Preserve’s Visitors’ Center, located at 5052 Delaware Turnpike, Rensselaerville, NY 12147. She will also lead various educational and fun public events throughout her time at the Preserve. Your first chance to meet Ranger Rachel will be at opening day of the Lake Myosotis beach off of Pond Hill Road in Rensselaerville on June 21, where she will be available to chat over s'mores from 1-3 pm. The beach will also be open for swimming for those with a swim pass. You can also find her at the Huyck Preserve’s Annual Membership Meeting and summer kick-off lecture featuring James Lendemer, Ph.D., NYS Botanist on June 28 from 1-3 p.m. Learn more about these and other upcoming events at https://www.huyckpreserve.org/events.html.

About The Huyck Preserve

The Edmund Niles Huyck Preserve and Biological Research Station is a Land Trust Accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located on a 2000-acre land preserve in the hill country southwest of Albany, NY. It accomplishes its unique mission of increasing general knowledge and love of nature through four key areas: conservation, research, education, and recreation. Its mission is to preserve the natural beauty of the Rensselaerville Falls, the watershed of Lake Myosotis, and surrounding lands; to conduct long-term research on natural systems as part of a global effort to understand and protect the Earth’s biodiversity; and to increase appreciation of this effort through innovative, field-based educational programs for students, teachers, and the community. The Preserve’s educational and recreational opportunities play a vital role in the surrounding community, and its field station is one of the oldest independent biological field stations in the U.S., drawing researchers from across the country and around the world since 1938. For more information, please visit www.huyckpreserve.org, email info@huyckpreserve.org, or call (518) 797-3440.