“It was exciting to finally see the Berlin Community Forest land and space for the learning landscape,” said Berlin Middle High School Art Teacher Ms. Shannon DeCelle.
Ms. DeCelle was reflecting after a walk in the Berlin Community Forest with Hudson Taconic Lands Youth Programming Director Ms. Michala Hendrick and Hudson Taconic Lands Office Manager Ms. Tracey Griswold Goldstein.
Hudson Taconic Lands works with the community to conserve the lands and waters of the Rensselaer County region, nurturing connections with nature for people who live, work, and play in the region.
The exploration happened after the Berlin Middle High School Fall Fest on October 18th. Hudson Taconic Lands was tabling at the Fall Fest and ended their day with Berlin Central School District board members Ms. Elaine Smith and Ms. Rebekah Lamphere, Berlin Middle High School Assistant Principal/Athletic Director Ms. Meghan Reynolds, and long-time partners in the learning landscape vision, Berlin Middle High School Art Teacher Ms. Shannon DeCelle and Middle High School Counselor Mr. James Shaw, to see where the first Rensselaer County Learning Landscape outdoor classroom will be created.
“It was wonderful to start planning and dreaming along with the school district in anticipation of this very exciting project,” said Hendrick.
Berlin Community Forest walk led by Hudson Taconic Lands Youth Programming Director Ms. Michala Hendrick and Hudson Taconic Lands Office Manager Ms. Tracey Griswold Goldstein with BCSD board members Ms. Elaine Smith and Ms. Rebekah Lamphere, BMHS AP/AD Ms. Meghan Reynolds, and BMHS Art Teacher Ms. Shannon DeCelle and BMHS Counselor Mr. James Shaw
Over the past year, Ms. DeCelle and Mr. Shaw have been working in collaboration with Ms. Hendrick, on an initiative and a partnership with the Hudson Taconic Land Trust.
Ms. DeCelle has hosted Ms. Hendrick in her art classes to present on the work she is doing which resulted in a nature art project with Mountaineer students Curtis Hurd, Izabella Bink, and Emma Duncan having their artwork featured in this year’s Hudson Taconic Lands’ Annual Report.
From presenting to administrators, school board members and students, workshops and community outreach; DeCelle, Shaw and Hendrick’s goal over the last year was to inform and engage the community and district about an outdoor learning space for Berlin Mountaineers in the 385-acre Berlin Community Forest property, located in the Town of Berlin on the eastern escarpment of the Rensselaer Plateau, just 4 minutes from each school building.
Hudson Taconic Learning Landscapes, a new education and conservation program model originating with Feather River Land Trust in California, which Ms. DeCelle, Mr. Shaw, and Ms. Hendrick are collaborating on, focuses on facilitating connections to nature throughout the school year with access to open space, place-based learning, and hands-on stewardship experiences.
The Berlin Community Forest, an important, undeveloped ecological connection between the Cherry Plain State Wildlife Management Area to the west and the Taconic Ridge State Forest to the east, provides a travel corridor connection for large mammals, such as moose and bears.
This forest is a rich learning environment for the arts, sciences, and physical education, and could provide an exciting, hands-on extension to Berlin CSD’s existing campuses.
As a land trust, Hudson Taconic Lands protects habitat for wildlife and plants, secures water quality, ensures land is available for future generations, provides equitable access to nature, and builds healthy communities. For each new Hudson Taconic Learning Landscapes project there are three main focuses: 1. Conserve land in close proximity to Rensselaer County schools; 2. Enhance, installing trails, signage, and creating outdoor classroom spaces; and 3. Support, training and supporting K-12 teachers to engage in outdoor learning.
In addition to these three steps, the final goal will be to replicate: Hendrick, Youth Programming Director for Hudson Taconic Lands, hopes to serve as many students as possible in public schools across Rensselaer County over time. The Berlin Central School District is looking to be the first school district served in the county.
Berlin Middle High School Art Teacher Ms. Shannon DeCelle, Middle High School Counselor Mr. James Shaw with Berlin Community Forest with Hudson Taconic Lands Youth Programming Director Ms. Michala Hendrick at the Hudson Taconic Lands’ Fall Woodland Gala in Troy. More photos here https://www.timesunion.com/seen/article/hudson-taconic-lands-fall-woodland-gala-2025-21072984.php
In September, Hudson Taconic Learning Landscapes, the new collaboration between Hudson Taconic Lands and Rensselaer County school districts, was introduced at Hudson Taconic Lands’ Fall Woodland Gala in Troy. Berlin CSD’s Ms. DeCelle and Mr. Shaw were honored guests at the gala for their work in moving the project forward. The project has received positive feedback and excitement from the community.
“Hudson Taconic Lands has shared that they look forward to meeting with and receiving input from Berlin faculty, staff, and the community at large,” concluded Ms. DeCelle.
Ms. Hendrick looks forward to working with students this spring on building trails.
If you want to get involved in the BCSD Learning Landscape Committee in a deeper way, please reach out to Youth Programming Director for Hudson Taconic Lands, Ms. Michala Hendrick (michala@hudsontaconic.org) or fill out this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfJxRDP4h9I4fnSXYxWk-Z18veo_62qrcR-NEKrMVng6BOpmQ/viewform
The Learning Landscapes Committee will help shape Berlin CSD’s new outdoor classroom at Berlin Community Forest, opening in 2026. Committee members will contribute to decision-making on site development, school integration, and professional development opportunities and assist with engaging fellow teachers, administrators, and students.
