Allen Payne

Natural Heritage Trust

For over 50 years, the Natural Heritage Trust has worked to preserve New York's public lands and enhance programs at state parks and historic sites. Our mission is to receive and administer gifts, grants and contributions to further public programs for parks, recreation, cultural, land and water conservation and historic preservation purposes of the State of New York. We accomplish our mission by accepting donations, raising funds, and through cooperative programs with our agency partners: The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of State. The NHT directly supports programs like free Learn-to-Swim at New York's state parks, overnight summer camp experiences in the Adirondack and Catskill Mountains, and environmental education at premiere nature centers, including the Humphrey Nature Center at Letchworth State Park and the Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center at Jones Beach State Park.