​Northeast Conservation Leadership Program​

​The Northeast region of the United States faces numerous conservation challenges, including development, habitat fragmentation, sea-level rise, and invasive species. These issues are particularly complex due to the region's diverse landscapes, from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Coast. The Northeast Conservation Leadership Program provides conservation professionals with an extraordinary leadership learning experience. The knowledge gained will help graduates better address emerging conservation issues across the region. 
​Conservation professionals from the Northeast participating in the program will:
  • Become more effective leaders in conservation
  • Discover new ways to handle conflict
  • Understand the value of emotional intelligence
  • Develop new approaches to accept and deliver change
  • Develop a network of support within the conservation community of the Northeast Region

​​Training includes:
  • 7-Day residency at National Conservation Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV, August 16 – 22, 2026
  • 2-Day virtual residency November 17 & 18 2026, 10am-2pm (EST)
  • 4-Day residency at Hudson Farm, Andover, NJ, February 1-5, 2027

Note: For Residency 1 (WV), arrival is Sunday Aug 16 featuring a welcome dinner; Programming ends Friday evening Aug 21, with departure Saturday Aug 22. For Residency 2 (NJ), Monday Feb 1 & Friday Feb 2 are travel days; Programming commences Tuesday morning February 2 and ends Thursday evening February 4. 
The Cohort Make-up Mix:
  • 24 conservation professionals at mid-level or entering mid-level with supervisory and/or decision-making capacity within the organization from the Northeast states and Canadian provinces. 
    • 13 from state agencies within the NEAFWA region
    • 11 from from a mix of non-governmental organizations, Canadian provincial agencies, federal agencies, Tribal Nations and organizations, and industry
Tuition:
  • ​$7,000 incl. Tuition, Lodging, and Meals
​Curriculum & Format: 
  • Adaptive Leadership™ Curriculum:  Emotional Intelligence; Dealing with Change; Orchestrating Conflict; Team-Building
  • Applied Leadership Project: Each fellow applies learning to a real-world challenge, ensuring direct organizational benefit
  • Peer Coaching: Small peer groups supported by experienced coaches

TIMELINE

NECLP Timeline

INFORMATION SESSION:

A virtual information session was held on April 22, 2026 to provide an introduction to the process and the program.  You can view a recording of the session by clicking the recording below.

HOW TO APPLY:

Applications are accepted March 30 through May 15, 2026, for Cohort 2 of the Northeast Conservation Leadership Program (NECLP).

PURPOSE

There is a need to build our leadership capacity within the conservation community.  Wildlife and natural habitats in the Northeast are under increasing pressure from expanding development, sea-level rise, habitat fragmentation, emerging diseases, and other anthropogenic influences. When technical fixes alone cannot alleviate threats to conservation, adaptive problem solving becomes a key component to finding solutions. It is especially important to understand the complexities of the human element in conservation planning, management, and success. States across the Northeast have a history of collaborating to tackle complex conservation challenges. This program will bring together a diverse group of conservation professionals from across the region to learn how adaptive leadership approaches can enhance wildlife and habitat management .

VISION

Elevate conservation across the Northeast by building extraordinary leadership within our conservation community. By providing our conservation and wildlife professionals with adaptive leadership skills through a high-trust, shared learning experience, we will develop a network of highly effective individuals capable of magnifying agency and organizational outputs into exceptional collective accomplishments.
​The Northeast Conservation Leadership Program was developed collaboratively with the following partners:
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