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SUNY ESF, DEC Expand Statewide Internship Partnership with $6.7 Million Agreement Through 2030
Landmark investment strengthens environmental workforce development across New York state
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Oct. 1, 2026 — The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today the execution of a new $6.7 million, five-year agreement that ensures the continued growth of the College's nationally recognized Lands and Forests Internship Program. The internship program is a focused workforce development initiative that provides SUNY students, from any SUNY college or university, with hands-on experience in environmental science, forestry, land management, conservation, research and public service. The joint ESF/DEC program receives funding from the New York State Environmental Protection Fund's State Land Stewardship and Invasive Species Coordination account and will run through 2030 under the terms of the new agreement.
The investment supports the continued growth of the Lands and Forests Internship Program, a nationally recognized workforce development initiative that provides SUNY students with hands-on experience in environmental science, forestry, land management, conservation, research and public service while advancing DEC's mission across New York state.
Now entering its 18th year, the partnership has evolved from a small pilot program serving a handful of students into a statewide initiative that places more than 50 interns annually in DEC offices, laboratories, forests and field operations. Since its inception, the program has provided hundreds of students with direct experience managing and protecting New York's natural resources while helping DEC address critical environmental priorities.
The expanded agreement reflects both organizations' commitment to developing a highly skilled environmental workforce at a time when demand for professionals in conservation, forestry, natural resource management and ecological research continues to grow.
“ESF’s partnership with DEC represents an investment in New York's future,” said ESF President Joanie Mahoney. “Thank you to the DEC for its longstanding support for and confidence in our students. For nearly two decades, this collaboration has created exceptional opportunities for students to apply their education in real-world settings while making meaningful contributions to environmental conservation across New York. Through this expanded agreement, students gain transformative experiences that complement their classroom education while supporting the stewardship of our forests, waterways and public lands. Together, we are preparing the next generation of environmental leaders and professionals who will help solve some of society's most pressing environmental challenges.”
The program expanded in 2026 at DEC's request to include students from 10 SUNY campuses, broadening access to experiential learning opportunities across the SUNY system. In addition to ESF students and alumni, current interns attended. ESF continues to administer the program and recruit students from participating campuses, while DEC identifies internship opportunities and selects candidates for placements statewide.
“What began 17 years ago with just a handful of internships has grown into a statewide program that serves students, communities and the DEC,” said Dr. Robert Malmsheimer, SUNY Distinguished Teaching Professor and program administrator. “The continued growth of the program demonstrates the value of experiential learning and highlights the important role students can play in supporting New York's environmental and conservation efforts.”
The internship program follows a seasonal cycle, with recruitment and planning beginning each winter for summer placements. DEC identifies internship opportunities, locations and project assignments within its Lands and Forests programs, while ESF manages recruitment, outreach and administration. Once selected, interns receive professional mentoring and on-the-job training from DEC staff and make meaningful contributions to agency operations.
In 2026, the program placed 53 interns in DEC offices and project sites throughout New York state. Participants are worked in three primary areas:
- Environmental monitoring and invasive species research
- Forestry, recreation and land management
- Land surveying and resource assessment
The program's reach extended to nearly every region of the state, with interns serving in locations from Long Island to Buffalo and from the Hudson Valley to the Adirondacks and North Country.
This year's placements included assignments focused on forest management, recreation planning, invasive species control, watershed restoration, ecological assessment, land surveying, nursery operations and forest health monitoring. Interns are supporting projects such as aquatic invasive species strike teams, watercraft inspection stewardship programs, trail inventory and mapping efforts, riparian restoration, beech leaf disease and emerald ash borer research, forest genetics studies, management of Forest Preserve lands and conservation easements, and ecological assessments in urban and rural communities across New York.
Interns are served in communities including Albany, Allegany, Altmar, Avon, Bath, Buffalo, Cortland, Delmar, Dexter, Herkimer, Long Island, Lowville, New Paltz, Peru, Potsdam, Ray Brook, Saratoga, Stamford, Syracuse, Warrensburg and Watertown, among other locations statewide.
Assignments this year included work on Valcour Island, the Peru Dock, Adirondack trail inventory and mapping, invasive species monitoring, water chestnut management, forestry and recreation planning in the Salmon River Corridor, forest technician positions across multiple regions, tree nursery operations, ecological assessments, forest health research, land surveying and restoration projects that directly support DEC's stewardship of New York's public lands and natural resources.
“These students are not simply observing environmental professionals at work. They are actively contributing to projects that improve the management and protection of New York's natural resources,” Malmsheimer said. “Whether they are monitoring invasive species, conducting forest health research, assisting with land surveys, managing recreation assets or supporting field operations, interns provide meaningful value while gaining skills that prepare them for successful careers.”
The partnership also provides DEC with a talented and trained seasonal workforce capable of supporting critical conservation and land management initiatives. For many participants, the experience serves as an entry point into environmental careers and often leads to future employment opportunities with DEC and other public, nonprofit and private-sector organizations.
By combining academic preparation with real-world field experience, the program helps address workforce needs while ensuring students graduate with practical skills, professional connections and a deeper understanding of environmental stewardship.
The $6.7 million agreement will allow the Lands and Forests Internship Program to continue expanding opportunities for SUNY students through 2030, strengthening New York's environmental workforce pipeline and supporting the responsible management of the state's forests, waterways, wildlife habitats and public lands for future generations.
About SUNY ESF
The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is one of the nation's premier colleges focused on the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable future. ESF’s Mission is to educate future environmental leaders of all backgrounds, advance knowledge, and skills necessary to promote scholarship and stewardship of the natural to designed environments, and act both locally and globally to Improve Our World. ESF’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni make a global impact on improving and sustaining the environment. ESF offers a world-class education among a close-knit community of more than 2,000 scholars with common values and a shared sense of purpose. ESF’s tight-knit community is centered alongside Syracuse University in the heart of Central New York and has a system of properties spanning 25,000 acres that broadly represent New York state’s rich ecological diversity for scientific study and instruction. To learn more, visit www.esf.edu.