ost ▁environmental ▁organization ▁in ▁the ▁Hudson ▁Hills ▁and ▁High lands , ▁providing ▁conservation ▁leadership ▁to ▁this ▁b ior eg ion , ▁which ▁en comp ass es ▁most ▁of ▁West chester ▁and ▁Put nam ▁count ies , ▁and ▁parts ▁of ▁Dutch ess , ▁Orange ▁and ▁Rock land ▁count ies . ▁Te at own ▁takes ▁an ▁active ▁role ▁in ▁state , ▁county ▁and ▁community ▁efforts ▁to ▁protect ▁open ▁space ▁and ▁natural ▁areas . ▁ ▁Through ▁spons or ship ▁of ▁the ▁Hudson ▁Hills ▁and ▁High lands ▁Environment al ▁Le aders ▁Learning ▁Alliance ▁( E LL A ), ▁Te at own ▁provides ▁assistance ▁to ▁civ ic ▁leaders ▁in ▁craft ing ▁practical ▁solutions ▁to ▁environmental ▁issues ▁and ▁helps ▁land ▁own ers ▁and ▁residents ▁become ▁more ▁" n ature ▁friendly ▁between ▁the ▁par ks ." ▁E LL A ' s ▁mission ▁is ▁to ▁bring ▁together ▁town - app oint ed ▁members ▁of ▁environmental ▁comm issions ▁from ▁across ▁New ▁York ' s ▁Hudson ▁Hills ▁and ▁High lands ▁to ▁strength en ▁environmental ▁protection ▁at ▁a ▁regional ▁level , ▁through ▁environmental ▁training , ▁sharing ▁less ons ▁learned , ▁and ▁fost ering ▁collaboration . ▁La unch ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁under ▁a ▁multi year ▁grant ▁from ▁New ▁York ' s ▁Department ▁of ▁Environment al ▁Conserv ation , ▁the ▁Alliance ▁has ▁good ▁representation ▁from ▁the ▁several ▁dozen ▁towns ▁and ▁villages ▁whose ▁conservation ▁advis ory ▁council ▁members ▁are ▁the ▁principal ▁benef ici aries . ▁At ▁each ▁E LL A ▁work shop , ▁citizens ▁who ▁serve ▁on ▁their ▁town ' s ▁or ▁village