DANA HARKRIDER
Dana Harkrider is a Nyack-based beekeeper and native plant enthusiast, blending a career in consulting with a deep commitment to sustainable gardening and pollinator conservation. A Cornell Master Beekeeper and partner with Closter Farm (NJ) and Lomar Farms (NY), she champions pollinator-friendly habitats on both public and private lands. Dana has lived in three countries, traveled widely, and now divides her time between New York and the Baja California desert.
Rachel Schwartzman
Rachel is a passionate landscape designer with a unique background in environmental engineering, horticulture, and sustainable design. With a deep commitment to creating spaces that nurture biodiversity, Rachel specializes in the design and implementation of native plantings and ecological plant communities. Her work emphasizes sustainable practices that support local ecosystems, enhance wildlife habitats, and promote environmental stewardship. Rachel lives with her family in Nyack, where she continues to be inspired by the natural beauty of the Hudson Valley and strives to create sustainable, community-driven landscapes that can be enjoyed for generations to come.
LORIEN BARLOW
Lorien is a native plant enthusiast with a lifelong love of gardening and botany. After spending years tinkering alone in her backyard pollinator gardens, she co-founded the Nyack Pollinator Pathway with Dana Harkrider in 2019 with the goal of creating a stronger ecological gardening community—as well as vibrant pollinator habitats—in Nyack, where she lived for fifteen years. Lorien moved to Scotland in 2023, so while no longer active with the NPP, she sends her blessings from across the pond!