Rewilding America Now, an environmental nonprofit, has collaborated with members of the Long Island community as it expands both at home in East Norwich and nationally. The organization works to recreate the natural environment in public and private lands and appropriately rehome wild horses,
Manda Kalimian, an Old Westbury native and East Norwich resident, started Rewilding America Now over a decade ago, when a horse sanctuary in Eastern Long Island contacted her about four horses ready to be sent to slaughter.
After Kalimian learned about the auction industry, she purchased the horses before they were sent to the kill pen, rehoming three of them at a sanctuary in North Carolina and bringing in one to her own farm.
The organization now works with private and public lands to help “rewild,” or recreate the natural environment, while also helping rehome horses that would otherwise be sent to slaughter.
In addition to her work on lands across the country, Kalimian has expanded her mission and uplift other activists in the field.
In the span of one week, Kalimian held two events at her farm in East Norwich, highlighting author Chad Hanson and educating students volunteering with Rewild Long Island.
Manda Kalimian speaks with Author Chad Hanson
Dozens of attendees came to the farm on Thursday, June 26, when Wyoming-based author Hanson came to discuss his book, “Wild Horse Effect.”
Hanson, a sociology professor at Casper College, examines the wild animals from a scientific and psychological perspective, looking at how spending time in nature is beneficial to the human mind and body.
“Today we have hard-nosed scientists doing laboratory research to show that there is an impact on people’s mental health,” Hanson said.
Hanson said horses fit the bill as a “charismatic megafauna,” which is a species that “grabs your attention.”
“You can’t take your eyes off of these animals,” he said.
Rewilding America Now hosted the event with Theodore’s Books, an Oyster Bay bookstore owned by former U.S. Rep. Steve Israel. Israel said his world was changed when he met Kalimian at the Hamptons Horse Show, when she taught him about the “critical work of wild horses.”
“She taught me about the contributions they made in elevating us to a better place, and she taught me about their importance to the environment in terms of biodiversity and habitability,” he said.
Hanson said that while many people think of horses as invasive species, they are native to North America. He said they have been a part of the American landscape for 50 million years, and that the oldest horse fossil that has ever been found came from Wyoming.
“Horses are a keystone species from a scientific perspective, and they perform a number of critical functions,” Kalimian said.
“They’re important to the landscape,” Hanson said. “They fill in a crucial niche.”
Teens with Rewild Long Island visit Kalimian’s farm
Members of Rewild Long Island returned to the farm on Saturday, June 28, to kick off its summer high school program.
Rewild Long Island is utilizing the help of 60 high school volunteers who will work with the organization and participate in a multitude of projects throughout the summer to help preserve the natural environment and grow food locally.
The volunteers will help rewilding efforts at 12 different locations, including the farm in East Norwich.
Rewild Long Island was founded in 2019 and is partnered with Rewilding America Now.
Samantha Jo, Rewild Long Island’s garden manager, led the session where the volunteers got to know more about each other and the program itself. The volunteers learned each other’s names, hometowns and high schools during an ice breaker activity. The volunteers then had the opportunity to tour the farm.
“You’re the future, and we know you’re going to make a great difference,” said Kathy Coley, a former board member who has been with Rewild Long Island since 2020.
Kalimian shared her story with the volunteers and told them how their efforts will create positive change in the environment.
“As you will learn in our area here and where you’re working on Long Island, there are all kinds of animals that are going to benefit from the work that you are going to do.”
Josh Fields is a high schooler from Northport who is acting as one of the eight mentors during the summer program. He said he grew up gardening and this experience will allow him to make a bigger impact later in life.
“I wanted to join because I saw the opportunities to help the environment,’ he said. “It’s an opportunity to make a bigger impact than I would have by myself.”
The summer program emphasizes sustainable landscaping through practical experience with a wide range of rewilding activities for the purpose of bettering the environment. Volunteers are expected to partake in organic and regenerative food production, rewilding and sustainable landscaping, composting and recycling, connecting with nature and ecosystems and also be further educated and trained.
“I think through sharing an education, we can make a significant contribution to the ecological well-being of this beautiful Long Island that we live on,” Peter Meleady, a horticultural ecologist with Rewild Long Island, said.
