
Savanna Shelnutt
Ag Climate Resiliency Specialistcell 518-651-9617
email Savanna
Areas of Interest
integrated grazing systems and soil carbon sequestration
Savanna Shelnutt is an Ag Climate Resiliency Specialist, focusing her efforts in the Hudson Valley region. She collaborates with colleagues on statewide agricultural climate issues.
Savanna has a B.S. in Plant and Environmental Soil Science from Texas A&M University, and recently completed her M.S. at Cornell University in Horticulture. Savanna has Extension experience conducting numerous field trials with CCE staff, including economic viability assessments of the trialed practices. She collaborated with Emerging Crops Specialists Daniela Vergara in developing the NYS Cannabis sativa L. Production Manual in 2023 and delivered presentations on BMP's at field days and producer expos. Savanna also has an interest in utilizing GIS tools for production practices.
Upcoming Events
2025 Agroforestry Field Day Series -- Agroforestry Implementation and Management
October 23, 2025
3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Highland, NY
Interested in incorporating agroforestry practices into your farm? Join us for a series of workshops co-hosted by CCE Ulster, Orange, and Harvest NY with Mastwood Farms, Black Creek Farm and Nursery and Scenic Hudson. On October 23, we'll return to Erik Schellenberg's farm, Black Creek Farm and Nursery, for a Fall tour of their agroforestry plantings. Erik will talk about harvesting and managing plantings while we see some seasonal crops and installations of different ages and types. There will be time for questions and discussion as we wrap up the series. covered.
Soil Health 101 for Community Gardens -- A Bilingual Workshop
October 24, 2025
11:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Staten Island, NY
Join Urban Agriculture Specialists, Karen Guzman and Yolanda Gonzalez, as they discuss the importance of soil health and testing your soil as you prepare for the incoming growing season. They will go into strategies for best practices when it comes to soil health management and highlight the current soil testing program through NYSDAM and CCE. This workshop will be in both Spanish and English.Biochar 101 for Community Gardens (Upper Manhattan)
October 25, 2025
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Upper Manhattan, NY
Join Karen Guzman and Dr. Rebecca Nelson of Cornell University, Bill Hilgendorf of White Feather Farm, and the NYRP Urban Ag team for a deep dive into biochar as a tool for waste management, carbon storage, and soil health in a community garden context. During this hands-on workshop, participants will have the chance to make biochar using garden waste and learn about best practices when applying it to a garden bed. Workshop attendees will all receive a small amount of biochar to take back to their garden.Space is limited. Pre-registration required.