Two Easements Secure Land Adjoining Scenic Byway
02/11/2009
Landowners Don Wilson and John and Holly Bailey donated perpetual conservation easements on their land (legal agreements that protect significant natural resources while allowing the land to remain in private ownership and on the tax rolls).The Wilson property is located in the Town of Ulysses, bordering State Route 89 and including frontage on both sides of Willow Creek Point Road. The 14 acres to be protected through the easement are located within a county-designated Unique Natural Area. The land feature more than 1,000 feet of frontage on Willow Creek and include a portion of the creek’s rugged gorge. The property also includes mature woodlands that are visible from Cayuga Lake as well as the Scenic Byway.
In discussing why he agreed to donate a conservation easement to the Land Trust, Don Wilson cites his desire to see the land protected as well as his passion for paleontology. The property has been in the Wilson family for five generations and he feels that he is continuing a family tradition of sound stewardship. Through a partnership with the Paleontological Research Institute, Wilson has periodically allowed field trips into the Willow Creek Gorge to study fossils on the site.
The 89-acre Bailey property is located in the Town of Ovid, Seneca County. The site features scenic farmland bordering State Route 89 and Deerlick Springs Road as well as a rugged gorge and mature woodlands. John and Holly Bailey live on their property and lease their fields to a local farmer. The property is highly visible from the state highway and provides views of nearby Cayuga Lake.
“We have been privileged to live on this beautiful piece of land for nearly forty years, and we wanted to keep the fields and woods beautiful and productive for the generations that follow us here”, says Holly Bailey. “Because of its proximity to the lake, our farm is a prime development target, so it is wonderful that the Finger Lakes Land Trust was here to help us accomplish its conservation.”
Land Trust executive director Andrew Zepp adds, “We’re grateful to Don Wilson and the Baileys for their wonderful commitment to the land and our community.By taking action, they’re helping to ensure that our region will continue to be known for its clean waters, scenic beauty, and diverse landscapes.”
The Finger Lakes Land Trust now holds 64 conservation easements across the region. Conservation easements provide for long-term protection of significant open space lands while typically allowing for traditional uses such as agriculture and forestry.
