Dear Friends, coming on the heels of fantastic news about the Finger Lakes Forever campaign, we have this breaking story to share with you.
Three new land deals have pushed the Finger Lakes Land Trust over the 30,000 acres mark! That makes 30,000 small victories for conservation – and 30,000 big reasons to thank you! See the projects below.
Photo: Matt Champlin
New Easement in Skaneateles Lake Watershed: The FLLT and NYS DEC recently announced the protection of 86 acres at Fox Run Farm, including 2,070 feet along Shotwell Brook, which drains to Skaneateles Lake, as well as 1,430 feet along an unnamed tributary. The easement includes an 18-acre environmental protection zone that will buffer the two streams and filter potential contaminants from entering nearby Skaneateles Lake, safeguarding the drinking water supply for the city of Syracuse and neighboring communities.
Photo: Edie Jodz
New Addition to Ganondagan State Historic Site: The FLLT has acquired land directly across from the entrance to Ganondagan in Ontario County. The National Historic Landmark is the original site of a 17th-century Seneca town and home to the Seneca Art & Culture Center, a Seneca Bark Longhouse, and a series of interpretive trails. The new property features meadows and a pond that provide habitat for grassland birds in an area that is facing significant development pressure. The FLLT purchased the property at the request of the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation as part of the agency’s effort to safeguard this rural landscape from encroaching development. The parcel will eventually be transferred to New York State as an addition to Ganondagan.
Photo: Chris Ray
14th Addition to Our Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve: The FLLT is expanding the 537-acre preserve with the recent purchase of 8.5 acres in West Danby. The new property features a small wetland and tributary to Cayuga Inlet, safeguarding water quality in a major tributary to Cayuga Lake. Partial funding for the purchase came from our Finger Lakes Forever campaign and the Estate of Margaret Bald.
See the how the numbers are adding up! More than 5 miles of conserved lakeshore, 664 miles of protected boundaries, 45 nature preserves open to everyone with over 53 miles of trails! And, yes – 30,133 acres saved in perpetuity!
See how people LOVE these lands and waters! If you haven’t watched the “Finger Lakes Forever” success movie, see it now for highlights of our ambitious effort to advance 79 projects across the region, including new nature preserves, habitat and wetland restoration projects, and public access improvements.
Press Release
See the official press release about the 30,000 acre milestone
