When woodlands in the heart of Ithaca’s Emerald Necklace came on the market, the Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) moved quickly to negotiate a purchase. These aren’t just any woodlands – they are 127 acres of towering oaks, maple, hemlock, and beech on Newfield’s beautiful Irish Hill, amid a 6,000-acre block of conservation lands.

The FLLT has launched a $500,000 fundraising campaign to acquire the property and establish a nature preserve, with hiking trails to connect with two miles of paths on the adjacent Greensprings Cemetery. The campaign includes funds needed to demolish two abandoned structures and build the Stewardship Fund for long-term management. You can advance the campaign with a gift online:

Make a Gift

To learn more, email giving@fllt.org or call (607) 275-9487.

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Photo: Chris Ray

IRISH HILL IS LOCATED in the town of Newfield, within the rolling highlands south of Ithaca. Once farmed, this area has largely reverted to forest. Today, this area features six thousand acres of conserved woodlands that host a diversity of wildlife, including wide ranging mammals such as black bear, bobcats, and fisher. Irish Hill sits within the Emerald Necklace – a greenbelt that encompasses more than 50,000 acres of conserved land and is recognized as a priority project in New York State’s Open Space Plan.

Photo: Chris Ray

The property features 1,600 feet of undeveloped frontage on Irish Hill Road and borders Cornell’s Arnot Forest, Newfield State Forest, and the Greensprings Natural Cemetery. The property is also separated by just one parcel from the Land Trust’s Charles Spencer Nature Preserve. Largely forested with a mix of mature hardwoods and conifers, this parcel features a woodland lane that provides easy access. It also features a remnant meadow that dates back to past farming and provides scenic views of the surrounding woodlands.

The Land Trust successfully negotiated a contract to purchase the land and intends to acquire and manage this property as a nature preserve. Hiking trails will be developed that will connect with two miles of existing trails on the adjacent Greensprings property, and it is possible that they will extend beyond to state forest land.

Protection of this land will secure vital forest habitat for resident Barred Owls and neotropical songbirds. The property’s woodlands also play a role in sequestering carbon and help maintain water quality by filtering runoff. Acquisition will also ensure the character of the adjacent Greensprings Natural Cemetery and the integrity of adjacent conserved woodlands.

Once this land is acquired, the Land Trust will complete an inventory of its associated natural resources; develop a management plan; and complete public access improvements. By adding this jewel to the Emerald Necklace, residents and visitors alike will have an additional destination for connecting with nature and appreciating the outdoors.

Community Support Is Needed!

A closing on the property is expected in summer 2026. The Land Trust has launched a fundraising campaign to raise $500,000 to cover the cost of purchasing the land, removing two abandoned buildings, developing public access improvements, and contributing $100,000 to the Stewardship Fund to provide for long-term management. You can make a gift today.

Make a Gift

To learn more, email giving@fllt.org or call (607) 275-9487.