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CONSERVEDANNUAL REPORT 2019–20 FOREVER Cover: Falls, Lick Brook, Brian Maley; Above: Scarlet Tanager, Chris Ray Dear Friends of the Finger Lakes, As we continue dealing with unprecedented challenges, all of us at the Land Trust hope that you and your families are safe and healthy. We are reminded that our connection to the land—and all of its occupants—will help us find solace in times like these. Thanks to your direct support of our mission, we continue conserving the lands and waters that make the Finger Lakes such a special place. The enclosed report offers highlights of our work from this past year and we hope you enjoy these pages filled with good news. With your investment, the 24,000 acres we have protected so far will be protected forever. We very much look forward to the day we can gather to celebrate all that we are accomplishing together. With gratitude, Andrew Zepp Dave Birchenough Executive Director Board President CLEAN WATER Overlooking Skaneateles Lake / Matt Champlin Connecting The Land Trust purchased 75 acres in Onondaga and Cortland counties Nature Preserves that connect its High Vista and Hinchcliff Family nature preserves, creating Overlooking a 2.25 mile long corridor of conserved land overlooking the lake. Protecting Skaneateles Lake these steeply sloping hillsides secures wildlife habitat, creates new opportunities for outdoor recreation, and helps protect the health of the lake—the source of drinking water for the city of Syracuse. Protecting the Chemung River Valley The Land Trust purchased approximately 211 acres in the Chemung River valley between Elmira and Corning. The property, which features open fields near the river and steep wooded slopes on Harris Hill, supports a diversity of wildlife including Bald Eagles and black bear. It will be conveyed to New York State as an addition to the newly created Big Flats Wildlife Management Area in the future. Chemung River Valley / Andy Zepp Six Mile Creek Watershed / Chris Ray Canandaigua Lake Preserve / Bill Hecht Creating a Nature The FLLT acquired 90-acres in the town of Canandaigua, noteworthy for their Preserve in wildlife habitats and stunning views of the lake, and plans to open a nature Canandaigua preserve. Hiking trails will provide access to open meadows, oak-hickory woods, and a portion of Barnes Gully. The Land Trust also protected nine adjacent acres with conservation easements that will buffer the preserve. Linking Conservation Lands near Honeoye Lake Two parcels totaling 25 acres were acquired near Honeoye Inlet Wildlife Management Area (WMA), adding to a 5,660-acre complex that also includes Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area, Cumming Nature Center, and the FLLT’s Wesley Hill Nature Preserve. They will be conveyed as an addition to the WMA in the future. Expanding Bahar Preserve on Skaneateles Lake The FLLT added 1.5 acres featuring approximately 200 feet of Skaneateles shoreline and frontage on Bear Swamp Creek to its Bahar Nature Preserve, securing important fish and wildlife habitat while maintaining water quality. Honeoye Lake hikers / Bill Banaszewski Skaneateles Lake Watershed / Bill Hecht LOCAL FOODS Skaneateles Lake Watershed / Matt Champlin Securing Over 600 Two conservation easements on 628 acres of Birdsall Farm, in both Acres of Farmland Onondaga and Cortland counties, will protect the area’s rural character, in the Skaneateles ensuring the farm is not subdivided as residential development spreads Lake Watershed south along Skaneateles Lake. The property contains the headwaters of Grout Brook, a principle tributary to the lake, and the Birdsalls have invested heavily in farming practices that meet water quality protection requirements. Protecting Farmland Overlooking Seneca Lake The FLLT secured 518 acres of pastures, woodlands, and crop fields at Barber Farm with conservation easements that prohibit development in environmentally-sensitive areas, helping to protect Seneca Lake water quality. The farm offers panoramic views of the lake and Watkins Glen, and its forested hillsides host multiple tributaries that flow into Queen Catharine Marsh. Overlooking Watkins Glen / Chris Ray WILD PLACES Shindagin Hollow State Forest / Chris Ray Conserving Woods The Land Trust conserved 62 acres immediately adjacent to Shindagin Adjacent to Shindagin Hollow State Forest, in the town of Caroline. The parcel adds to an Hollow State Forest extensive block of conserved woodlands, including the state forest and three properties secured through Land Trust easements. The 5,266 acre Shindagin Hollow State Forest hosts a segment of the Finger Lakes Trail as well as a 19-mile network of mountain bike trails. Growing the Emerald Necklace The FLLT acquired 139 acres almost entirely surrounded by Robinson Hollow State Forest, further expanding Ithaca’s Emerald Necklace. The property is situated on a hilltop between two tributaries to the West Branch of Owego Creek and will be added to state lands in the future. Adding to Public Lands near Ithaca The Land Trust acquired 80 wooded acres adjacent to Danby State Forest, a conservation easement, and two parcels previously acquired by the organi- zation, expanding wildlife habitat protection and outdoor recreation opportunities. The property will be added to the state forest. Robinson Hollow State Forest / Scott Levine Danby State Forest / FLLT Logan Hill Nature Preserve / Bill Hecht Expanding Logan Hill A 63-acre addition to Logan Hill Nature Preserve in Candor protects Nature Preserve hilltop forest and steep slopes rising above the village of Candor. Protecting these hillsides safeguards water quality in Catatonk Creek, a tributary of the Susquehanna River that borders the preserve. Future plans for the site include extending the preserve’s current trail system by utilizing remnant logging paths. PROTECTED PLACES STEWARDSHIP ur nature trails are Active habitat restoration and seeing record use tree planting was a success and we are grateful at our Goetchius Wetland Opeople are finding solace and Preserve and Owasco Bluffs beauty in the outdoors. To Nature Preserve. Our stew- help make everyone’s nature ardship team, with the help of experience safe and enjoyable, volunteers and partners, also we improved public access at managed fields for grassland our East Shore, Wesley Hill, birds, treated critical stands Sweedler, and Thayer nature of hemlock trees against preserves. Work is ongoing at non-native, invasive pests, our Steege Hill, Owasco Bluffs, and worked tirelessly to keep and Botsford nature preserves. our over 43 miles of trails Find new places to explore open for everyone. at fllt.org/map. Stewardship / Chris Ray Protecting New York The first, 93 acres in the town of Two additional properties State’s Only Groton donated by the Estate previously gifted to the Land National Forest of Katherine Sutphin, features Trust were sold this year subject The Land Trust acquired a small productive agricultural fields, to perpetual conservation wooded parcel in the town of mature woodlands, and frontage easements, generating important Hector, immediately adjacent on a tributary to the Owasco Inlet. conservation funds. One prop- to the Finger Lakes National erty, located in the town of Dix, Forest, to secure wildlife habitat Cornelia “Nelly” Farnum and Schuyler County, was donated by connectivity and outdoor Jack Booker decided to give their a couple that prefers to remain recreation opportunities. land, including the home they anonymous. The 41-acre property shared for over 30 years, to the is located near the Great Lakes/ Land Trust. The property, already Chesapeake Bay watershed Land Gifts Protect protected with a conservation divide in the hills between Habitat and Provide easement, includes a steeply Watkins Glen and Corning. Conservation Funding sloping forest with a cascading The Land Trust receives generous creek and a beautiful 19th century 183 acres in the town of gifts of land donated with the Greek Revival home surrounded Prattsburgh, Steuben County, understanding the properties will by gardens. Proceeds from the was donated by the estate of be sold subject to conservation sale of this land gift will help Barbara Grace. The property easements and that the proceeds support the Land Trust’s includes over a mile of frontage will support future conservation Opportunity Fund. on Tenmile Creek and connects work. This year, the Land Trust wildlife habitat in the Bristol received two of these land gifts. Hills with state forests north of Hammondsport. Black Diamond Trail / Jeff Katris Black Diamond Trail / Jeff Katris Finger Lakes National Forest / Tom Reimers HoneoyeConservation Inlet & Lake Easement / Chuck Property Feil / Edie Jodz Hikers / Rick Lightbody CONNECTING TO LAND OUTREACH he FLLT held outdoor to award $58,584 in grant funds education events on to six organizations connecting our nature preserves, inner-city Rochester youth to Tincluding guided hikes in nature this year. The funding celebration of our 30th Anni- came from an anonymous family versary. In the interest of public who donated their 200-acre health, we shifted our attention property with the understanding to online events in the spring it would be sold subject to a and summer. Additionally, staff conservation easement. The gave presentations on land and donor requested that some of water conservation across the the proceeds generated from the region. As always, our events sale benefit inner-city Rochester were offered free of charge. youth by fostering their connec- We had a special opportunity tion with nature.

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