Finger Lakes Land Trust reaches milestone 35,000 acres

The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) recently announced it has achieved a major milestone of 35,000 acres conserved across the 12-county region. This accomplishment represents over three decades of long-term, consensus-based strategies to protect the cherished landscapes of the Finger Lakes.

Since its beginning as an all-volunteer organization in 1989, the FLLT has grown into an accredited conservation organization with an ever-growing network of protected lands. By focusing on water quality, outdoor recreation, scenic beauty, and wildlife habitat, the organization has protected over six miles of lakeshore, 1,752 acres of wetlands, 221 miles of creek frontage, and has created 55 miles of publicly accessible hiking trails to date.

Recent projects include the permanent protection of 850 feet of pristine shoreline at the south end of Skaneateles Lake; a partnership with the Village of Aurora to create a new shoreline park on Cayuga Lake; the opening of a new nature preserve on Keuka Lake’s Bluff Point; and the purchase of a 117-acre addition to the state’s Harriet Hollister Spencer Recreation Area near Honeoye Lake.

The FLLT extends sincere gratitude to its members, partners, and volunteers whose dedication and commitment have ensured the organization’s success.

“I personally would like to express my appreciation to those mentioned above,” said Karen Meriwether, Chair of the FLLT Board of Directors and Keuka Lake resident. “Additionally, I would like to recognize the staff of FLLT not only for their many contributions to this milestone but for the enthusiastic and respectful manner in which they approach every aspect of their work.” 

By working cooperatively with landowners and local communities, the Finger Lakes Land Trust has protected over 35,000 acres of the region’s undeveloped lakeshore, rugged gorges, rolling forest, and scenic farmland. The FLLT owns and manages a network of over 45 nature preserves that are open to the public and holds perpetual conservation easements on 200 properties that remain in private ownership.

The FLLT focuses on protecting critical habitat for fish and wildlife, conserving lands that are important for water quality, connecting existing conservation lands, and keeping prime farmland in agriculture. The organization also provides programs to educate local governments, landowners, and residents about conservation and the region’s unique natural resources.

Information on the region’s premier destinations for outdoor recreation may be found at www.gofingerlakes.org, a resource created by the FLLT to encourage people to get outdoors. Additional information about the Finger Lakes Land Trust may be found at www.fllt.org.