ULYSSES, NY (607NewsNow) – Nearly 50 acres in Ulysses will be permanently protected.
On April 15, the Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) announced a donation of two conservation easements on Waterburg Road.
Conservation easements are legal agreements that permanently limit future land use to protect the land’s value, though it remains privately owned and on the local tax rolls.
The easements come from landowners Don and Eilene Guy, and Scott Sutcliffe, who already owns an additional 58-acre property protected by FLLT. The Guys and Sutcliffe are neighbors, and Sutcliffe introduced FLLT to the Guys.
“I get a lot of personal enrichment from sharing my love of the outdoors,” Sutcliffe said.
The properties consist of a mix of fields, forested areas, and 3,200 feet along Taughannock Creek, which flows into Cayuga Lake. Protecting the land will help improve water quality in Taughannock Creek and safeguard the habitats of migrant and breeding birds, as well as other wildlife.
According to FLLT, Eilene’s mother was a naturalist who planted “thousands” of trees on the Guys’ property.
“We wanted to pass it forward by protecting this property for future generations,” said Eilene. “I think my mother would approve.”
The Land Trust has protected over 35,000 acres in the region, including a network of more than 45 nature preserves and 200 perpetual conservation easements.
