SKANEATELES - The Finger Lakes, straddling 12 counties in central New York are an important resource that many believe need to be protected.
Jill Connor / The Citizen
Andrew Zepp, the executive director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, gives a presentation on conservation easements and other tools his organization uses to protect the environment in the region, at St. James Episcopal Church in Skaneateles Monday.
Andrew Zepp, the executive director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, gives a presentation on conservation easements and other tools his organization uses to protect the environment in the region, at St. James Episcopal Church in Skaneateles Monday.
This led to the foundation of the Finger Lakes Land Trust 20 years ago. Based in Ithaca, the land trust works with landowners in the 12 counties to find ways to preserve the beauty and quality of these amazing resources.
On Monday night, Andrew Zepp, executive director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, was at St. James Episcopal Church in Skaneateles to talk about the trust and its mission and goals.
Zepp began his presentation looking at another lake, Canandaigua, one that he said is similar to Skaneateles, save for one major aspect.
“Canandaigua is growing,” Zepp said. “The landscape is changing and development is increasing around the lake.”
Zepp said more people are moving from nearby Rochester and creating lakeside housing developments. He said this impacts the environment, from longer commutes and the need to drive everywhere as there are no nearby stores or schools to these developments, as well as changing the scenic lake on several levels.
“We are really starting to see this for this first time,” Zepp said. “People are taking two to four acres of land and building on it. When you do this it is impossible not to change the land from installing septic to the angle of the land and having herbicides and pesticides on the grass there is going to runoff into the lake.”
Zepp stressed development is not bad, but it is important to look at the long-term impact. Zepp said in the Finger Lakes, for example, tourism is an important industry.
With more development, there are structures popping up like mini-storage units that not only change the land but also alter the attraction to visit it.
“Vermont is similar,” Zepp said. “There is nothing wrong with these mini storage units, but if you go to a place like Vermont you are going to see something nicer than you usually see around here.”
Zepp said this is truly a case of the devil being in the details.
“There is nothing wrong with development,” Zepp said. “Development is going to be incremental, but you are going to reach the tipping point.”
The land trust's goals are to help landowners find a way to meet their own needs while still preserving the land's natural beauty in a responsible manner.
Zepp said in the Skaneateles area, the land trust has worked to preserve Carpenter's Falls and the Bear Swamp areas through the establishment of nature preserves and working with landowners.
Since its establishment 20 years ago, the land trust has preserved 11,000 acres in the Finger Lakes, in all 12 counties. They have also worked on other options such as conservation easements, which is an agreement between the landowner and the trust that outlines plans for future development as well as preserving land that will not be developed, keeping it privately owned, but well protected for the future.
Zepp said there are financial concerns involved with farmers who will sell land for development as it is their greatest asset. He said the trust works with them to find ways to make preserving the land worthwhile. He said there are federal and state tax incentives for this.
Zepp said this has preserved land from becoming developments like the ones in Canandaigua.
The trust also works with municipalities and local boards to protect land, something he hopes to see more of.
“We need to look to the future,” Zepp said. “We need to think as a region. I would love to see each region have a representative. We know how hard it is for someone from outside the region to come in and tell you what you should do with your land to preserve it. What is going to work on one lake is not going to work on another, we know that. But we would one day like to see everyone working together as a region.”
To learn more
For more information visit wwwfllt.org
On Monday night, Andrew Zepp, executive director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, was at St. James Episcopal Church in Skaneateles to talk about the trust and its mission and goals.
Zepp began his presentation looking at another lake, Canandaigua, one that he said is similar to Skaneateles, save for one major aspect.
“Canandaigua is growing,” Zepp said. “The landscape is changing and development is increasing around the lake.”
Zepp said more people are moving from nearby Rochester and creating lakeside housing developments. He said this impacts the environment, from longer commutes and the need to drive everywhere as there are no nearby stores or schools to these developments, as well as changing the scenic lake on several levels.
“We are really starting to see this for this first time,” Zepp said. “People are taking two to four acres of land and building on it. When you do this it is impossible not to change the land from installing septic to the angle of the land and having herbicides and pesticides on the grass there is going to runoff into the lake.”
Zepp stressed development is not bad, but it is important to look at the long-term impact. Zepp said in the Finger Lakes, for example, tourism is an important industry.
With more development, there are structures popping up like mini-storage units that not only change the land but also alter the attraction to visit it.
“Vermont is similar,” Zepp said. “There is nothing wrong with these mini storage units, but if you go to a place like Vermont you are going to see something nicer than you usually see around here.”
Zepp said this is truly a case of the devil being in the details.
“There is nothing wrong with development,” Zepp said. “Development is going to be incremental, but you are going to reach the tipping point.”
The land trust's goals are to help landowners find a way to meet their own needs while still preserving the land's natural beauty in a responsible manner.
Zepp said in the Skaneateles area, the land trust has worked to preserve Carpenter's Falls and the Bear Swamp areas through the establishment of nature preserves and working with landowners.
Since its establishment 20 years ago, the land trust has preserved 11,000 acres in the Finger Lakes, in all 12 counties. They have also worked on other options such as conservation easements, which is an agreement between the landowner and the trust that outlines plans for future development as well as preserving land that will not be developed, keeping it privately owned, but well protected for the future.
Zepp said there are financial concerns involved with farmers who will sell land for development as it is their greatest asset. He said the trust works with them to find ways to make preserving the land worthwhile. He said there are federal and state tax incentives for this.
Zepp said this has preserved land from becoming developments like the ones in Canandaigua.
The trust also works with municipalities and local boards to protect land, something he hopes to see more of.
“We need to look to the future,” Zepp said. “We need to think as a region. I would love to see each region have a representative. We know how hard it is for someone from outside the region to come in and tell you what you should do with your land to preserve it. What is going to work on one lake is not going to work on another, we know that. But we would one day like to see everyone working together as a region.”
To learn more
For more information visit wwwfllt.org
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