Finger Lakes Land Trust acquires land in Spafford

SPAFFORD — The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) earlier this year acquired 850 feet of shoreline and 15 forested acres along the eastern shore of Skaneateles Lake in the town of Spafford in southern Onondaga County. The property includes 1,120 feet of streambank on Barber Gulf and a portion of the Staghorn Cliffs, the site of an ancient, fossilized coral reef, the FLLT said. Located near the south end of Skaneateles Lake, this acquisition will extend the FLLT’s protected shoreline to 3,000 feet in this area, preserving the staghorn coral fossils as well as habitat for bald eagles and other wildlife. The property is adjacent to the organization’s 90-acre Staghorn Cliffs Preserve and 21-acre Cora Kampfe Dickinson Conservation Area, which together “encompass some of the most pristine shoreline remaining in the Finger Lakes region,” FLLT contends. Due to the hazardous nature of the steep hillsides above the cliffs, FLLT will own and manage the property as a nature preserve accessible by canoe or kayak. Protection of this property will “safeguard” wildlife habitat and the water quality of Skaneateles Lake by preventing development on its forested hillsides, the Ithaca–based organization noted. The acquisition was made possible by an internal loan from the FLLT’s Opportunity Fund. The land trust is now launching a fundraising campaign to raise $1.1 million to cover the cost of the purchase as well as the long-term management of the site. The property was identified as a priority for protection as part of the FLLT’s effort to create a greenbelt around the south end of Skaneateles Lake. Other nearby conservation lands include the High Vista and Hinchcliff Family preserves. The greenbelt is recognized as a priority project within New York State’s Open Space Plan and, because of its value for migratory birds, it is also recognized by National Audubon as one of the state’s Important Bird Areas, FLLT said. Completion of this acquisition will also help ensure water quality within Skaneateles Lake, which is the unfiltered drinking-water supply for 220,000 area residents, including people living in the city of Syracuse. “The quality of our lakes depends on the condition of the landscapes that surround them,” Andrew Zepp, president of FLLT, said in the announcement. “This acquisition will secure steep slopes and sensitive shoreline areas that would lead to increased erosion and runoff if they were developed.”

About the Finger Lakes Land Trust

The FLLT says it 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. By working cooperatively with landowners and local communities, the Finger Lakes Land Trust says it has protected more than 34,000 acres of the region’s undeveloped lakeshore, rugged gorges, rolling forest, and scenic farmland. The FLLT owns and manages a network of more than 45 nature preserves that are open to the public and holds perpetual conservation easements on 200 properties that remain in private ownership.