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Exploring the Hidden Costs of Plastic
Exploring the Hidden Costs of Plastic featuring acclaimed environmental journalist Beth Gardiner, author of “Plastic Inc. On Tuesday, May 5th, the Land Alliance welcomed supporters and friends in midtown Manhattan for a memorable, thought-provoking evening. It featured acclaimed environmental journalist Beth Gardiner, author of “Plastic Inc.” The event was a tremendous success. The audience joined us for cocktails, a book signing and an eye-opening conversation about the link between fossil fuels, plastic production and climate change. Beth, in conversation with Bloomberg writer Madison Darbyshire, shed light on a reality many people overlook, which is that plastic begins in an oil field. Nearly all conventional plastic is made from fossil fuels, and as demand for gasoline declines, the oil industry is increasingly investing in plastic production as a future profit center. Guests learned how plastic pollution affects our environment at every stage of its life cycle, from drilling and refining to manufacturing and disposal. Beth discussed how plastic contaminates waterways, harms wildlife and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and the global climate crisis. She also offered practical solutions that individuals and communities can adopt to reduce plastic consumption and advocate for systemic change. The evening concluded with a lively discussion, as attendees continued conversations sparked by Beth’s information. Many guests left energized, ready to rethink their daily habits and deepen their commitment to environmental stewardship. We are deeply grateful to our Event Committee, generous sponsors, Beth, Madison and everyone who joined us for this special gathering. Events like this remind us that preserving open space is part of the solution to addressing environmental hazards like the production and prolific use of plastic. Land trusts offset plastic pollution by protecting and restoring ecosystems that naturally filter pollutants, trap debris in wetland, and restore coastal habitats. By conserving forests and wetlands, we maintain natural filters that clean our air, cool the planet and stop plastics from reaching oceans, while supporting biodiversity. Between us and among us we must address this threat!
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Oh DEER! Symposium: Addressing Challenges, Exploring Solutions
Land Alliance will partner with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Suffolk and several not-for-profit organizations to host the Oh DEER! Symposium: Addressing Challenges, Exploring Solutions to be held on August 11, 2026 at LIU Post. It’s hard to believe that about a century ago, thanks to overhunting and habitat loss, deer were nearly gone in New York State (outside of the Adirondacks). As most of us will bemoan, white-tailed deer have wrought havoc on our woodlands and other natural communities locally and throughout the eastern U.S. The absence of predators and late arriving control measures have led to skyrocketing deer populations. Their foraging and breeding season behavior are destroying native plant communities. The AAA recently announced that 2025 witnessed the highest number of deer collisions with cars on Long Island since 2018. In addition, exposure to Lyme disease and decimation of agricultural crops and suburban gardens are well known. The devastation deer cause to the understory of our woodlands is less recognized by the general public. As deer forage on native plants, they enhance conditions for invasive plants (deer’s least favorite snack) to take over. And their habits prevent seedlings from allowing forests to regenerate. The ripple effect of these impacts is a decline in water quality, as lack of mature trees disrupts forests’ ability to filter pollutants and cool water bodies. To address this devastating problem, the Land Alliance will partner with Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Suffolk to host a symposium to be held on August 11, 2026 at LIU Post. The purpose of the event will be to advance education about the damage deer cause to our native landscapes and how we can respond to protect them. Open to everyone from backyard gardeners to land managers to municipalities, the symposium (with another planned for 2027) will cover the importance of properly managing deer populations for ecosystem and human health. Keynote speaker and Cornell Professor Bernd Blossey will kick off the event, presenting deer impacts on forest species and ecological systems. With the help of CCE and other partners, we will showcase presentations from individuals offering solutions. They will include the installation of deer fencing, managing deer populations through hunting, advocating for changes in the laws surrounding deer population management and suggestions of deer resistant plantings. Hands-on demonstrations featuring innovative back country deer fencing will follow at Land Alliance preserves. Register for the Oh Deer Symposium Thank you to our generous sponsors (List in formation).
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Land Alliance Installs Monarch Butterfly House at Wawapek Preserve
Land Alliance Installs Monarch Butterfly House at Wawapek Preserve in Cold Spring Harbor to Boost Conservation Education Last year the Land Alliance received a grant from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program to launch a public education program about the iconic monarch butterfly. Monarchs are a beloved butterfly species, but their numbers are declining due to factors like habitat loss, increased pesticide use and climate change. With the goal of bringing attention to the plight of this flagship species, we held a series of lectures and children’s educational programs about butterfly conservation. And just before the snowy dead of winter kicked in, we constructed a butterfly house at our Wawapek Preserve. This screened structure will be planted this spring with a native pollinator garden. Once the garden is mature enough, it will support native butterfly larvae brought into the enclosure on a temporary basis. As David Attenborough once said, “No one will protect what they don’t care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced”. The butterfly house is the final aspect of our butterfly conservation educational efforts. This space will allow people to walk in and observe the butterflies close up and watch them interact with the native plants. Then later in the summer, the butterflies will be released. The hope is that people can get a close look at them and have a memorable experience. If they form an attachment to butterflies, then they will want to help contribute to butterfly conservation efforts. One of the ways they can do this is by planting a native butterfly garden of their own. If people enjoy their time with the butterflies, they can take inspiration from our pollinators gardens and recreate one at home! #gallery-1 { margin: auto; } #gallery-1 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 50%; } #gallery-1 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-1 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
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Land Alliance Plans to Address Stormwater Runoff and Shoreline Erosion on Shore Road
Land Alliance Plans to Address Stormwater Runoff and Shoreline Erosion on Shore Road For many years, stormwater runoff from Snake Hill Road in Lloyd Harbor has played a significant role in washing away a large section of the shoreline at our Shore Road Sanctuary in Cold Spring Harbor. Steep and impervious Snake Hill Road is a main conduit for stormwater from a nearly 40-acre watershed encompassing Cold Spring Harbor and beyond. With the generous support of a $192K grant from the New York State Water Quality Improvement Program, we are working to address the problem. We will install a bioswale along our north boundary, repair much of a gully created at the shoreline and implement habitat restoration in the adjacent tidal wetland. Engineering plans have been prepared and submitted to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the federal Army Corps of Engineers. We are awaiting permit approval and hope to begin remediation work this fall. Increasingly severe storms caused by climate change have exacerbated the situation. We are doing our best but must acknowledge that this problem will not be fully solved without addressing the source of the runoff coming from higher elevations. #gallery-2 { margin: auto; } #gallery-2 .gallery-item { float: left; margin-top: 10px; text-align: center; width: 33%; } #gallery-2 img { border: 2px solid #cfcfcf; } #gallery-2 .gallery-caption { margin-left: 0; } /* see gallery_shortcode() in wp-includes/media.php */
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Meet Melanie Howard: Volunteer Steward of the Humes Japanese Stroll Garden
(Photo: (left to right) John P. Humes Japanese Stroll Garden Manager Mary Schmutz and Volunteers Melanie Howard and Peter O’Connor) Meet Melanie Howard – A Committed Volunteer Caring for the Humes Japanese Stroll Garden Melanie has been a committed Land Alliance volunteer for nearly five years. Her favorite place to spend time is the Humes Japanese Stroll Garden. She works there throughout the winter months to ensure the Garden is ready to welcome visitors each spring. After retiring in 2020 as a nurse practitioner, she sought a meaningful way to continue to give back to her community. One of the things that makes volunteering at the Land Alliance special is the diversity of properties. In Melanie’s words, “I initially thought I’d be spending most of my time in the preserves. And while I love them, I really fell in love with the Stroll Garden. I love the contemplative environment. The garden is not a ‘showy’ one. You have to look closely. You have to observe. Crazy as it sounds, I love working in the bamboo groves. I love the colors of the plants. I love the feel of the bamboo stalk! I’ve also discovered that I love moss!” Volunteering with the Land Alliance allows you to meet wonderful, like-minded people who appreciate the outdoors. Melanie says, “The most unexpected part of volunteering was meeting and becoming friendly with the other volunteers. Kindred spirits! We work hard on many of our projects, but we also really enjoy ourselves! We joke that we’ve become a Stroll Garden family-but we really have!” Dedicating your time to a wonderful cause while learning about the natural world is an extremely rewarding experience. With the guidance of Stroll Garden Manager Mary Schmutz, Melanie has developed a deep appreciation for all things green. Inspired by what she’s learned in the Garden, she has created a moss garden at home. Melanie is a pleasure to work with! We sincerely appreciate all of her efforts and are grateful she chose to share her time with us! Volunteers for Open Space Program Sign Up to Volunteer Today! Do you want to work outside, meet some cool people and learn about our natural world? Do you like to help others, help our wildlife and help our planet? Do you need community service hours or want to use your time in a meaningful way? If so, the Land Alliance is always looking for new volunteers. For more information, please register online and our Volunteer Coordinator will contact you. Sign up to Volunteer
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