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Campaign to Grow Red Cote Preserve
Campaign to Grow Red Cote Preserve On June 8, 2025 neighbors and friends gathered in the garden at the Pulling Property in Oyster Bay Cove to launch a community effort to acquire nearly five acres of very important land adjacent to the Red Cote Preserve. Land Alliance President Lisa Ott welcomed guests and noted, “We have been presented with a rare opportunity to conserve a historic open space, protect our water supply in the Village of Oyster Bay Cove and ensure that this beautiful corner of our world will be protected in perpetuity, for the benefit of our community today and for generations to come.” The Land Alliance has moved quickly to work with the Pulling family, which has lovingly cared for this land for 100 years! In February, we signed a one-year option agreement with the family. The agreement gives the Land Alliance time to gather the community support needed to purchase this special parcel. To date, with the support of foundations and the Land Alliance Board, we have raised $600,000. Why is the protection of this land so important? Its undeveloped natural areas ensure continued groundwater recharge at a time when the state of our underground aquifers is challenged by saltwater intrusion. Its meadows and forest provide important habitat for plants and animals amid a worldwide biodiversity crisis. These areas also sequester large amounts of carbon, preventing harmful emissions from entering the atmosphere and worsening the impacts of climate change. Its trails expand recreational opportunities for our community and allow people important access to nature. Its historic character strengthens our community’s connection to the past and the successful protection of this land will instill a sense of pride in the future. The Land Alliance is grateful to the Pulling family for its commitment to preserving the local places and their stories that define the special character of our North Shore community. Now we are turning to you, the members of our community, to help us protect this vital place. Please join our community and help us grow Red Cote Preserve. Click here to make a donation or contact Deb Wiener at deb@northshorelandalliance.org to learn more.
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Protecting Land Through Good Local Ordinances
Environmental laws exist at every level of government, but some of the most important and impactful are our local town and village ordinances. These regulations can be far more specific and nuanced than state or federal laws, often differing from village to village. More often than not, they help uphold important environmental practices. In Mill Neck, for example, local ordinances regulate lighting, ensuring it isn’t excessive and that it is directed downward. While this regulation was initially enacted with human quality of life in mind, it also has incredible secondary benefits for wildlife. Properly regulated lighting reduces the impact on nocturnal animals such as birds, bats, and insects, which are far less affected by downward facing light than by broad, scattered illumination. Mill Neck also prohibits feeding waterfowl, which, while seemingly harmless, can lead to poor nutrition, pollution, delayed migration and the spread of disease as the town code explains. Over in Old Brookville, there are also numerous pro-environment ordinances in place. Extensive wetland protections go above and beyond the regulations set by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. The village also tackles invasive species issues, to the extent that property owners may be charged with trespass if an invasive species migrates from their property to a neighboring one. Good town and village ordinances can have a positive impact on the environment. However, these laws are not set in stone and can be subject to change. A prime example is the Town of Huntington’s regulations regarding steep slope development. In 2005, the town enacted critical codes designed to protect both the environment and the community from the adverse effects of development on steep slopes. At that time, a steep slope was defined as any slope of 10% or more across a 25-foot stretch. Now, there is a push to redefine what qualifies as a “steep slope.” Depending on the proposed changes, this could have drastic implications for the environment. The environmental importance of steep slope regulations cannot be overstated. Steep slopes are highly vulnerable to erosion, and development only exacerbates this issue. Vegetation removal and soil disturbance during construction make it much harder to prevent natural erosion from stripping away valuable topsoil. With increasingly intense storms, the impact on slopes becomes even more pronounced. When heavy rain washes away topsoil, it can take decades to regenerate. The loss of topsoil also leads to the loss of fertile land and microorganisms, which are essential for growing healthy vegetation and maintaining natural habitats. Furthermore, removing plants and trees that are critical for stabilizing the soil with their root systems leaves these areas even more vulnerable to landslides and further erosion. The ecological consequences extend beyond the immediate site. Erosion from steep slopes can pollute nearby water sources and disrupt local ecosystems. Steep slopes often also represent ecotones, where distinct ecosystems or elevations meet. These areas are vital for biodiversity and serve as transition zones for migration. By allowing development in these sensitive regions, we risk fragmenting populations and disrupting the natural flow of ecosystems. If the definition of steep slopes is reduced in the Town of Huntington, it could open up a significant portion of the town to development. Under the current definition, nearly 60% (37,000 acres) of the Town is classified as steep slopes. If the definition changes from 10% to 15% or, even worse 25%, an additional 8,000 to 18,500 acres could be open to development. Please see Figures 1-3 with the steep slopes shaded in brown. The environmental impact of this much development alone would be severe. It would be even more so when the potential erosion and ecological damage that could result from building on these specific sensitive areas is considered. The good news is that these laws don’t change without public input. They require the support of the community. Together, we can raise our voices to protect these vital areas. Ways to get involved include attending town council meetings, organizing letter writing campaigns and commenting at public hearings. Even engaging with and educating your neighbors can have a lasting impact. When we stand united, we can emphasize the importance of protecting our environment through strong, sustainable ordinances.
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It’s Go Time! The Campaign to Expand the Red Cote Preserve
Earlier this year, the Land Alliance was given the opportunity to acquire an additional 4.52 acres of land from the Pulling family to increase the size of the Nassau County-owned Red Cote Preserve located on Yellow Cote Road in Oyster Bay Cove. We are pleased to announce that the Land Alliance has now successfully signed a one-year option agreement to purchase this land for approximately $1.5 million. With a window of only one year to raise the funds, the effort to purchase the Pulling property kicked off on September 28th at the Land Alliance’s 2024 Wine Auction & Dinner. Land Alliance Trustee and Oyster Bay Cove resident John Bralower made a poignant appeal to attendees asking for their help in protecting this important place. In response, we were delighted to see dozens of hands raised in support of the Campaign to Expand the Red Cote Preserve. This effort raised more than $50K to jumpstart the effort. To be successful we will need broad community support, and that outreach will soon begin. Red Cote, previously owned by the Pulling, Cutting and Schwab families, was acquired by Nassau County in 2008 with Environmental Bond Program monies. The property is stewarded by the Land Alliance. The environmental characteristics of this new acquisition align perfectly with our preservation priorities. It features a beautiful scenic vista, a picturesque colonial garden and majestic centuries-old trees which will enhance the environmental value of the abutting Red Cote Preserve. Red Cote is a much-loved community treasure where pollinators flourish, birds nest and nature thrives. The lands that comprise the Red Cote Preserve are located within the New York State-designated Oyster Bay Special Groundwater Protection Area (SGPA). Protecting land in the SGPA is critical to replenishing the underground aquifers which are the only source of Long Island’s drinking water. Won’t you please join us in this important effort? To learn more about the Campaign to Expand the Red Cote Preserve and how you can get involved, please contact our office at 516-922-1028. The clock is ticking. The time to raise the funds to purchase this property is limited. We can be successful if we work together. Thank you, in advance, for your consideration and support.
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Sisters of St. Joseph: Estate Planning on a Divine Scale
We are delighted to report that the Sisters of St. Joseph have committed to donating to the Land Alliance a 47-acre conservation easement on a forested parcel of their 212-acre property in Brentwood (Suffolk County). This is just one of many actions the Sisters are taking to protect their valuable work and the future of our world. According to the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, in communities of religious women, the number of aging members who are dying is much larger than the number of those entering. In an effort to continue their critical work, the Sisters are doing some very sophisticated estate planning. They are selling off hard assets such as buildings to create an endowment to ensure the continuation of their missionary work, which is at the heart of the church. The Sisters consider holding land as a sacred trust, believing that land should be maintained for the ecological health of the earth. In 2015, the Sisters adopted and affirmed a Land Ethic Statement to protect the Brentwood lands and other holdings now and into the future. In 2016 and 2019, they worked with Suffolk County and the Peconic Land Trust to preserve a 28-acre portion of their Brentwood property and return it to agriculture. Parcels of the land were leased to farmers. Fields have been restored for food and seed production. The organic vegetables that are grown there are available to the community for purchase at a farmstand. In 2018, the Sisters partnered with organizations interested in promoting clean, sustainable energy use and generation on Long Island. With a desire to control energy costs, reduce the environmental footprint and move toward energy independence, they installed a ground mounted solar array system on the Brentwood property. The 1MW system (3,192 panels) supplies approximately 63% of current campus energy usage. It is the largest privately owned solar array on Long Island and has been operating since January 2018. The Sisters are also recycling water for irrigation purposes. The Land Alliance looks forward to establishing a conservation easement later this year on 47 acres of pine forest in Brentwood. It will include both celestial and interpretive trails for the community to enjoy! According to Yale Climate Connections, the Catholic Church owns 177 million acres of land across the globe for its churches and schools. It also owns a lot of farmland and forest land. In comparison, the largest landowner in the United States, the Emerson Family of Sierra Pacific Industries, owns 2,330,000 acres. The decisions made about land use within religious institutions like the Catholic Church can have a huge impact on our environment. We hope all of these institutions are as good stewards of our planet as the Sisters of St. Joseph. More about the Sisters of St. Joseph The Sisters of St. Joseph were founded in France in 1650 to meet the needs of the people and to witness a unifying love of God and neighbor. They arrived in Philadelphia in 1836. At the request of the Bishop of Brooklyn, Mother Austin Kean was called to Brooklyn to found what is now the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood. She was accompanied by Sister Baptista Hanson and Sister Theodosia Hegeman. They founded their first school in St. Mary’s Parish on Maujer Street in Williamsburg. In 1896, the sisters needed additional space. Mother Mary Louise purchased the 123-room Austral Hotel, the Pearsall House and other buildings on a 350-acre property in Brentwood. The Austral Hotel became the Motherhouse and novitiate, and the Pearsall House became a chaplain’s residence. Saint Expedite Cottage, another former hotel building, became the Academy Infirmary. The Academy Building, also known initially as St. Charles Hall, was completed in 1903 and opened to its first academic class on June 1. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, St. Joseph Commercial H.S. was founded in 1904. The congregation’s reputation in education and parish ministry spread. As the Catholic population grew, the Sisters were increasingly asked to staff schools and parishes. More congregationally owned schools were also opened: St. Joseph Juniorate, 1931; The Mary Louis Academy, 1936; Fontbonne Hall Academy, 1937; Stella Maris H.S., 1943; Sacred Heart Academy, 1949 and Academia María Reina, 1967. To learn more about conservation easements, please contact the Land Alliance at 516-922-1028 or email us at info@northshorelandalliance.org.
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