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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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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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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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Long Island Water Education Program Reaches 15,000 Students
Long Island Water Education Program Reaches 15,000 Students Educator Beth Finger helped celebrate a milestone in spring 2025: as of spring semester the Long Island Water Education Program had reached 15,000 students since its inception. The goal of this hands-on program, supported in part through funding from the Scotts Miracle-Gro Foundation, is for students to understand where their drinking water comes from, the values of our ground and surface water resources and how they are threatened, and how land conservation and stewardship can protect them. The series was launched in 2014 by Karen Mossey, who handed over the reins to Beth in 2023. Under both women’s outstanding talent and leadership, the program has thrived, having reached 36 schools in 18 school districts across Long Island. If your school would like to participate in the Long Island Water Education Program and provide students with engaging, hands-on environmental learning experiences, please contact us at liwep@northshorelandalliance.org.
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Long Island Clean Water Symposium: Global Challenges and Local Solutions Conference
Long Island Clean Water Symposium: Global Challenges and Local Solutions Conference Featuring David Sedlak Long Islanders know about the importance of having clean water. Living above a sole source aquifer, we are aware of how essential this resource is for our health, recreational needs and local economy. Understandably, local citizens and researchers have good reason to be concerned about the quality of the water on the island. Thankfully, there are a variety of solutions that will help to meet these challenges. On May 16th, with solutions in mind, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, North Shore Land Alliance and The Nature Conservancy co-hosted the Long Island Clean Water Symposium: Global Challenges and Local Solutions conference at Long Island University in Greenvale. The event was attended by over 100 people. It brought together leaders in the field of water science to discuss water quality and quantity challenges on Long Island. The keynote speaker, David Sedlak, a professor at UC Berkeley, is the author of the books Water 4.0 and Water for All. Dr. Sedlak, an Oyster Bay native, addressed global water issues and the innovative ways cities around the world are using cutting edge solutions to address drought and climate change. Methods include water reuse, net zero design and other sustainable approaches. Other prominent speakers included Adrienne Esposito 22 from Citizens Campaign for the Environment, who discussed drinking water quality. She highlighted the success of efforts to ban 1,4 dioxane in New York State and the need for more work to be done around the elimination of PFAs (also known as “forever chemicals”) in Long Island’s water supply. Dr. Chris Gobler from Stony Brook University made a State of the Bays 2024 presentation focused on his research related to surface water quality and harmful algae blooms. Dr. Gobler demonstrated that excessive nitrogen loading from wastewater is an ongoing threat to coastal ecosystems and human health across Long Island. It is a problem made worse by climate change. He highlighted the importance of upgrading septic systems and cultivating shellfish and kelp to improve water quality. A robust panel discussion ensued focusing on additional solutions that both municipalities and homeowners can use in their roles as decision makers and stewards. The panel included the following members and topics: Brian Schneider, a Program Development Specialist at the U.S. Geological Survey, provided a snapshot of recent aquifer studies conducted by the USGS which will be released Saving Land – Spring/Summer Newsletter 2024later this month. Preliminary findings suggest that our Lloyd Aquifer may be more vulnerable than previously thought. Stay tuned for more information on the health of our sole source aquifer. Lisa Ott, President and CEO at North Shore Land Alliance, explained the important relationship between conserving land and protecting the quality and quantity of local waters. She reviewed basic information about local watersheds and State-designated Special Groundwater Protection Areas. She also encouraged greater advocacy efforts to protect land and water. Rusty Schmidt, a landscape architect from Nelson Pope and Voorhis, provided examples of how rain gardens can capture, treat and infiltrate stormwater runoff to reduce pollution and flooding. They can also be beautiful and add to the attractiveness of a neighborhood. Nancy Seligson, the former Town Supervisor for the Town of Mamaroneck, spoke about steps that local governments can take to address the protection of this essential natural resource. She also shared examples of projects undertaken in Mamaroneck to increase sustainability. Thomas Murphy, the Building Inspector for East Hills, talked about actions his Village has taken to mandate Innovative/Alternative (I/A) septic systems for new construction and major renovations. They have also simplified the permitting process to encourage community members to take part in the program. Derek Betts, District Manager for the Nassau County Soil & Water Conservation District, talked about managing the Septic Environmental Program to Improve Cleanliness (S.E.P.T.I.C.) that provides up to $20,000 to homeowners who are interested in replacing their septic systems. Justin Jobin, Environmental Scientist at Coastal Wastewater Solutions, discussed the success of the S.E.P.T.I.C. that has upgraded over 120 systems throughout Nassau County, along with lessons learned from designing the Suffolk County program. Jennifer Juengst, the Deputy County Executive for Suffolk County, provided an update on the Water Quality Restoration Act bill that will help fund future clean water projects in Suffolk County. If passed by the Governor and approved in the upcoming elections, this bill will provide billions for clean water programs in Long Island. Patti Wood from Grassroots outlined other solutions for homeowners to help conserve water, through measures such as using fertilizers containing less nitrogen, and discussed the success of a recent measure banning artificial turf grass. The Long Island Clean Water Symposium was a successful event that was both educational and action-oriented, providing tools for local citizens and officials to keep Long Island’s water safe for the future.
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