-
Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation Grant for the Historic Tavern House
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: For more information contact Debra Wiener, Director of Development Email: [email protected] or 516-922-1028 Oyster Bay, New York | The North Shore Land Alliance is honored to have been awarded a grant through the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation for the adaptive reuse of the Tavern House at the Humes Preserve. This historic structure on Oyster Bay Road in Mill Neck will become the Land Alliance’s new headquarters. The unassuming, wood-framed Tavern House has been a part of Long Island history since the mid-18th century. Over several centuries, this property passed through multiple owners serving as a tavern or inn, farmhand quarters, guest cottage and summer home for Ambassador John P. Humes and his family. The Land Alliance acquired the 28-acre property in 2015. The land was purchased for conservation purposes and is now open to the public. With the conservation of the Humes property, we have created a 150-acre conservation corridor in the most biodiverse area in Nassau County. The Tavern House within the Humes Preserve will serve as the Land Alliance’s first permanent headquarters. The 4,000 sq ft building will include offices, meeting spaces, room for small-group educational programming, and environmentally-friendly septic and geothermal heating systems. While the structure’s interior will be modernized, the Land Alliance has made great efforts to preserve the building’s original features. “The move will better connect the lands we have conserved for public purposes to the people and the organization who made their permanent protection possible,” said Lisa Ott, President and CEO of the Land Alliance. “Through this project, we can preserve an important piece of Long Island’s story. The Tavern House has borne witness to hundreds of years of growth. It is an important part of Long Island’s history. With this grant, we are proud that we have ensured that it will be an integral part of Long Island’s future as well”, states Kathryn Curran, Executive Director of the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation. Thanks to the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation’s generosity, the adaptive reuse of the historic Tavern House at the Humes Preserve will be possible. “The Land Alliance is grateful for The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation’s efforts to preserve Long Island history,” said Lisa Ott. “We are so grateful for the strategic funding they have provided to our organization and so many worthy projects across Long Island.” The Land Alliance’s new headquarters are set to open in February 2023. Established in 1987, the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation primarily supports the study of New York State history. Until his death in August 2004, Robert David Lion Gardiner was the 16th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner’s Island, NY. The Gardiner family and their descendants have owned Gardiner’s Island since 1639, obtained as part of a royal grant from King Charles I of England. The Foundation is inspired by Robert David Lion Gardiner’s personal passion for New York history. For more information, please visit rdlfoundation.org. The North Shore Land Alliance, Inc. is a nationally accredited nonprofit land trust founded in 2003 that works to conserve and steward Long Island’s natural and historic lands, waters and environmental resources. For more information about the North Shore Land Alliance, please visit www.northshorelandalliance.org.
Continue reading -
North Shore Land Alliance Protects Water with Hydro-Action Clean Water Septic Technology
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: For more information contact North Shore Land Alliance Email: [email protected] or call 516-922-1028 North Shore Land Alliance Protects Water with Hydro-Action Clean Water Septic Technology Oyster Bay, New York | The North Shore Land Alliance is leading the charge by installing a new, eco-conscious Hydro-Action clean water septic system at their newly remodeled headquarters at the Humes Preserve in Mill Neck, New York. This was made possible by a generous donation from Wastewater Works, Inc. for the system, and grant from Nassau County’s SEPTIC program for the installation. The Hydro-Action septic system will remove harmful chemicals like nitrogen from wastewater ultimately protecting our bays, harbors, and sole source aquifer. The Land Alliance is dedicated to the conservation and stewardship of Long Island’s natural and historic lands, waters, and environmental resources. Through education, outreach and volunteerism, the Land Alliance aspires to connect people to nature and build a community conservation ethic. Residents are cordially invited to view headquarters in February. When visiting, you can also check out the Land Alliance’s clean water septic system as well as the state-of-the-art, carbon-minimizing geothermal energy system. Stormwater runoff preventing rain gardens to follow this spring. It is imperative that we work together as a community to protect our open spaces and water resources. By upgrading our homes with environmentally friendly technologies we can improve water quality, reduce CO2 emissions, and protect wildlife. If you’re interested in receiving a grant to upgrade your outdated and polluting septic system, check out Nassau County’s SEPTIC program at nassaucountyny.gov/SepticReplace. You may be eligible for $20,000 to switch to clean water septic technology.
Continue reading -
NYS Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act Passes!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: For more information contact Debra Wiener, Director of Development Email: [email protected] or 516-922-1028 Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act Passes! Oyster Bay, New York | On November 8, 2022, the NYS Clean Air, Clean Water and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act won with a resounding 67.57% majority! It’s nice to see that New Yorkers continue to value our environment. The NYS Environmental Bond Act will protect open space, safeguard clean drinking water, and update our aging water and sewer infrastructure while supporting nearly 100,000 good jobs. Now organizations like the North Shore Land Alliance will have access to much needed funds to help conserve open space and water resources. For 20 years, the North Shore Land Alliance has worked to protect nearly 1,300 acres of natural areas. The primary reason we protect land is to safeguard drinking water. Long Island’s sole source aquifer requires pervious surfaces (like fields and forests) for rain and snow to seep through the ground to recharge our drinking water source. A study by the Rauch Foundation found that nearly 60% of Nassau County’s surface is impervious (pavement and buildings). Open space is critical in protection our ground and surface water. In our community we have 8,000+ acres of natural areas left to protect. Through the Environmental Bond Act we will have access to critical funding to conserve land in perpetuity and maintain our quality of life. Plus, with the worsening effects of climate change, protecting open spaces, replenishing our aquifers, and restoring bays and harbors is more important than ever. The North Shore Land Alliance thanks you for your support of this Environmental Bond Act where we have shown we truly value our natural resources and take urgently needed action to protect our environment. Let’s act now to ensure a healthy future for those who come after us.
Continue reading -
Protecting Land on the North Shore with Conservation Easements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: For more information contact North Shore Land Alliance Email: [email protected] or call 516-922-1028 Protecting Land on the North Shore with A Conservation Easement Nestled into the village of Oyster Bay Cove, sits Tiffany Creek Preserve. A 450-acre leafy, old growth woodland with grassy fields, and a rippling network of freshwater streams and ponds. On a sunny day hikers can hear chirping gray tree frogs and spot white-throated sparrows fluttering between the cedar and tulip trees. This small patch of preserve is a natural oasis on the North Shore. But before Tiffany Creek was the preserve we know today; it was once a neighborhood of parcels and private residential properties. On one of these parcels off Cove Road, sat Caroline Dubois’s mother’s home. Growing up Caroline spent hours in the woods of Tiffany Creek exploring, turning over stones in search of salamanders, and swimming in ponds filled with sunfish, trout, and turtles. “I grew up loving the property with deep emotional ties to the land and water,” says Caroline. As Caroline’s mother grew older, it began time to think about what to do with the property. To Caroline’s family, preserving the land that they cherished was imperative. That’s why, after careful consideration, the Dubois decided to place a conservation easement on the property with the help of the North Shore Land Alliance – forever safeguarding the legacy of her home. “Knowing that our beloved field and streams would be protected forever gave me great comfort,” says Caroline. One of the most common ways land trusts, like the North Shore Land Alliance, protect land is through conservation easements. A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement that protects a property and its unique conservation attributes by permanently restricting development or other uses of the land that have detrimental impacts. Founded in 2003, the North Shore Land Alliance was established to protect and preserve, in perpetuity, the green spaces, farmlands, wetlands, and groundwater on Long Island’s North Shore. In doing so, the Land Alliance acts as both a facilitator and custodian of conservation. Since its creation, the Land Alliance holds easements on 182 acres of private and public land in addition to owning 258 acres of preserves which are open to the public. The Land Alliance recently launched their Community Conservation Plan to align with the Federal “America the Beautiful” initiative to protect 30% of U.S. lands and waters by 2030. Placing a conservation easement has countless benefits to a property owner like Caroline. In addition to protecting the natural beauty of the property, homeowners help preserve history and a way of life while receiving major federal tax benefits. Preserving land from development also helps mitigate and abate the effects of climate change. For property owners interested in placing a conservation easement, Caroline recommends, “Get all the facts about your property, especially its environmental assets and to get in touch with a local tax attorney to know more about the applicable tax which keep improving for conservationists.” For next steps on how to place a conservation easement please visit www.northshorelandalliance.org or contact the North Shore Land Alliance’s Director of Conservation at (516) 922-1028.
Continue reading