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Pulling Campaign: Protecting the Lands that Matter Most
Pulling Campaign: Campaign to Acquire Five Acres of Critical Land Adjacent to the Red Cote Preserve in Oyster Bay Cove. When people think about land conservation, they often picture vast preserves or large working farms. But here on Long Island, every acre counts — and sometimes, protecting a five-acre parcel can make an enormous difference. That’s why the North Shore Land Alliance is committed to permanently preserving not only large tracts of land, but also smaller properties that play vital roles in our local community and in the environment. One such property is in Oyster Bay Cove — the beautiful and ecologically important Pulling Property on Yellow Cote Road. For the past year, the Land Alliance has been conducting a grassroots campaign to acquire the property, which is adjacent to the Red Cote Preserve, for conservation purposes. We are proud to share that over 100 local families and foundations have joined the effort thus far, raising nearly $1M of the $1.52M needed for the Land Alliance to purchase and permanently protect this land. You may be asking yourself, why are so many in this community investing in a relatively small plot of land? Besides its significant historic and nostalgic value (just one family has owned the land over the last 100 years), it also has considerable value for the health of our natural environment. A Haven for Nature – On an island where open space is rapidly disappearing, a five-acre parcel of wood, meadow, or wetland can provide a critical refuge for wildlife. The Pulling Property offers habitat for native plants, birds and pollinators. It also serves as a vital green connection between other conserved lands. By protecting this property, the Land Alliance will help maintain biodiversity and ensure that wildlife continues to thrive along the North Shore. Protecting Our Water – Long Island’s drinking water comes from a single underground aquifer — what happens on the surface above directly affects what we drink. Conserving the Pulling Property will allow natural soils and vegetation to filter rainwater before it seeps down to replenish our groundwater. Permanent protection of this parcel will also help reduce runoff and safeguard the health of both nearby wetlands and Oyster Bay’s coastal waters. Moreover, this property is particularly significant as it sits within the Oyster Bay Special Groundwater Protection Area, as designated by New York State. Strengthening Climate Resilience – As our communities face stronger storms and rising seas, natural areas like the Pulling Property that are on high ground offer invaluable protection. Trees and native vegetation on this land absorb stormwater, reduce flooding and store carbon — small but powerful contributions to a more resilient future for our region. To learn more about the Campaign to Grow Red Cote Preserve, visit www.northshorelandalliance.org/campaign-to-grow-red-cote-preserve/ or contact the Land Alliance at 516-922-1028 or info@northshorelandalliance.org. #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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Acquisition of a Historic Property Adjoining Red Cote Preserve in Oyster Bay Cove
Acquisition of a Historic Property Adjoining Red Cote Preserve in Oyster Bay Cove In June, the Land Alliance purchased a one-year option agreement from the Pulling family. The agreement allows the Land Alliance time to raise the $1.52M necessary to purchase 4.5 acres of land adjacent to the Red Cote Preserve in Oyster Bay Cove. This land features a beautiful scenic vista. It includes an additional trail, a picturesque colonial garden and majestic centuries-old trees. Located in the New York State designated Special Groundwater Protection Area and within the Route 25A Heritage Area, the land will be a wonderful addition to the Red Cote Preserve. The 30-acre Red Cote Preserve is comprised of land purchased from the Pulling, Cutting and Schwab families. It was created in the early 2000’s through proceeds from the Nassau County Environmental Bond Program. This much-loved community preserve features a peaceful woodland trail, sentinel red cedar trees in the meadow and native wildflowers butterfly weed blooming in summer and goldenrod in fall are particularly popular with preserve visitors and pollinators alike). Red Cote is managed by the Land Alliance. The land under the option agreement has been owned by Pulling family members for more than 100 years. In the early 1920s, R.C. Leffingwell rented a house and horse stables on the North Shore so that he, his wife and daughter Lucy could spend weekends out of the city and enjoy horseback riding. When the rental terminated in 1924, he purchased a farmhouse, stables and surrounding pastures and gardens at 33 Yellow Cote Road and named the property Red Cote. When adjacent properties came up for sale, he often purchased them as well. For example, he bought the cottage just north of the Red Cote field on Yellow Cote Road. It was occupied for many years by members of the Leffingwell/Pulling family and is now owned by neighbors. In 1927 he bought a house at 34 Yellow Cote Road from Willis Wood so the soon-to-be-married (to Edward Pulling) Lucy and her husband would have their own home on the property. Years later, when Edward Pulling retired from Millbrook School, he and Lucy moved back to the property. They lived the rest of their lives in the main house at Red Cote. 16 acres of the southwest portion of the property were sold in 2006 to Nassau County and are now part of the Red Cote Preserve. Protecting historic places like Red Cote Preserve helps us maintain a sense of continuity and connection to the past. It also fosters a sense of community and pride in the place where we live. The Land Alliance is grateful to the Pulling family for its commitment to preserving the stories and the places that define the character of our north shore community. To learn more about the Campaign to Grow Red Cote Preserve, visit www.northshorelandalliance.org/campaign-to-grow-red-cote-preserve/ or contact the Land Alliance at 516-922-1028 or info@northshorelandalliance.org.
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