New York State Open Space Plan Update

Working alongside the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), the Land Alliance spearheaded the Nassau County arm of the Region 1 New York State Open Space Committee. We convened a series of meetings where partner organizations and local government officials worked together to develop countywide recommendations for the Plan’s update. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), the Land Alliance reviewed the projects included in the 2016 Open Space Plan to identify areas that might have been overlooked in the last plan or have become eligible due to a changing environment. Three new priority projects areas were proposed. Those new project areas included recreational lands such as golf courses (which could become future forests, farms or grassland), green infrastructure (such as wetlands and forests) and coastal areas (to mitigate and abate the harmful impacts of climate change). Early indications suggest that these recommendations have been accepted by the DEC. Results of statewide efforts have been forwarded to DEC and OPRHP in Albany for review with the goal of releasing an updated Plan in 2025. Due to the dense development that already occurs on Long Island, the Nassau County Committee also proposed that the definition of open space be expanded to encompass “un-development” or “reclamation” as a strategy for creating new open spaces. The Open Space Conservation Plan (OSCP) is a comprehensive statewide plan that describes current open space conservation goals, actions, tools, resources and programs administered by state and federal agencies and conservation nonprofits. Since 1992, the OSCP has served as the blueprint for the State’s Open Space Program, guiding the investment of land protection funds from the Environmental Protection Fund. As required by law, the Plan is updated periodically, relying heavily on the work of the nine Regional Advisory Committees. Partner Organizations Many thanks to our partner organizations whose contributions added greatly to the quality of the final product. Those organizations were: City of Long Beach , Coalition to Save Hempstead Harbor, Friends of the Bay, Glen Cove CDA, Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, Nassau County Department of Public Works, Nassau County Soil and Water Conservation District, OPRHP, Save the Sound, Town of Oyster Bay

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Williams Ridge Preserve Update

We are off to a good start this spring at Lattingtown’s 4.5-acre Williams Ridge Preserve. We made irrigation upgrades and installed native shrubs, sedges, warm-season native grasses and wildflowers along the pond edge and across the adjoining upland. Also, a meadow was revamped and seeded just after Thanksgiving. We are overhauling the formal garden area next to the meadow as a demonstration planting area of native wildflowers and grasses that will help visitors learn about deer-resistant plants and converting some lawn areas to wildlife-friendly spaces. We were delighted to witness the expansion of spring ephemeral trout lily alongside the creek this spring and multiple snapping turtles, largemouth bass and a muskrat in the pond. A house wren was observed nesting in a log that had fallen into the water, showing what value dead trees can provide wildlife. Our volunteers continue their vine removal, weeding of planting areas, maintenance of the stone staircase and conducting wildlife survey. We continue to be challenged by an emerging invasive aquatic species called parrot feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum) at the pond; native to South America, it can form dense mats, reducing biodiversity. It is something to be on the lookout for in calm waterbodies. Those of you who have not yet visited Williams Ridge are in for a treat when you do go! The location of the preserve entrance may require some explanation, so please contact us here at the office at 516-922-1028 so we can direct you. This habitat restoration is supported by funding from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP) and New York’s Environmental Protection Fund. The NYSCPP is administered by the Land Trust Alliance, in coordination with the state Department of Environmental Conservation. We remain grateful to Mary and Tim Williams for their generous donation of this charming respite from our hectic life pace and, more and more, a haven for wildlife.

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