Archives
Saving Land News
-
Pulling Campaign: Protecting the Lands that Matter Most
Continue readingWhen 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.
-
Hollis F. Russell Elected as Chairman of the North Shore Land Alliance Board of Trustees
Continue readingThe Land Alliance Board of Trustees elected Hollis F. Russell as Chairman of the Board. Hollis will succeed Hoyle C. Jones, whose thoughtful leadership and dedication guided the organization since 2017.
-
The Need for Seeds: Over 6,000 Plants Grown from Seed at Our Wawapek Greenhouse
Continue readingIn a world challenged by more frequent natural disasters, the need for collecting and saving native seeds grows more important every day. Collecting native seeds is important for restoring ecosystems, supporting local wildlife, creating resilient landscapes and promoting biodiversity.
-
Roosevelt Community Garden – Cultivating Good Food, Health and Inspiration
Continue readingThe Roosevelt Community Garden has become far more than a space for cultivating food. It is a vital community resource that empowers people through education and volunteer opportunities while connecting them to nature.
-
Meet Tim Hanes – Another Skilled Volunteer Protecting Our Trails, Making Them Ready for Hikers to Enjoy.
Continue readingThis year, we observed a small degree of trail erosion and muddy conditions at the Smithers Connector Parcel. In some areas of the trail water would pool, ruts would form in the mud and the ground would become unstable. Luckily, we have volunteers from all walks of life with a wide array of skills.
-
Colonizing Coyote
Continue readingFor over a century, Long Island has been without a large mammalian predator… until now. Long ago, the wolves, cougars, and wolverines that made their home on Long Island were all eradicated. The lack of any such predator has had far reaching effects on prey populations and ecological resilience. Along with clearing for farming and development, these changes created an open ecological niche that the coyote (Canis latrans) could take advantage of.
-
Important Sands Point Conservation Easement Closes at Year-end
Continue readingThe Land Alliance is pleased to announce our newest conservation easement in Sands Point. We applaud Joanna and Will Morgan on their successful effort to protect the natural habitat and sustainability of this part of their community. The conservation values of this nearly 4 acre easement are abundant!
-
The State of the Birds in the USA
Continue readingAs spring migration nears its peak, we remain concerned about much of the data identified in this year’s State of the Birds report. It was generated by the North American Birds Conservation Initiative. The report confirmed that 1/3 of U.S. bird species need conservation action. 1/3!! Many of these are described as tipping point species: those species that have lost more than half their populations in the last 50 years.
-
The 2025 Season Has Begun at Our Community Garden
Continue readingThe 2025 growing season began long before the first signs of spring. We are thrilled to see that many of last year’s garden members have returned, joined by some exciting new participants. We’re also proud to announce that all garden plots have been sold, setting the stage for a vibrant and productive season ahead.
-
Building Environmental Awareness through the Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly
Continue readingButterflies are some of the most beautiful insects in the world. These enchanting creatures seem to float effortlessly through the air. They undertake a remarkable multi-generational migration, with some traveling up to 3,000 miles from breeding grounds in the northern United States and southern Canada to overwintering sites in central Mexico.
-
North Shore Land Alliance Re-accredited by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission
Continue readingWe are proud to announce that the Land Alliance has been awarded renewed accreditation by the Land Trust Accreditation Commission! Board Chair Hoyle Jones explained that “the multi-year process was rigorous and thorough in reviewing all project transactions, policies and financials since the first accreditation approval in 2015.”
-
Community Conservation
Continue readingLand conservation can take several forms. They range from an outright gift of land to the purchase of land to the donation of a permanent, voluntary deed restriction on land called a conservation easement. The parties can include individual landowners, estates (in the case of a post-mortem conservation easement), corporations and partnerships.
-
It’s Go Time! The Campaign to Expand the Red Cote Preserve
Continue readingEarlier 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.
-
Aquifer Study Released and the News is Not Good
Continue readingThe U.S. is facing a groundwater crisis and Long Island, where our sole source aquifer stores all our water needs in underground reserves, is no exception. In an investigation last year, The New York Times examined data for tens of thousands of wells around the country. In almost half those sites, the amount of groundwater had declined significantly over the past 40 years.
-
2024 Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Award
Continue readingThe Land Alliance and its community partners have protected over 1,400 acres of land since 2003. But the noble act of conserving and stewarding land for future generations began long before us. Our community is the beautiful place it is today because of the vision of forward-thinking people who both valued land and understood its important role in a healthy future for us all.
-
Enhancements at the Roosevelt Community Garden
Continue readingWe are incredibly grateful to the Whole Kids Foundation and NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets for their support to help enhance the garden, creating a more welcoming atmosphere for all visitors.
-
Expanded Programming at the Roosevelt Community Garden
Continue readingLand Alliance partners with Dr. Suanne Kowal-Connelly, Director of Pediatric Clinical Quality at Harmony Healthcare LI to host a Back to School Nature Walk as part of our programming at our Community Garden
-
New Composting Hub at the MacDonald Property
Continue readingComposting’s value in ameliorating climate change impacts and its public popularity couldn’t be more evident. But at the same time, composting programs’ budgets are being cut in New York City and Long Island alike. At a time when New York City’s community composting program cuts may cause layoffs and disruption of existing services which could reduce waste processing capacity by as much as 25%, the need for education about the benefits and how-tos of composting is greater than ever. And little is being done in our community; it is time for us to pick up the reins.
-
Cushman Woods Meadow Transformation
Continue readingAbout two years have passed since we launched site preparation for the Cushman Woods meadow. The first step was forestry mulching, which involved the use of a powerful brush cutting tool to cut and shred years’ growth of undesirable vegetation. It included porcelainberry vine and multiflora rose on about five open (but badly) invaded acres of Cushman Woods Preserve.
-
Restoration of the Williams Preserve
Continue readingWilliams has come a long way since Mary and Tim Williams donated this beautiful 4.5-acre Lattingtown parcel to the Land Alliance last June. We are embarking upon an extensive preserve-wide habitat restoration. Our restoration ecologist consultant Peter Meleady generously donated the plan.
-
Enjoy the Gift of Nature: Explore Land Alliance Preserves
Continue readingNorth Shore Land Alliance preserves are free and open to the public from sunup to sundown seven days a week. Please join us at these wonderful places filled with flora and fauna and the wonders of nature.
-
A Decade of Service by Friends Academy Students
Continue readingFor ten years, the Land Alliance has had the pleasure of hosting Friends Academy students who spend the last three weeks of the school year volunteering for independent service projects.
-
Volunteers Improve Habitat Quality at Land Alliance Preserves
Continue readingThis Spring, volunteers have improved habitat quality and the visitor experience at our preserves. Thank you to the groups and organizations that supported these efforts.
-
6th Annual Earth Day at the Roosevelt Community Garden
Continue readingNearly 100 volunteers gathered at the Roosevelt Community Garden on Saturday, April 22nd to take part in our 6th Annual Earth Day event. We want to express our sincere thanks to all those who joined us in this year’s celebration.
-
Recycling Matters
Continue readingAs of January 1st, the Town of Oyster Bay has reinstated its glass recycling program after a four-year hiatus. Oyster Bay joins the towns of North Hempstead, Huntington, Hempstead, Islip, Babylon, Smithtown and others across the island in recycling this highly used material.