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Patrick Muccini – 2023 O’Neil Steward
We are thrilled to welcome Patrick Muccini to our esteemed O’Neil Stewards program. Patrick Muccini, a rising senior at Binghamton University studying environmental science ecosystems, grew up on Long Island and went to Chaminade. At Binghamton, he volunteered with the Nature Preserve Regulars where he removed invasive species and performed trail maintenance. Patrick is dedicated to conservation and believes it is essential to protect native species biodiversity. During his free time, he enjoys hiking, skiing, mountain biking, skateboarding and relaxing on the beach. We are confident that Patrick’s passion, expertise and enthusiasm will make a significant impact on our work as he joins our team of O’Neil Stewards. We look forward to witnessing his growth and witnessing the positive contributions he will make to our land preservation initiatives. Please join us in welcoming Patrick Muccini as a valued member of our O’Neil Stewards program, as together we continue our mission to protect and enhance our cherished natural landscapes.
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Victoria Bell – 2023 O’Neil Steward
Victoria is a rising junior at the University of Vermont studying Environmental Studies in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources with minors in Forestry and Music. She is from Huntington and is passionate about keeping Long Island’s natural areas in good health. She’s interested in conservation, ecology, environmental justice, climate change mitigation and how these disciplines intersect. To learn more about the Land Alliance O’Neil Stewards program, visit our website at www.northshorelandalliance.org/oneil-stewards-program or contact us at 516-922-1028 or [email protected].
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Recycling Matters
As of January 1, 2023, 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. Why is Recycling Important? Americans dispose of some 10M metric tons of glass annually, with an astounding two-thirds of it ending up in landfills. Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity. It is an easy step that we can all take to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators. And we know less land dedicated to landfills means more land for wildlife. And that is something we can all agree is in short supply these days. We applaud the Town of Oyster Bay for reinstating its glass recycling program and encourage you all to recycle your glass jars and bottles with your recycling each week. Why waste precious land for landfills when we can recycle, renew and reuse. Just this simple step will make a world of difference for our environment!
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Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act Signed Into Law
When landowners choose to conserve their land there are several different ways to achieve that end. One important tool is a conservation easement, a voluntary, perpetual agreement between a landowner and a qualified conservation organization, such as the Land Alliance, that restricts the use of the land to protect its conservation values. Since 1979, donations of qualified conservation easements have been eligible for federal tax deductions. To date, according to the National Conservation Easement Database, over 201,525 easements have been donated protecting 33,527,688 acres of land. Unfortunately, there has been some abuse of these tax deductions. In rare, but harmful, instances, appraisals have been inflated in transactions known as “syndications”. These abuses have jeopardized the integrity of conservation easements and the tax incentive that has helped thousands of Americans voluntarily conserve millions of acres of their own land. Now the syndications will be halted thanks to the federal spending bill signed into law by the President on December 29, 2022. Included in the law was the Charitable Conservation Easement Program Integrity Act, targeted legislation that will protect conservation easements into the future. If you are interested in learning more about conservation easements, please contact Andrew Geisel at [email protected] or 516-922-1028.
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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.
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