Climate, Conservation and Stewardship
What is Conservation's Impact on Climate?
Through conservation and stewardship, the Trust works every day with the community to help stem the negative impacts from rising greenhouse gas emissions.
In recent years, the Trust's work has taken on urgency related to Climate impacts, with our focus on conservation and stewardship focused on mitigation and restoration. This includes:
- Working with New York State to identify and conserve lands that protect our drinking water (RAPLAP) with a $9 million commitment for acquisitions. Five parcels have been protected to date!
- Farmland conservation and the promotion of sustainable farming practices that grow our local food production and consumption.
- Shoreline conservation and research on Living Shorelines that provides for the protection of neighborhoods and the growth of healthy wetlands in the face of storm surge.
- Educational programs for landowners that promote sustainable lawns and landscapes and reduce harmful chemicals.
Undeveloped, natural landscapes -- including woodlands, farmlands, meadows and other natural habitats -- absorb approximately 15 percent of the U.S.'s carbon dioxide emissions. Wetland and shoreline conservation absorb storm surge, reduce the number of septic systems, and protect coastal communities. Growing food in our communities reduces the transportation impacts of importing food.
The impacts of climate change are evident here on Long Island, including wetter springs, longer and drier seasons, sea-level rise that is eroding our shorelines, increase frequency of storms, and increase and changes in pests and diseases with devastating impacts on our natural habitats and crops.
Through the basic actions of conserving land and stewarding the land in ways that are ecologically sensitive, we are mitigating the negative impacts of climate change.
In 2014, the Trust added a specific factor to its Conservation Criteria -- the factors the Trust staff uses to identify and move forward on conservation initiatives -- to highlight Climate Change as a basis for conservation: The property is significant for its potential to contribute to adaptation to the effects of climate change, such as projected sea-level rise, wetlands migration, coastal retreat, etc.
How it Works
Land Conservation: Natural Lands and Habitat
The Trust has enabled the protection of over 3,000 acres of woodland on Long Island. Why does this matter for climate change? These lands help with the sequestration of carbon -- which slow the flow of greenhouse gases into the air -- and protect our sole source aquifer, the land beneath our feet that provides our drinking water here on eastern Long Island.
Did you know that a single acre of undeveloped land over our aquifer can provide up to 1,562 gallons of recharge, which is the reflow of clean water back to the aquifer, a day?
A few recent examples of our work include:
- Securing a $9 million investment in land protection for drinking water. In partnership with New York State, the Trust is acquiring land under its new Regional Aquifer Protection Land Acquisition Program (RAPLAP).
- Protection of woodlands in the 100 acre Broad Cove in Riverhead and Reese Preserve and Wolf Preserve in Southold for carbon sequestration.
- Restoration of shoreline properties for coastal storm protection. Recent projects include the introduction of a Living Shoreline at the Widow's Hole Preserve in 2019, work with the Town of Shelter Island and the Army Corps of Engineers to shore up Reel Point, the restoration of a peninsula property in Mastic Beach along the Forge River, and the protection of the Island's End Golf and Country Club in 2019-- which includes an easement that protects the shoreline and woodlands from development.
RAPLAP Project on Shelter Island
Farmland Conservation
Since our founding, our work has enabled the permanent protection of over 6,000 acres of farmland, much of which is producing healthy food for the local communities.
In the report, Greener Fields from American Farmland Trust, research found that an acre of farmland in New York produces 66 times fewer greenhouse gases than an acre of developed land -- making farmland protection a key component of New York's strategy to addressing the negative impacts of climate change.
Recent projects include:
- 27 acres of farmland in Brentwood with the Sisters of St. Joseph (2019)
- 33 acres of farmland in Water Mill (2017) -- the land, acquired by the Trust was resold to local farmers growing food
- 21 acres of farmland in Orient (2015) -- the Trust's Edward's Farm, which is now back in active agriculture.
Today, 20,000 of Suffolk County's 35,000 acres of farmland have been protected -- and through multiple programs, we along with our partners in agriculture continue to work every day to protect more land for working farms.
Pike Farms planting tomatoes at Uncle Leo's Lane farmland in Water Mill
Sustainable Agriculture/Local Food Programs
Through our Farms for the Future Initiative, we are providing both land access and educational programs that support our local farming community, including:
- Soil health workshops for farmers in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County, Long Island Farm Bureau, Suffolk County Soil and Water, American Farmland Trust and NRCS
- Use of winter and summer cover crops on resting Farms for the Future Initiative farmland to reduce soil erosion and improve soil health
- Incubator program for new farmers that provide resources and mentorship
- Farmland leasing to newer and established growers that enable them to increase their operations
- Quail Hill Farm's Advanced Apprenticeship program, which provides training for individuals interested in pursuing a career in farming
Incubator fields at the Ag Center, June 2020
Spotlight Project
Sisters of St. Joseph, working with the Sisters, we developed a concept plan based on their Land Ethic Statement, which helped them move forward on:
- solar power for the campus,
- the installation of a water treatment facility,
- installation a native habitat to replace a mowed lawn,
- protecting pristine woodlands, and
- reintroducing organic agriculture with leases to local farmers.
Napolitano Farm at the Sisters of St. Joseph
Sustainable Lawn and Landscaping Programs
At Bridge Gardens, we have created a Lawn Expert program for homeowners in partnership with Paul Wagner of Greener Pastures Organics and the Perfect Earth Project to provide information and educational programs on lawn and landscaping practices. This includes weekly free Lawn Expert sessions at the garden, available in person and through email to LawnExpert@PeconicLandTrust.org.
Educational and Recreational Programs
Through our Connections programs we connect people of all ages to land and teach about the ecological benefits. These include:
- Vegetable and plant workshops at Bridge Gardens, the Ag Center at Charnews Farm and Quail Hill Farm.
- Periodically we bring people together to search for ladybugs through the Lost Ladybug citizen science program with the Lost Ladybug Project at Quail Hill Farm. It was during our first program at the farm in 2011 where the 9-spotted ladybug -- thought to have been extinct in New York -- was rediscovered. Now, we bring families together to search for the ladybugs and talk about why they are important to our ecosystems.
- Talks with local farmers, beekeepers, and growers both in the fields and as part of our Long Island Grown conversations.
- Paddle tours of local waterways with biologist Mike Bottini
- A myriad of walks, hikes and talks with local experts on everything from tree bark identification, to birding and water quality.
We welcome school groups to our preserves. A special program: Greenport Elementary School teacher Stephanie Pawlik uses Widow's Hole Preserve as an outdoor classroom.
Paul Wagner discusses lawn care at Bridge Gardens.
Adoption of Renewable Energy
The New York State goal of achieving 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 is achievable with efforts by all. The Trust is working toward an energy audit of its facilities and has looked at appropriately siting renewables at its facilities and preserves. For example, when the Trust's main office in Southampton was renovated in 2017, we installed solar panels. We are currently looking at the possibility of expanding solar at our other facilities. In year one, the Trust saw the system produce 13,865 kWh of power in the year.
Advocacy
The Trust advocates for funding in support of state and federal programs that promote natural land and farmland conservation, stewardship programs that promote soil health, natural land restoration, and programs that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote renewable energy solutions, including:
- Federal: Land and Water Conservation Fund
- State: Environmental Protection Fund and the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act
- Local: Peconic Bay Region Community Preservation Fund and the Suffolk County Water Protection Fund
Solar panels at the Southampton office.
Meet the Staff
Melanie A. Tebbens
Vice President
Mtebbens@peconiclandtrust.org
Matt Swain
Vice President
MSwain@peconiclandtrust.org
Kim Quarty
Director of Conservation Planning
kquarty@peconiclandtrust.org
Dan Heston
Director of Agricultural Programs
dheston@peconiclandtrust.org