Dutchess Land Conservancy Inc

THE ORGANIZATION IS DEDICATED TO PRESERVING THE SCENIC, AGRICULTURAL, AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES OF (CONTINUED) DUTCHESS COUNTY, NEW YORK, AND THE SURROUNDING AREA.

LAND CONSERVATION: IN 2021, THE ORGANIZATION WORKED WITH NUMEROUS LANDOWNERS ON CONSERVATION EASEMENTS COVERING MORE THAN 3,000 ACRES, AND SEVERAL CONSERVATION PLANNING PROJECTS, DEVELOPING RESOURCE MAPS, RESPONDING TO INQUIRIES ABOUT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, DOING RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS OF IMPORTANT RESOURCE LAND, AND VISITING PROPERTIES. IN 2021, EIGHT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS WERE FILED PROTECTING 840 ACRES WHICH BROUGHT THE ORGANIZATION'S TOTAL LAND PROTECTED TO APPROXIMATELY 44,500 ACRES. PURCHASE OF DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS - THE ORGANIZATION COMPLETED TWO PROJECTS IN 2021 AND CONTINUED ITS WORK WITH SEVERAL FARMERS ON PDR PROJECTS IN MANY DUTCHESS COUNTY TOWNS. MUNICIPAL CONSERVATION AREAS - THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION'S MUNICIPAL CONSERVATION AREA ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, A PROGRAM TO HELP TOWNS ACQUIRE IMPORTANT RESOURCE LAND FOR PASSIVE PUBLIC USE, THE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN WORKING WITH THE TOWN OF DOVER TO PURCHASE THE SEVEN WELLS PROPERTY TO ADD TO THE DOVER STONE CHURCH PRESERVE.

STEWARDSHIP: THE ORGANIZATION HAS NOW PROTECTED 44,500 ACRES STEWARDING 429 EASEMENTS. THE ORGANIZATION AERIALLY MONITORS ALL PROPERTIES ANNUALLY AND GROUND MONITORS ITS EASEMENTS ON A THREE TO FOUR YEAR ROTATIONAL BASIS. IN 2021, THE ORGANIZATION AERIALLY MONITORED ALL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS AND COMPLETED 152 ON A 3-TO-4-YEAR ROTATIONAL GROUND MONITORING SCHEDULE THROUGH STAFF. THE ORGANIZATION WORKED ON NUMEROUS STEWARDSHIP MATTERS FROM PRIOR APPROVAL REQUESTS AND LAND MANAGEMENT QUESTIONS TO RESOLVING EASEMENT ISSUES. IN 2021, THE ORGANIZATION AGAIN REGISTERED FOR TERRAFIRMA, THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT DEFENSE INSURANCE PROGRAM TO ENHANCE ITS ABILITY TO SUCCESSFULLY ENFORCE ITS EASEMENTS. EACH YEAR, THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES RESEARCH AND LAND MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE AND WORKS TO UPDATE OLD BASELINE DOCUMENTATION FILES. STAFF STRIVE TO KEEP UP TO DATE ON INTERNET SERVICES SUCH AS STEWARDSHIP MICROSOFT'S MAPSLIVE.COM, GOOGLE EARTH, AND BING, WHICH PROVIDE VERY USEFUL ADDITIONAL SOURCES OF AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND ACTIVELY LOOKING INTO SATELLITE IMAGERY AS A MONITORING TOOL. THE ORGANIZATION'S STEWARDSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES CONTINUE TO INCREASE EACH YEAR AS MORE AND MORE EASEMENTS ARE ACCEPTED. THE ORGANIZATION CONTINUES TO IMPROVE THE TRACKING OF EASEMENT PROTECTED PROPERTY SALES, COMMUNICATION WITH LANDOWNERS, AND MAINTAINING A "WATCH LIST" OF EASEMENT PROTECTED LAND ON THE MARKET TO CHECK FOR NEW OWNERSHIP. THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, THE STAFF FILES CRITICAL EASEMENT RELATED DOCUMENTS IN THE ORGANIZATION'S ARCHIVAL STORAGE UNIT IN AN OFF-SITE FACILITY TO ENSURE THE LONG-TERM SAFETY OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MOST VALUABLE DOCUMENTS. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO CONTINUED ITS COLLABORATION WITH COLUMBIA LAND CONSERVANCY (CLC) ON ITS FARMER LANDOWNER MATCH PROGRAM, THAT FACILITATES LEASE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN LANDOWNERS SEEKING TO HAVE THEIR LAND FARMED, AND FARMERS SEEKING LAND, AS A WAY TO KEEP LAND OPEN.

EDUCATION: EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION. THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF REGULARLY TALK WITH MUNICIPALITIES, SCHOOL GROUPS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LAND PRESERVATION, SOUND PLANNING, QUALITY GROWTH THAT PROTECTS IMPORTANT RESOURCES, LAND STEWARDSHIP AND MANAGEMENT, AND WAYS TO KEEP FARMERS ON THE LAND. IN 2021, THE ORGANIZATION HOSTED AND PARTICIPATED IN 25 EDUCATION EVENTS, REACHING ALMOST 1650 PEOPLE. THE ORGANIZATION COLLABORATED WITH THE DUTCHESS COUNTY CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION, DC SOIL & WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT, THE CARY INSTITUTE OF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES, WETHERSFIELD ESTATE AND GARDEN, CT AUDUBON, MILLBROOK SCHOOL, AND OTHERS. STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN AND ATTENDED NUMEROUS VIRTUAL EVENTS EDUCATION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS VIRTUALLY ATTENDED THE NATIONAL LAND TRUST RALLY (CONFERENCE), ATTENDED THE NEW YORK LAND TRUST SYMPOSIUM, NUMEROUS SEMINARS, CLASSES AND WEBINARS TO INCREASE KNOWLEDGE, PARTICIPATED ON NUMEROUS COMMITTEES (STATE, REGIONAL, AND LOCAL) AND ATTENDED VARIOUS GATHERINGS TO PROMOTE AWARENESS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, LAND CONSERVATION, AND DLC'S WORK. DLC'S PRESIDENT CONTINUES TO SERVE ON THE LAND TRUST ALLIANCE NY ADVISORY BOARD.