Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust

DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATIONS MISSION: THTLT WORKS IN AND AROUND THE LEGISLATIVELY DESIGNATED TUG HILL REGION WHICH COVERS PARTS OF JEFFERSON, LEWIS, ONEIDA AND OSWEGO COUNTIES. IT WAS FORMED FOR TWO PURPOSES, TO HELP INCREASE AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE TUG HILL REGION THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS AND SPECIAL EVENTS, AND THROUGH THEIR VOLUNTARY LAND PROTECTION PROGRAMS WORKING WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS AND OTHER PARTNERS. ITS MISSION IS TO PROTECT THE WILDLANDS, WORKING FORESTS AND FARMS OF THE TUG HILL REGION AND SURROUNDING AREAS, AND TO PROMOTE APPRECIATION OF THE REGION'S NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE, FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DESCRIPTION. TUG HILL TOMORROW LAND TRUST (THTLT) IS COMMITTED TO CONNECTING WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN, FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. WE KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT TO INSTILL A LOVE OF CONSERVATION AT AN EARLY AGE IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CARE FOR THE LAND AS ADULTS. TO THAT END, THTLT HOLDS A VARIETY OF FIELD TRIPS, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TO GET PEOPLE OUT ON THE LAND AND EXPERIENCING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TUG HILL REGION. THTLT ALSO WORKS WITH LOCAL DAY CARE CENTERS AND SUMMER SCHOOL-AGED PROGRAMS TO PRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT BEING OUTSIDE. THTLT HAS PRODUCED A FIELD GUIDE FOR THE TUG HILL REGION WHICH PROVIDES DETAILED INFORMATION IN A FRIENDLY WAY SO PEOPLE CAN EASILY FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE SEEING. THTLT ULTIMATELY HOPES THESE PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS WILL FOSTER A LOVE OF THE LAND AND THE DESIRE TO TAKE CARE OF IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THTLT ULTIMATELY HOPES THESE PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS WILL FOSTER A LOVE OF THE LAND AND THE DESIRE TO TAKE CARE OF IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DESCRIPTION.THTLT WORKS WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO PROTECT WORKING FOREST, FARMS RECREATION AND WILD LANDS IN NORTHERN NEW YORK'S 2,100 SQUARE MILE TUG HILL REGION AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE TUG HILL REGION COVERS PARTS OF JEFFERSON, LEWIS, ONEIDA AND OSWEGO COUNTIES. WE DO THIS MAINLY THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. IN 2023, THTLT CLOSED ON ONE EASEMENT - THE BURT FARM, IN THE TOWN OF NORWAY, NY TOTALING 431 ACRES. THE ACUB PROGRAM WAS ON HOLD AS WE ARE AWAITING A NEW CONTRACT THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. HOWEVER, AT THE DAVID S. SMITH PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA THAT WE ACQUIRED IN 2022, WE BEGAN TO SITE THE PROPERTY FOR TRAIL CREATION AND TO DELINEATE THE BAT AND POLLINATOR HABITATS. WE DRAFTED A LAND MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR REVIEW WITH FORT DRUM. WE CONTINUED TO WORK WITH THE NORTON FAMILY AND THE EVENTUAL ACQUISITION OF THEIR PROPERTY IN THE TOWN OF VIENNA, NY. THIS 443 ACRE PROPERTY ALREADY HAS A TRAIL SYSTEM AND OUR PLANS WILL BE TO TURN THIS INTO A PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA - THE STONE HOUSE PRESERVE. WE CONTINUED TO WORK ON 14 CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROJECTS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE TUG HILL REGION THAT, WHEN COMPLETED, WILL CONSERVE MORE THAN 5,718 ACRES OF LAND. FORM 990, PART III, LINE 4B PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS: AT THE END 2023, WE WILL HAVE PROTECTED 21,510 ACRES WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THROUGHOUT TUG HILL. IN ADDITION TO OUR CONSERVATION EASEMENT HOLDINGS, THTLT ALSO OWNS FOUR PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREAS, THE 140- ACRE JOSEPH BLAKE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN THE TOWN OF RUTLAND, JEFFERSON COUNTY, THE 120-ACRE FRENCH SETTLEMENT ROAD PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA IN THE TOWN OF LORRAINE, JEFFERSON COUNTY, THE 416-ACRE DAVID S. SMITH PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA IN THE TOWN OF LERAY, AND THE NEWEST PROPERTY, THE MOHAWK HILL PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA, 77.57 ACRES IN THE TOWN OF WEST TURIN LERAY. THE LAND TRUST IS CONTINUOUSLY WORKING TO OPEN ALL 757 ACRES OF OUR FEE OWNED PROPERTY, NOT ALREADY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, BY CREATING PARKING AREAS, TRAILS AND INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE AS FUNDING AND STAFF TIME ALLOW.