New Suffolk Waterfront: Conservation Philanthropist Louis Bacon's Robins Island Holdings LLC partners with New Suffolk Waterfront Fund and Peconic Land Trust on the Protection of 1-acre Waterfront Parcel
At the end of July, conservation philanthropist
Louis Bacon's Robins Island Holdings LLC purchased 1.1 acres of the southernmost portion of the New Suffolk waterfront from the
New Suffolk Waterfront Fund, and simultaneously conveyed a conservation easement on the property to the Peconic Land Trust.
"Congratulations to the New Suffolk Waterfront Fund and the Peconic Land Trust. Both organizations have been excellent partners in this outstanding community preservation project. After years of concern over the threat of over-development, together we crafted a resolution which protects a critical viewshed for New Suffolk and North Fork residents," said Mr. Bacon. "This private, public and nonprofit collaboration can be an example for others working to preserve the character of their communities in the future." In 2010, the New Suffolk Waterfront Fund (NSWF), a community based organization, acquired 3.4 acres along the waterfront from the Peconic Land Trust. The Trust had purchased the property, which had been threatened by development, in 2007 with the intention of transferring ownership to the community.
For more information on this project, click here.
"Robins Island Holdings and the
Robins Island Foundation are the best possible neighbors one could wish for," said Barbara Schnitzler, Chair of the NSWF. "The acre of property they have purchased will remain substantially open space, and its views protected, thereby enabling the NSWF to now concentrate all of our energies on rebuilding and restoring our remaining 2.3 acres for community use."
Melanie Cirillo Joins the Trust as Director of Conservation Planning
Peconic Land Trust's President John v.H. Halsey is pleased to announce that Melanie Cirillo has "rejoined" the Peconic Land Trust as Director of Conservation
Planning, a position she held with the organization nearly 14 years ago. Melanie joins a seasoned team in the conservation programs department, which includes the Trust's President John v.H. Halsey, Vice President Tim Caufield, Project Managers Dawn Haight, Kim Quarty and Luke McKay, and Project Assistant Thomas Hobson.
"It was a happy coincidence that Melanie was ready to jump back in at the same time we were searching for a new Director. Melanie was instrumental in the evolution of the department in the 1990s -- a time of tremendous growth in conservation opportunities for the organization. I'm looking forward to working with Melanie and the conservation planning department as we continue to navigate the current landscape of conservation challenges," said John.
Melanie, a Long Island native, joined the Trust originally in 1992. In 1999, Melanie left the Trust to raise her young children and to work with her husband on growing his local business. "I'm thrilled to be back with the Trust," said Melanie. "When the opportunity arose to rejoin the Trust, it came at a perfect time for me and my family. While I have been away from this work actively, I've remained in contact with John and members of the staff over the years. While many things have changed, the core work remains the same and I have felt very comfortable rejoining the staff and look forward to working with landowners on conservation planning -- so important to maintaining the quality of life for future generations."
New York State Land Conservation Summit
Call for Presentations and Sponsors 
April 10 - 11, 2014, The Thayer Hotel, West Point New York
The Peconic Land Trust, working in partnership with more than a dozen land trusts across New York State, is in the planning stages of a land conservation conference focused on issues important to land protection in the state. The summit, entitled
Investing in Healthy Communities, will bring together a diverse, sophisticated and enthusiastic group of conservation leaders, practitioners, decision-makers and stakeholders for an intensive two-day summit to share knowledge and learn from experts on effective land protection tools and techniques, fundraising strategies and public/private partnerships.
A call for presentations is currently underway! Visit
www.NYSLandSummit.org for more information on presentation topics and to submit your ideas. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
This is a great opportunity to meet with land conservation professionals and volunteers from across New York State. For more information, contact Dawn Haight at 631.283.3195 or email
DHaight@PeconicLandTrust.org.
The Summit is funded in part through the Environmental Protection Fund and New York State Conservation Partnership Program, administered by the Land Trust Alliance in coordination with the Department of Environmental Conservation. Quail Hill Farm Winter CSA Shares
Near Amagansett this winter? Quail Hill Farm has winter CSA shares available. The winter share season starts just before Thanksgiving through February 2014. From sweet potatoes and carrots to winter squash, greenhouse greens and garlic.
Interested?
Click here for more details or call Robin Harris at 631.283.3196 or
RHarris@PeconicLandTrust.org for more details.
Farmland in the News 
Growing Farmers: The Trust documentary about our work with young farmers is going international -- and will be in NYC -- during the month of October!
- October 14-18: Life Sciences Film Festival in Prague
- October 16-20: IndieCork, independent film festival in Cork, Ireland
- October 24: part of Stony Brook University's National Food Day programs
- October 27: NYC Food Film Festival -- part of their Farm to Table to Film special screening -- with a "snack" featuring produce from our local farmers, specially prepared by local Chef Keith Luce! Tickets are still available. Includes panel discussion with director/co-producer Michael Halsband, co-producer Hilary Leff, Trust President John v.H. Halsey, and North Fork Stewardship Manager Dan Heston. Read about it in the latest issue of the new Edible Long Island!
Suffolk County Farmland Stewardship: This summer, the New York office of
American Farmland Trust put out a series of interviews with Suffolk County farmers on initiatives they are taking to protect Long Island water and soil -- profiles on the Halseys, Fosters, Schmitts and Sidors are included!
Read their stories here.
Our friends at the Amagansett Food Institute have partnered with Long Island Cares, 
a LI-based food bank, for the distribution of produce from AFI member farms to the LI Cares program. AFI member farms will pool their surplus, with AFI handling the pick up and distribution to LI Cares. LI Cares receives both state and private funding, and recently agreed to spend up to $100,000 over the next year purchasing food from local farms and delivering it to food pantries. LI Cares will pay AFI for the food it brings to the organization -- and AFI will in turn pay its farm members for their contributions. To learn more about this program, visit the
Farm Credit East this winter will host a three-part seminar series:
GenerationNext: 
Management Development for Today's Progressive Businesses It's aimed at young farmers, ages 20 to 35 who are the middle-managers/managers of a farm or agricultural business and who would like to identify areas for personal growth & development; gain the tools that can be used to manage your business and network with other young farmers.
Each seminar will run from 9:30 am to 3:00 pm.
Dates: December 3, January 7 and February 4. For more information, contact Katie Bliss at Farm Credit East at 631.727.2188 or
Kaitlin.Bliss@farmcrediteast.com.
Thank You for a Wonderful Summer Season!
Thank you for joining us at many of the Trust's special, educational and recreational 
events during the summer of 2013 -- as we kicked-off our 30th Anniversary. We encourage you to visit our Facebook pages -- Peconic Land Trust, Quail Hill Farm, Agricultural Center at Charnews Farm and Bridge Gardens -- to enjoy photos from this past summer! Here are just a few of the highlights:
- Through Farms and Fields: our annual benefit this year at the magnificent Port
of Missing Men celebrated the conservation legacy of the families of Peter Salm and Louis Bacon! - At the Common Table: the 10th anniversary of this fabled dinner, featuring the wines of Channing Daughters and food by local East End chefs, led by Joe Realmuto of Nick & Toni's. Both Channing Daughters and Joe Realmuto have contributed their time and talents for all 10 years of the dinner's history!
- Bridge Gardens' Brunch: the second annual of this lovely afternoon amongst the late summer blooms with great food by Chef Bryan Futerman.
- Connections: from hikes and walks, watercolor classes, cooking with local ingredients, searching for ladybugs and sea creatures, to gardening, photography, barn dancing, teepee building, farm
visits and more . . . the summer of 2013 was full of family friendly programs across the twin forks! - Plein Air Peconic: the artists & photographers of Plein Air Peconic have continued to capture the beauty of our working farmland and natural lands -- showcasing their works in support of land conservation.
- Grown on Long Island Day: for the third year, we were pleased to work with the Long Island Farm Bureau and Cornell Cooperative Extension to support this wonderful Countywide farmers market at the Suffolk County Farm.
- HARVEST East End: thank you again to the Long Island Wine Council and Merliance for their support of the Trust as well as other local charities at this annual showcase of Long Island wine and food! It was wonderful to have Governor Cuomo there to celebrate our local wine region! The event was held at McCall's Vineyard & Ranch -- a wonderful showcase for land conservation. Congratulations to McCall for being named 2013 New York Winery of the Year from the NY Wine & Grape Foundation!
- All for the East End: the inaugural concert for this new organization, who's mission is to support all local charities on the East End -- was fantastic. Producer Nile Rodgers brought together an amazing line up of performers for an extraordinary Dance Party!
