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The Latest News from the Peconic Land Trust
September 27, 2016
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Preserve of the Month
Reel Point Preserve
Shelter Island
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 The fragile sand peninsula of Reel Point Preserve, donated to the Peconic Land Trust in 1995 by Marsha and Herb Stern, is a beautiful wildlife habitat at the tip of Ram Island on Shelter Island. With American beach grass, seaside goldenrod and bayberry, the peninsula is a haven for migratory birds and butterflies, including osprey, piping plovers and Monarchs. But its existence is threatened by erosion. Your support is needed!
 Over the years the Trust, in partnership with the Town of Shelter Island and neighbors from Ram Island, has worked to stabilize the land with limited success. Storm erosion has significantly changed the configuration of the property. Since Hurricane Sandy, the Trust has worked with the Town to replenish Reel Point with dredge materials from nearby Coecles Harbor and Gardiner's Bay and plant materials purchased and installed with funds raised from contributions from Shelter Island residents.
 Unfortunately, this remediation has been temporary as erosion continues, and funds are needed to help us develop a better strategy. Earlier this year, the Town Board passed a resolution to grant the Trust half of the cost to conduct a study and develop a management plan for Reel Point. The study will be led by Lockwood, Kessler & Barlett, Inc., a highly respected and successful Long Island-based engineering and consulting firm.
We are asking our supporters to contribute to the study through a gift to the Trust. Please consider a gift today. If you have any questions, please contact Stewardship Manager Matthew Swain at 631.283.3195 ext. 36 or MSwain@PeconicLandTrust.org.
It is through the generosity of people like the Sterns that these fragile properties are protected for the future. Your support is also crucial as we work to ensure its future.
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Conservation
Community Preservation Fund Vote Yes on Prop 1 this November
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 Join us in supporting conservation and water quality improvements this November by voting YES to the extension of the Community Preservation Fund
(CPF)!
We are excited to share the news that the extension will be on the ballot this November in each of the five East End Towns (East Hampton, Riverhead, Southampton, Shelter Island and Southold). By voting YES this November for Proposition 1, not only will you ensure that the Towns have a funding stream for local conservation for another 20 years to 2050, but also you will also enable each of the five East End Towns the opportunity to invest up to 20% of their CPF funds toward water quality projects -- projects approved by each Town based on its own water quality plan.
 The CPF funds are an important tool for the Towns, allowing them to protect our important working farms, watersheds, wetlands, shorelines and historic resources. Over the past two decades, funding through the CPF has protected over 10,000 acres on the East End -- and CPF funds have often been leveraged with private contributions raised by conservation organizations, including the Peconic Land Trust.
 We urge you to let your Town know how important the CPF is to YOU, your family and friends. Please join us in voting for the CPF this November to protect Long Island's natural resources, community character, and heritage.
Want to learn more? Contact Julie Zaykowski, Director of Administration, at 631.283.3195 ext. 32.
 Help us spread the word: Many people mistakenly believe that the Peconic Land Trust and the CPF are one in the same -- when in fact it is our local Towns who receive and distribute the funds. The Trust raises its funds for conservation and operations primarily through donations from individuals and foundations. Nonetheless, we do work closely with all levels of government along with local communities and partner organizations, to conserve Long Island's working farms and natural lands. Thank you for helping us spread the word about the importance of the CPF! Click here for a flyer you can download to share.
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Habitat
Butterflies, Bees and Birds
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photo by Patrice Dalton
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This summer, we've been asking the question: What Matters Most to You? Thank you to everyone who's answered so far, and if you'd like to lend your voice we would love to hear from you! Take the survey now!
One enchanting surprise, our pollinator friends -- bees, birds and butterflies -- made it into the top 5 of what matters most. The conserved natural lands and farmland are perfect places to help these important "workers" thrive. At Quail Hill Farm, Scott Chaskey and crew "encouraged" the growth of over 4 acres of milkweed along Deep Lane; they also plant buckwheat (as a summer cover crop) repeatedly through the growing season to provide more forage for Mary Woltz's bees and to add to the field's fertility in three different locations around Quail Hill.
At Bridge Gardens, Rick Bogusch has planted two species of native milkweeds, which, along with the herb garden, provide a source of nectar for butterflies and other pollinators from spring through fall. If you listen closely you can really hear the garden buzzing!
South Fork Stewardship Manager Matt Swain notes that milkweed and goldenrod, beloved by pollinators, are naturally growing at a number of our Preserves, including Cove Hollow Farm Preserve in Wainscott, Blair Preserve in Sagaponack, Grassland Preserve in Montauk and our newest Preserve, D'Urso in Napeague.
In fact, the Trust actively manages over 1,264 acres of preserve lands throughout the East End,all of which make perfect habitat and support the migration routes for these important pollinators.
Want to learn more about what you can do at your home to help our winged friends? Contact Matt at 631.283.3195 or stop by Bridge Gardens or Quail Hill Farm. We love to talk about plants and pollination! You can also check out Make Way for Monarchs at www.makewayformonarchs.com, the organization founded by Gary Paul Nabhan for which Scott is an advisor.
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What's New at the Ag Center
My Long Island TV Visits with
Community Gardeners
and
Invincible Summer Farms stars in
Newsday Feature on Tomatoes
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Community Gardeners Shine on MyLITV
We know the community gardeners at the Agricultural Center -- who have been going strong since 2010 -- are having a great time, now you can see too!
Waldo Cabrera of MyLITV took time this summer to visit the farm in Southold to learn more -- and special thanks go out to community gardeners Ann Marie and Ken Lyons, Jeannie Calderale, Madelin Rothman, and Pamela Thompson for showing him what "community" means. Watch Now!
Newsday Focus on the Tomatoes of Summer
features Beautiful Video of
Stephanie Gaylor of Invincible Summer Farms
Talking Seed Saving!
Tomatoes are the star of this Newsday feature on the vegetables of summer, with Invincible Summer Farms' Stephanie Gaylor talking about her passion -- seed saving and making Long Island known for its tomatoes. See the article and video here, which also gives a nod to the tomatoes of MarGene Organic Farms, KK's The Farm, Sang Lee Farms, Balsam Farms, Quail Hill Farm, Open Minded Organics and Green Thumb. Thank you to photographers Randee Daddona and Jeffrey Basinger (editor) of Newday for this beautiful walk with Stephanie! |
Community
Photographer Michael Halsband features
Scott Chaskey and Quail Hill Farm for
Dean & DeLuca's Prince St
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There is a special romantic feeling to Quail Hill Farm and the words of the farm's poet/farmer Scott Chaskey. Photographer Michael Halsband -- the director of the documentary film Growing Farmers -- recently visited the farm for a project with Dean and DeLuca's new photo podcast, Live from Prince St.
The photos and accompanying story by Scott represent a beautiful ode to summer at the farm. Thank you to Michael and the folks Dean & DeLuca's at Live from Prince St. for spending time with us.
Sit back and visit:
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More from Quail Hill Farm . . .
Scott Chaskey and Quail Hill Farm are featured in this latest documentary from
We are so excited to share the video with you and to see the love of fresh, local vegetables and fruits by our young people!
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Support our 2016 Annual Fund
Permanence, Impact and Capacity
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 Imagine what Long Island, especially the East End, would look like without the work of the Trust. There would be fewer farms, less access to local food and open space, more development, and even more traffic. Not a pretty sight!
Now imagine the places you cherish. So much that we know and love is still in the crosshairs of development. Because of people like you, we have the knowledge, experience, and track record to conserve more, but we need your help to accomplish it.
Please join us by making a secure online donation today! Please help us do more by making a gift to our Annual Fund.
As we approach our 35th Anniversary in 2018, the Trust's Board and Staff have worked together to define a new vision for the future that consists of 3 major components: Permanence, Impact and Capacity.
Permanence relates to the Trust itself and our ability to fulfill our perpetual responsibilities. It includes the renovation and expansion of our main office as a permanent command center and gathering place to further our work while making all of our facilities as energy efficient as possible. It also means increasing our Stewardship Fund so we can effectively monitor and enforce conservation restrictions as well as manage our preserves in perpetuity.
In our vision, the Impact of our work will be greatly increased by expanding our Revolving Fund so we can act quickly to acquire more threatened land, and extending our Farms for the Future Initiative to assure that more protected farmland is accessible and affordable to farmers. With your help, we are also determined to broaden our educational programs at Bridge Gardens, our Ag Center, and Quail Hill Farm to assure an abundance of Clean Water, Healthy Habitats, and Historic Resources reflective of our unique heritage.
 In order to accomplish this vision, we must increase our Capacity with enhanced technology, new partnerships, and additional expertise and experience on our staff. The Trust's annual budget exceeds $4 million per year for core mission support, including an incredible professional staff of 25 that is engaged in a myriad of ways to conserve what we know and love through planning, land protection, stewardship, education, public policy, and more. We depend on private contributions from people like you to do this work. This is why your gift to our Annual Fund is so important -- you make it all possible! Thank you for your support and for sharing our vision. We look forward to great things ahead for the next 35 years!
Sincerely,
John v.H. Halsey
President
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Stewardship
Tips from Soil Health Workshop
with American Farmland Trust
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 Last week, the Trust partnered with American Farmland Trust, Cornell Cooperative Extension and Long Island Farm Bureau on a two-day program on soil health for farmers. The program provided hands-on learning for both established and new farmers on cover crops, including the seed mixtures, times to plant and maximizing the impact they make on the soil. Cover crops provide important benefits for farmers and for homeowners. Here are just a few reasons to plant cover crops in the fall and throughout the growing season:
- It uses the extra nitrogen in the soil from the growing season.
- It allows the soil to retain water more effectively.
- It can reduce soil erosion caused by winter winds.
 - It suppresses weed growth.
All of these things can help protect our water by reducing inputs into the sole source aquifer and make the soil more resistant to our extreme weather events -- big rains and winds. But this is not just for our farmers -- home gardeners can also use cover crops on their landscapes. And an added bonus: cover crops provide fantastic habitat for pollinators.
Have questions? Contact Dan Heston, Senior Manager of Agricultural Programs at 631.283.3195 or DHeston@PeconicLandTrust.org.
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Conservation
Southampton Town
Purchases Farmland Development Rights on
86 Acres in East Quogue from the Densieski Family
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Supervisor Jay Schneiderman with Town Board members Julie Lofstad and John Bouvier
at Densieski Farm on September 21
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On September 21, the Town of Southampton announced its latest farmland protection -- purchasing the development rights on the 86-acre Densieski farm in East Quogue.
The Densieski farmland joins previously protected farmland in the Quogue/East Quogue area -- the 114.2-acre Kijowski farm and 35.5-acre Wright farm -- bringing the total of protected farmland in the area to 236 acres.
Many years in the making, the Trust's planning staff provided advisory services to the Town and the family over the years. We are so pleased to see this farmland protected for future generations. Congratulations to the Town and the Densieski family!
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Connections
Join us in October to Hike, Plant,
Prune, Taste, and Gaze!
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 Friday, September 30, 4 - 5:30 pm
Fridays at Four, Tasting and Tour with Montauk Brewing Company
Bridge Gardens, 36 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton
Don't miss this final late afternoon tour in our Fridays at Four series. With a nod to Oktoberfest, we've partnered with Vaughan Cutillo of Montauk Brewing Company who will pour you a glass of his delicious beer, crafted in Montauk, before you head out for a guided walk with Garden Manager Rick Bogusch. Explore the many native and exotic grasses, late blooming perennials, chrysanthemums and dahlias, as well as the vegetable and herb beds showing off their autumn finery.
$20/person, $10/Bridge Gardens members. Space is limited, reservations required. Rain will cancel.
 Saturday, October 1, 7:30 - 9:30 pm Exploring the Night Sky
Bridge Gardens, 36 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton
Come to the Gardens for an evening of fun as we explore the night sky through the telescopes of astronomers Sean Tvelia and Dr. Mike Inglis of the Montauk Observatory! Bring your blanket or a chair and enjoy the celestial wonders you'll see when man-made sky glow is minimized. Southampton Town's Dark Skies Advisory Committee members will be on hand to talk about ways you can reduce the impact of light pollution on our environment. For more information on the Montauk Observatory, please visit www.MontaukObservatory.com.
Program is free, donations are gratefully appreciated. Call for your reservation today. Overcast sky/rain date is October 5.
 Saturday, October 8, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Hike - Play - Explore: Discover the Long Pond Greenbelt!
South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo) 377 Bridgehampton Turnpike, Bridgehampton
Bring the children and meet us for a morning nature exploration at the 18th Annual Celebration of the Long Pond Greenbelt! Enjoy guided trail walks, meet birds of prey with educators from the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, play games, make crafts, and participate in a wide variety of activities provided by local environmental and community organizations. Complimentary ice cream and lunchtime refreshments provided for all.
This event is sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt (FLPG), Peconic Land Trust, and the South Fork Natural History Museum (SoFo).
FREE! For more information and to RSVP, please contact FLPG at 631.745.0689. Rain or shine.
 Friday, October 14, 2 - 4 pm
Fall Pruning, Formal Pruning and Air Spading
Summerhill Nursery, 342 Town Lane, AmagansettPreparing your trees and shrubs for winter's harsh winds and heavy snow takes some know how. To learn what you should be doing now, meet us at Summerhill Nursery to learn the fundamental concepts behind pruning a variety of plants. We will also take a walk through the nursery to see examples of formal pruning techniques like pleaching, pollarding, and topiary. You'll also have a chance to see what a root system looks like below the ground when they demonstrate a full root excavation using an air spade. This is sure to be an exciting experience. $5/person. Reservations requested.
 Saturday, October 15, 10 - 11:30 am Grow More With Less
Bridge Gardens, 36 Mitchell Lane, Bridgehampton
Please join us as we host expert horticulturalist and author Vincent Simeone for his presentation to help you put your best gardening foot forward. Learn both short and long-term techniques for a low impact, sustainable landscape, including best practices for composting and mulching, selecting and planting trees, shrubs and perennials, managing invasive species, water conservation, and more. Vincent is the Director of Planting Fields Arboretum and teaches horticulture classes at New York Botanical Garden. His 6th book, Gardeners Guide to New York and New Jersey, was just published. Bring your copy for signing.
$10/person, free to Bridge Gardens members. Space is limited, reservations are required.
 Saturday, October 22, 9 - 11 am
Beachside Ecology Walk
Dune Road, Quogue
Long Island's coastline is alive in October as myriad wildlife species migrate south to warmer places. Migratory songbirds, birds of prey, pelagic birds, butterflies and dragonflies all participate in this annual north-south dance. John Turner, naturalist, educator, and author of Exploring the Other Island and Frank Quevedo, avid birder and Executive Director of the South Fork Natural History Museum, will lead us on this walk. Program is co-sponsored by the Trust and SoFo. Don't forget to bring your binoculars.
$5/person, reservations requested. Parking at the Village Beach lot on Dune Road, courtesy of the Village of Quogue. Rain cancels.
 Saturday, October 22, 10 am - noon Interested in Historic Preservation? A Discussion in Southold Southold Historical Society,
Ann Currie-Bell House at the Museum Complex
55200 Main Road, Southold
The Southold Historical Society is hosting a symposium on historic preservation. Trust staff Melanie Cirillo and Holly Sanford will join the conversation, moderated by Southold Historical Society Director Karen Lund-Rooney, and including historian and architectural consultant Zachary Studenroth and James Garretson, AIA, Chairman, Southold Historic Preservation Commission. Please join us for this interactive discussion.
FREE, reservations requested.
For more information, contact Project Manager Holly Sanford at 631.283.3195 or HSanford@PeconicLandTrust.org
Watercolors at Bridge Gardens:
 For all our artist (and budding artist) friends, Lois Bender will continue to offer watercolor classes from Noon to 3:00 p.m. every Saturday from September to December. Please join us in the garden house at Bridge Gardens -- it's a great way to spend the afternoon -- to develop your drawing and painting skills, and learn to capture the luscious beauty of summer and fall blooms throughout the garden.
Lois' classes are great for all levels of artists. For more information, and to register, please visit her website at
www.GardenSpiritsNY.com
A very special exhibition of Lois' watercolors
will be on display at the
garden house throughout the fall.
Stop by and see the beautiful art works
-- all of which are available for purchase, with
a percentage of proceeds to benefit Bridge Gardens!
 Don't Forget: Wednesday is Free Advice Day at Bridge Gardens when you can get Lawn and Landscape Care Tips from Perfect Earth Project expert Paul Wagner of Greener Pastures Organics. Stop by the gardens between 2 and 5 pm with your questions for Paul through
the end of October. And Garden Manager Rick Bogusch is always available to answer questions at the gardens. Look for him during your next visit! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Reservations for these and any other Trust events may be made
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Peconic Land Trust conserves Long Island's working farms, natural lands and heritage for our communities now and in the future.
Financial Disclosure Statement: A copy of the last financial report filed with the New York State Attorney General may be obtained in writing to: New York State Attorney General's Charities Bureau, Attn.: FOIL Officer, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271 or Peconic Land Trust, PO Box 1776, Southampton, NY 11969. Please help us further reduce our carbon footprint. If you change your address, or would like to receive all (or some) of your communications from the Peconic Land Trust by email, let us know! Contact Janet Schutt, Donor Services Manager, at 631.283.3195 ext. 24 or email her at JSchutt@PeconicLandTrust.org.
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