A Family-Friendly Volunteer Opportunity to Protect the Planet and Beautify Westchester County

New York State Senator Shelley Mayer and Westchester Land Trust, a leading conservation organization working to protect the natural resources in Westchester and eastern Putnam counties,  are partnering to co-host an Earth Day of Action on Saturday, May 4th , from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM,  at WLT’s Otter Creek Preserve in Mamaroneck, NY. Earth Day of Action activities included a guided hike through the Preserve and volunteer opportunities including building bog bridges, planting wildflowers, beautifying the landscape, and removing invasive plants. Community members and families from across the region are invited to attend and give back to the Earth.  Go to bit.ly/EarthDaysofAction (Copy & paste link in address bar) to sign up for a morning or afternoon volunteer shift and learn more.

In 2015, WLT acquired Otter Creek Preserve as part of a transfer from The Nature Conservancy. The Preserve is WLT’s largest in southern Westchester, and the most ecologically diverse of its 30 preserves in the region. The largest privately-owned tidal wetland protected as a nature sanctuary in Westchester County, Otter Creek was also designated a Geologic Area of Particular Concern by the NY State Department of Environmental Conservation in 1978, and shortly thereafter, the Village of Mamaroneck declared it a Critical Environmental Area.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Senator Mayer for an Earth Day of Action at WLT’s Otter Creek Preserve in Mamaroneck. We applaud the Senator for having such a positive impact on our community and look forward to working together on May 4th. We invite families and residents to join us as we clean-up and beautify Otter Creek. Opportunities will be plentiful for those interested in giving back to Mother Nature. Lizzy Kaplan, Mamaroneck High School Student and WLT mentee, will also lead a guided hike through the Preserve. Our Earth Day of Action truly is a great way to show community members of all ages the importance of environmental stewardship, giving back and conservation,” said Lori Ensinger, WLT President.

“I am proud to join Westchester Land Trust for an Earth Day of Action at WLT’s Otter Creek Preserve in Mamaroneck. This is a family-friendly effort to care for our community, and I encourage volunteers to join us as a way to give back and to instill in younger generations the importance of caring for our land. Thank you to WLT and President Lori Ensinger for your work and advocacy to protect and preserve Westchester’s natural resources. WLT provides many opportunities for volunteers to give back to the community year round, and we must carry with us the responsibility of taking care of our environment everyday, not just on Earth Day,” said State Senator Shelley B. Mayer.

All passionate, caring, and earth-loving individuals are encouraged to get out, participate, and make a difference. Go to bit.ly/EarthDaysofAction (Copy & paste link in address bar.) to sign up for a morning or afternoon shift and learn more.

Photo Caption: Since 2017, hundreds of community members, Mamaroneck School District (MSD) students, and WLT volunteers, have come together and graciously donated over 1,000 hours to plant over 600 trees, shrubs, herbs, and flowers at Otter Creek Preserve in Mamaroneck. New York State Senator Shelley Mayer and WLT staffers and volunteers invite community members of all ages to join them on May 4th, from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM for an Earth Day of Action at Otter Creek Preserve. Go to bit.ly/EarthDaysofAction (Copy & paste link in address bar.) to sign up and learn more.

About State Senator Shelley Mayer

Shelley Mayer has spent her career as an advocate for New Yorkers. She is an experienced and progressive leader. Shelley was elected to the New York State Senate to represent the 37th District in an April 2018 Special Election, and she was subsequently re-elected in November 2018. Prior to her time in the State Senate, she served in the State Assembly for six years. From 1982 to 1994, Shelley was an Assistant Attorney General in the office of New York Attorney General Bob Abrams where she handled major reproductive health litigation. Shelley served in the Civil Rights Bureau, as Chief of the Westchester Regional Office, as the legislative liaison for the Attorney General and ultimately as a senior advisor to the Attorney General. As an Assistant Attorney General, Shelley fought to protect civil rights for New Yorkers and to broaden laws protecting consumers and tenants. Shelley received a JD from SUNY Buffalo School of Law in 1979 and a Bachelor of Arts from UCLA in 1975. Shelley lives in Yonkers with her husband of 36 years, Lee Smith.

About Westchester Land Trust

Based in Bedford Hills, NY the Westchester Land Trust has worked for 30 years with public and private partners to preserve land forever and protect and enhance the natural resources in Westchester and eastern Putnam counties—a densely populated region under persistent threat from the pressures of development. Through the use of conservation easements and outright land acquisition, WLT’s efforts benefit the long-term health of these communities by safeguarding critical watershed areas, air quality, food supply and natural habitats, as well as contributing to climate resiliency.  Since its founding in 1988, WLT has preserved nearly 8,400 acres of open space including 775 acres of preserves owned by the organization which are free and open to the public year-round.