Bedford Hills, NY— Westchester Land Trust (WLT), a nationally accredited land conservation nonprofit headquartered in Bedford Hills, NY, was awarded three grants totaling $93,500 by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) as part of the latest round of Conservation Partnership Program (CPP) funding announced May 7, 2024. The funds will be used to support three different projects: to partially support the de-development and restoration of 174 acres within a federal and state recognized conservation corridor in Patterson, NY, to support parking lot enhancements at its flagship preserve in Pound Ridge, and to improve public access to nature through signage and communications in Lewisboro and Cortlandt.

The CPP awarded more than $3M in grants to 44 nonprofit land trusts across the state. The 64 funded projects protect water quality, prevent farmland conversion, boost public access for outdoor recreation, and conserve open space. The grants are supported by the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and will be used to leverage an additional $2.5 million in private and local funding.

“We celebrate the many inspiring conservation groups who secured these competitive grants to protect the land, water, and air that our communities rely on,” said Kara Whelan, president of Westchester Land Trust. “The three CPP grants we received will help us connect more people to nature and allow us to smartly steward the land in our care. We thank the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar, Governor Kathy Hochul, and the Land Trust Alliance for their commitment to our shared work.”

WLT was awarded $50,000 to support de-development and restoration efforts at its Little Pond Preserve in Patterson, NY. Located in the Highlands region of New York State, the preserve sits within a regionally significant forest and expands on an existing corridor of 4,000 acres of protected open space, including NYSDEC’s 1,085-acre Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area and the 6,000-acre Great Swamp. The de-development process will include the demolition of several structures and restoration of disturbed areas. WLT acquired Little Pond Preserve in 2022 after connecting with the landowner through Hudson to Housatonic Regional Conservation Partnership, a landscape scale collaborative that was funded by a 2017 CPP Catalyst grant.

“Restoring this ecologically significant landscape plays an important role in improving the climate resiliency of our communities by ensuring the land remains free from development,” said Nanette Bourne, vice chair of WLT’s Board of Directors. “From filtering drinking water to absorbing floodwaters and cooling the air, the forests and wetlands protected here will help mitigate the increasing impacts of climate change in the surrounding area.”

The second grant, awarded at $29,500, will be used to improve parking at its flagship Westchester Wilderness Walk / Zofnass Family Preserve in Pound Ridge, NY. The current parking layout is insufficiently designed to accommodate the community’s need for access, especially with increased visitorship post-pandemic. The new parking area will be constructed of a material that is both durable and ecologically friendly.

WLT’s third grant, for $14,500, will enable the organization to continue its efforts to provide more inclusive public access to nature by supporting research on current accessibility requirements and the ability to create a system for assessing and communicating trail accessibility. This will help users make informed decisions about visiting preserves that match their skill and ability levels.

Since its launch in 2002, the CPP has awarded 1,208 grants totaling more than $31 million

have been awarded to 94 land trusts. Cumulatively, the State’s investment has leveraged an additional $32 million in private and local funding. The Land Trust Alliance administers the CPP in coordination with New York State DEC.

We acknowledge that our region is within the traditional territories of the Lenape people and that their culture and traditions live on today. We strive to incorporate the priorities from Indigenous Peoples and underserved community members into our land conservation practices.