Release Date: November 8, 2021

Bedford Hills, NY—Westchester Land Trust (WLT) announced the permanent protection of 25 acres of land in Putnam Valley, through a conservation easement donated to WLT, its 212th. The completion of this conservation project brings the organization’s total preserved lands to 9,000 acres in Westchester and eastern Putnam counties. A conservation easement is an effective land conservation tool that involves a voluntary legal agreement between a property owner and a land trust that permanently restricts the development of a property to protect the land’s important conservation values. Conservation of this property allows for perpetual protection of wildlife habitat and local drinking water supplies.

The easement was donated to WLT by the Estate of Janine Metz who passed away in 2019. Mrs. Metz was a friend and longtime supporter of Westchester Land Trust who enjoyed attending WLT’s events and learning about the conservation values of her property. Mrs. Metz worked with WLT’s staff and leadership for several years to prepare this planned gift. The property itself was donated by the Estate to another nonprofit organization and will remain in private ownership. It is not open to the public.

“It is a sincere honor to be entrusted with this permanent conservation easement, especially knowing how much this land meant to Janine,” said Kara Whelan, vice president of WLT. “When I first walked this property with her in 2015, she reveled in the diverse habitat that she and her beloved husband had nurtured for so many years—from the apple orchard to the specimen oak and the wooded wetlands beyond the house. She was particularly fond of the many bird species and four-legged creatures that thrive on the property. Her vision was always for this land to serve as a special sanctuary for plants and animals and it is very rewarding to know that we have been able to honor her vision and legacy with this easement.”

Protection of this land was a priority for WLT because it is within the Hudson Highlands Region, a “nationally significant landscape” as codified in the federal Highlands Conservation Act and the New York State Open Space Conservation Plan. The land consists of an historic orchard, intact forest, approximately 10 acres of forest/shrub wetland that is part of a larger New York State Department of Environmental Conservation regulated wetland extending off the property, and an approximately 8-acre agricultural area currently cultivated for corn and other vegetables. The property functions as part of a contiguous open space assemblage which totals over 300 acres, including adjacent New York State parkland, and Westchester Land Trust’s 28-acre Danner Family Preserve, which is 1.5 miles to the south and open to the public for passive recreation. The property’s position among these undeveloped natural areas bolsters their ecological connectivity and landscape-scale function of the surrounding land.

“We are so fortunate to have generous property owners like Mrs. Metz include Westchester Land Trust in their wills,” said Steven DiFalco, land project coordinator at Westchester Land Trust. “Without her long-term vision and generosity, this important land might never have been protected. We’re truly thankful to Mrs. Metz for choosing to protect the mosaic of habitats on her property.”

About Westchester Land Trust

Based in Bedford Hills, the Westchester Land Trust works with public and private partners to preserve land in perpetuity and to 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 acquisition, WLT’s efforts benefit the long-term health of these communities by safeguarding air quality, food supply and community character, as well as critical watershed areas. Founded in 1988, WLT has preserved 9,000 acres of open space. More than 1,000 acres of land are owned by the organization which are free and open to the public year-round. WLT was one of the first land trusts in the nation to receive accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.

For further information about WLT, please visit westchesterlandtrust.org and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram (@WestchesterLandTrust), as well as Twitter (@WLT_NY).

For additional information about planned giving opportunities at Westchester Land Trust or conservation easements, please contact Kara H. Whelan, Vice President, at 914.234.6992 etc. 12 or Kara@westchesterlandtrust.org.