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The Nature Conservancy Buys More Land In The Finger Lakes

dec.ny.gov

The Nature Conservancy says that with the help of some land purchases, it has been able to do more to protect land near some important Finger Lakes that helps ensure water quality and other impacts on the environment.

The conservation organization has acquired a 154 acre tract of land in Conesus and a 25 acre tract in Canadice. The land in Conesus would be worth about $200,000 on the open market, but the person who owns it, Priscilla Tuohey, sold the land to the Nature Conservancy for about half that amount because she wanted to help the organization acquire the property.

Jim Howe is executive director of the Nature Conservancy in Central and Western New York. He says the purchase helps protect drinking water in this area.

"They're both really important for water quality in the Finger Lakes because they are on steep slopes. They're both entirely forested, and if these were in the wrong hands they could be developed or clear cut, and then we'd see sediment and runoff into our finger lakes, so these are really important acquisitions for us."

Howe says some of this land also helps protect habitat for migratory birds.

Randy Gorbman is WXXI's director of news and public affairs. Randy manages the day-to-day operations of WXXI News on radio, television, and online.