Dutchess Land Conservancy Inc.

Filing Period

Jan 1, 2012 to Dec 31, 2012

Signed

Jul 23, 2013

Return Version

2012v2.1

Gross Receipts

$4,108,107

Mission

Major Activities

Activity 2

Stewardship: the organization has now protected 36,100 acres stewarding 361 easements. The organization aerial monitors all properties annually and ground monitors its easements on a three to four year rotational basis. In 2012, the organization aerial monitored all conservation easements and completed 90 on a rotational ground monitoring schedule through staff and land stewards. The organization worked on over 27 stewardship matters from prior approval requests and land management questions to resolving easement issues. Each year the organization works to update old baseline documentation files. Staff strives to keep up to date on internet services such as microsoft's mapslive.com and google earth which provide very useful additional sources of aerial photography. The organization's stewardship responsibilities continue to increase each year as more and more easements are accepted. The organization continues to improve the tracking of easement protected property sales, communication with land owners and maintaining a "watch list" of easement protected land on the market to check for new ownership. Throughout the year staff files critical easement related documents in the organization's archival storage unit in an off-site facility to ensure the long-term safety of the organization's most valuable documents. Volunteers: in order to help with stewardship and monitoring easements, the organization's land stewards volunteer team worked together with staff to successfully complete ground monitoring.

Activity 3

EDUCATION: EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT CONSERVATION TOOLS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE ORGANIZATION'S MISSION. THE ORGANIZATION'S STAFF REGULARLY TALK WITH MUNICIPALITIES, SCHOOL GROUPS, SERVICE AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, AND PRIVATE LANDOWNERS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LAND PRESERVATION, SOUND PLANNING, QUALITY GROWTH THAT PROTECTS IMPORTANT RESOURCES, AND WAYS TO KEEP FARMERS ON THE LAND. LOCAL OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN EAGERLY ATTENDING THE ORGANIZATION'S ANNUAL TOWN BOARD BREAKFASTS WHICH SERVES TO BRING TOWNS AND THE ORGANIZATION TOGETHER ON COOPERATIVE ISSUES AND IDEAS. In 2012, the organization hosted a Soils Testing Workshop, educated high school students at Dover Junior Senior High School during Earth Day, hosted a walk about the impacts of upstream pollutants and a Cool Ravine Walk both during Watershed Awareness Week at the Dover Stone Church Preserve, and held a Deer Management Workshop. The organization's public outreach also included attending and hosting educational displays at the Millbrook Horse Trials, IBM Awareness Day, the Fine Home Show in Millbrook, and the Orvis Game Show. Additionally, the organization participated with many like-minded organizations in collaborative educational events including hosting a frog-monitor training with the DEC's Estuary Program, and co-sponsoring two speakers with Oblong Land Conservancy on Forest Forensics and Climate Change. The organization partnered with the Finality Farm Sheep Dog Trials for a day of family fun held on a protected property and also hosted its 9th Annual Town Board Breakfast attended by over 30 local leaders representing nine Dutchess County towns and the County Planning Department. The organization did its spring monitoring of purple loosestrife plots as part of its Millbrook Marsh Beetle Release Project. The Organization participated in and attended numerous events including the Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation's Doing Good radio show (NPR), a Land Trust Alliance Leadership Training Workshop, an Audubon Environmental Leadership Dinner honoring Kathy Wriston, a Land Trust Service Centers' meeting at the Trustees of Reservation office in Massachusetts, a Hudson Valley Land Trust leaders' gathering in Beacon, a "Conversation with a Farmer" program at the Red Devon in Stanfordville, a National Agriculture Day breakfast, Winnakee Land Trust's Trails Workshop, a Glynwood Center and Vassar Farms event, and the Fishkill Farms Apple Blossom Festival. The Organization presented at the Town of LaGrange Town Board meeting about the Sleight Farm PDR and met with several other conservation organizations to discuss topics of mutual concern and interest. Staff also attended numerous seminars, classes and webinars to increase knowledge, participated on numerous committees (state, regional and local) and attended various gatherings to promote awareness of the environment, land conservation and the organization's work. The Organization's President continues to serve as Chairman of the Land Trust Alliance's New York Advisory Board.

Filer

EIN

14-1667526