The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) today announced that it has acquired 68 wooded acres overlooking Skaneateles Lake in the town of Niles. The property features steep hillsides overlooking the lake, 4,300 feet of frontage on Glen Haven Road, and contains more than two miles of streambank on nine tributaries, making it significant for watershed protection.

The FLLT responded quickly when it learned that the property was under foreclosure by Cayuga County for unpaid taxes. The organization purchased the property for the total amount of unpaid taxes and is now assessing long-term options for its management.

Photo: Bill Hecht

“We really appreciate the willingness of the Cayuga County legislature to work with us to conserve this special property,” said Land Trust Executive Director Andrew Zepp.

This latest acquisition is located within an FLLT focus area known as the Skaneateles Highlands, an arc of high hills extending from Carpenter Falls on the lake’s western shore to the Staghorn Cliffs in the east. The highlands are recognized as a priority project in New York State’s Open Space Plan and play an important role in ensuring water quality within the lake, which serves as the unfiltered drinking water supply for the city of Syracuse. The forests near the south end of the lake are also recognized by National Audubon as one of the state’s “Important Bird Areas” due to the diversity of birds that can be found nesting there.

This purchase was made possible by an internal loan from the Land Trust’s Opportunity Fund, a revolving fund reserved for key time-sensitive acquisitions. A fundraising campaign is now underway to replenish the fund. For more information, please contact Senior Director Kelly Makosch at (607) 275-9487 or kellymakosch@fllt.org.