Wildlife-rich property forms part of National Audobon Society Important Bird Area.
Ithaca, NY — The Finger Lakes Land Trust, a non-profit conservation organization, today announced official receipt of 140 acres of wildlife-rich wetlands located in the heart of the Finger Lakes Region donated by Enterprise Products Partners L.P.
The wetlands area is located near the south end of Seneca Lake bordering State Route 14 just outside of the Village of Watkins Glen. The site is actually located in the Town of Dix and the Village of Montour Falls. The wetlands border New York State’s Catharine Creek Wildlife Management Area and the popular Catharine Valley Trail.
The property to be donated by Enterprise is part of a wetland complex that spans more than 1,000 acres and has been recognized by the National Audubon Society as one of New York State’s Important Bird Areas. The area provides habitat for a diversity of birds including migratory waterfowl, songbirds, and the Bald Eagle and is recognized as a priority for protection in New York State’s Open Space Plan.
Photo: Bill Hecht
Over the course of the next year, the Land Trust intends to work in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to enhance the property’s wildlife habitats. Efforts will be made to diversify wetland habitats that will be visible from the Catharine Valley Trail. In the future, the organization intends to work with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and a locally-based, non-profit Wetland Trust to provide for long-term management of the site.
“This is a wonderful gift,” says Land Trust Executive Director Andrew Zepp. “By donating this property, Enterprise has ensured the future of these productive wetlands while providing us with the opportunity to enhance their value for wildlife.”
Danika Yeager, regional director, Eastern Pipelines for Enterprise Products, said, “Enterprise is committed to being a good corporate neighbor, as well as a safe and reliable operator, and is pleased to partner with Finger Lakes Land Trust to make this valuable resource available to the community.”
Acquisition of these wetlands is the fifth project undertaken by the Finger Lakes Land Trust to secure natural resources found in the vicinity of Watkins Glen and Montour Falls. The organization has already protected more than 200 acres of steep hillsides on the west side of State Route 14 and 200 additional acres of woodlands near the headwaters of Glen Creek – the stream that flows through Watkins Glen State Park. These lands were protected through direct acquisition as well as the use of conservation easements. Conservation easements are legal agreements that limit future development while allowing land to remain in private ownership and on the tax rolls.
The Finger Lakes Land Trust is a membership supported non-profit conservation organization that works cooperatively with landowners and local communities to conserve those undeveloped lands that are vital to the character of the 12-county Finger Lakes Region. To date, the Land Trust has permanently protected more than 15,000 acres of the region’s pristine shoreline, majestic forests, scenic farms, and rugged gorges. The organization today owns and manages a network of 30 conservation areas that are open to the public and also holds conservation easements on 100 properties that remain in private ownership. Additional information about the Land Trust may be obtained by visiting www.fllt.org or calling (607) 275-9487.
Enterprise Products Partners L.P. is one of the largest publicly traded partnerships and a leading North American provider of midstream energy services to producers and consumers of natural gas, NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals. Our services include: natural gas gathering, treating, processing, transportation and storage; NGL transportation, fractionation, storage and import and export terminals; crude oil and refined products transportation, storage and terminals; offshore production platforms; petrochemical transportation and services; and a marine transportation business that operates primarily on the United States inland and Intracoastal Waterway systems and in the Gulf of Mexico. The partnership’s assets include approximately 51,000 miles of onshore and offshore pipelines; 200 million barrels of storage capacity for NGLs, crude oil, refined products and petrochemicals; and 14 billion cubic feet of natural gas storage capacity. Additional information regarding Enterprise can be found on its website, www.enterpriseproducts.com.
