Kevin and Kathleen Armstrong of Naples, Ontario County, NY.

Why did you conserve your land?  What motivated you?

The land has such deep personal meaning and value to our family that we could not bare the thought of it being altered from the wild state that we had enjoyed it in for the last 40 years.

With the land under the stewardship of the Finger lakes Land Trust (FLLT) we knew that it would remain in its wild state and that other people could enjoy the beauty and bounty of nature here as we have.  The fact that the FLLT could assure us that a limited number of people would be allowed to hunt deer there was a major positive influence in our consideration.

How did you conserve your land?

We sold our property to the Land Trust and I am thrilled they have the property now.  I trust them completely in management and stewardship.

What makes your land so special to you?

The land on South Hill is special to our family in so many ways.  We have had the happiest times of our lives there hunting, enjoying the history, and observing all manner of wild flora and fauna.  The views of the Naples and Middlesex Valleys are beautiful and inspirational.  I have always felt a spiritual presence there that I have never felt anywhere else on earth.  The rich history that predates the Iroquois and the Seneca legend of ‘The Great Hill’ all blend with our personal relationship to the land and forest to create the very special aura of this place.  The Seneca called The Great Hill ‘Nun Da Wa O’ meaning ‘The Hub of the Universe’.  We concur.