Tom Reimers, June 26, 1945–January 23, 2019
Learn more about Tom’s life here.

Why did you choose to conserve your land?  What motivated you?

In 1978 I moved to Ithaca from Colorado and immediately fell in love with the Finger Lakes region, its forests, lakes, gorges, waterfalls, and open spaces.  Then in the 1990s I decided I wanted to own and protect a property here.  I looked around for about 5 years and finally found the perfect place in the Town of Danby, Tompkins County.

I purchased 53 acres of remote forest and former agricultural fields in 1998.  I immediately granted a conservation easement to the Finger Lakes Land Trust that would protect the property forever.  I donated the property to the Land Trust in December 2013 confident that this property would be protected and get even better over time.  The Land Trust will sell the property to a like-minded conservation buyer.

What makes your land so special to you?

I enjoy hiking, birding, and otherwise exploring nature.  This property allowed me to do that for many years.

Anything else you would like to add?

All of my family members live in Nebraska, and I have no children.  So, I wonder sometimes why I want to protect land in New York that I cannot pass on to my family.  I’m not exactly sure what the answer is, but I am extremely happy that I have been able to preserve a small piece of this beautiful part of the world for future generations of New Yorkers… Nebraskans… and anyone else.