12 acres with 2000 feet of frontage on Fall Creek just took a step toward remaining natural this week, as the Finger Lakes Land Trust reports:
The Land Trust announced today that it has accepted the donation of a 12-acre parcel that features more than 2,000 feet of frontage on Fall Creek. The property is located in the Town of Dryden on State Route 366, just upstream of the hamlet of Etna and is the ninth conservation project completed by the Land Trust along Fall Creek....
"We're grateful to Elizabeth and Roger for this thoughtful memorial to James Henderson," says Land Trust Executive Director Andrew Zepp. "The property provides excellent habitat for fish and wildlife and will help ensure water quality within Fall Creek and Cayuga Lake. It is also part of a growing network of protected lands along the creek."
The Henderson property features hardwood forests on both sides of a shallow stretch of the creek that is populated by countless crayfish. It also encompasses several grassy islands within Fall Creek. Abundant birdlife found in the area includes regular use by Great Blue Herons, ducks, and geese. Access to the site is provided by a gravel pull-off located on the west side of Route 366, just south of its intersection with Kirk Road.
In addition to this latest acquisition, the Land Trust also owns and manages conservation areas along the creek just downstream of Etna, near the hamlet of McLean, and adjacent to Lake Como near Fall Creek's headwaters. The organization has also partnered with the Town of Dryden and the Village of Freeville to secure additional lands in this area.
(Thanks to Hilary Lambert for the tip!)
Update: And here it is in the Ithaca Journal.
Posted by simon at November 22, 2011 12:11 PM in Etna , natural areas