Dorene Warner

Volunteers enrich outdoor experiences on Tug Hill

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volunteers in the wood working to clear the trails of debris

When Bob McNamara decided to volunteer for the land trust, he wasn’t thinking about becoming a ‘mover and shaker.’ Rather, he just wanted to share his love of the outdoors and have fun with other people on Tug Hill. A few years ago, he took the lead on getting the Tug Hill Traverse Trail, a 20-mile hiking trail through the heart of Tug Hill, underway.

But time spent with Bob has done much more than build a trail. “Bob has become an inspiration for me,” remarked Bob Keller, who also volunteers. “He’s so passionate about making a difference, and he knows that no matter your age, your skills, or how much time you have, there’s something you can do to make Tug Hill a bit better. He’s also brought a lot of fun to the task at hand.”

Thanks to their enthusiasm, we now we have two Bobs who are passionate about volunteering, along with so many others. The impact is indeed inspiring.

“Getting outside and working on the trail with a great group of people is as much fun as hanging out with folks bird watching or canoeing,” reflects Bob McNamara. “We all feel like we’ve made a difference together. I hope others join us.”

 

Tug Hill Traverse Trail Volunteer Work Days

Join us in the heart of the Tug Hill region to help maintain and extend this 20-mile north/south hiking trail through the deep woods. Stay for an hour, stay for the day – it’s all good.

Days to help maintain and extend the Traverse Trail from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on:

Fri, July 12
Sat, July 27
Fri, Aug 9
Sat, Aug24
Fri, Sept 6
Sat, Sept 21

Email Lin to sign up and receive all the details for the day via email.

You’re helping pollinators at our conservation areas

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Bee on purple flower

When Serena Soldani went out to clean off her car this spring, something clicked. “Normally, I would mutter to myself about all the pollen on my car,” she said, “but this spring, given how stressed pollinators are, I decided to be happy about it.”

Serena is on to something. Nationally, we are witnessing a crash of pollinators. A 2022 comprehensive survey in New York found that more than 60% of the insect populations studied ranked as insecure, with 25% at risk and 15% not seen in New York since 2000. Declines are due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and extreme weather caused by climate change.

You may be aware of this, given increasing concern about honeybees in the news, but all pollinators are feeling the stress. According to Cornell University’s Pollinator Network, New York is thought to have approximately 450 wild bee species. Wild bees are often solitary and live in burrows excavated into the ground, in wood, or pithy plant stems.

Click the photos to learn more about each of these pollinators.

Bees need a diverse diet

Trees and flowering plants offer different levels of proteins and vitamins that pollinators eat and use to feed their young, and a broad mix of sources keeps them healthy. That’s one of the many reasons that conserving and managing woodlands, along with a mix of meadow areas, provides important habitats for pollinators like bees, moths, flies, butterflies and birds.

Conservation areas like the Joseph A. Blake Wildlife Sanctuary in the town of Rutland, as well as newer conservation areas like the David Smith Conservation Area in the town of LeRay, and Keller Mohawk Hill in West Turin, are serving as critical havens for both people and pollinators alike.

As extreme weather increases, connecting areas of conserved land—including a mosaic of fields, meadows, stream corridors, and woodlands—will give wildlife of all kinds a better chance to thrive over time. Not only is our agricultural landscape dependent on healthy pollinators, but the woodland plants you love, including many of the iconic trees in our forests, depend upon them for survival.

 

What you can do

In addition to supporting greater land conservation and habitat, each of us can also play a role by enhancing the pollinator habitat around our communities. Recommendations from Cornell include:

  • Include native plants in your garden or landscape that support birds and wildlife throughout the year.
  • Reduce pesticides and herbicides as they threaten non-target species like pollinators.
  • Control invasive plants and maintain native species. Invasive plants outcompete and displace the natives that have co-evolved with our native pollinators over thousands of years. Selecting species that bloom throughout the year gives pollinators continuous food sources.
  • Consider pollinators when mowing. Reducing mowing frequency, staggering areas cut, and cutting at the tallest setting helps preserve floral resources and protect habitat for ground-nesting pollinators.
  • Leave coarse woody materials on your property for habitat. Dead trees, downed logs, and brush piles provide excellent shelter for pollinators and other animals.

Top of Mind from the Bottom of the Hill

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Pond surrounded by forest near Redfield

volunteers of Tug Hill Tomorrow Land TrustPaul and Diane Miller live at the Bottom of the Hill. Tug Hill that is – along Fish Creek near where it flows into Oneida Lake.

Growing up on Fish Creek, Paul came to love the outdoors, fishing in particular, at an early age. After a career in the Marines, he and Diane returned to Paul’s family home on the southern boundary of the Tug Hill region.

As part of their love of the outdoors — something they passed along to their three daughters — Paul and Diane got involved
with Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust. In 1994 they responded to our first community-wide request for support to initiate local conservation efforts. Our land trust has stayed “top of mind” for them ever since.

One of Paul’s biggest contributions to the Tug Hill region has been researching the wild genetic characteristics of brook trout in the remote core forest known as the Heart of Tug Hill. “Fishing,” says Paul with a twinkle in his eye “is tough volunteer work, but
someone has got to do it!”

Paul continues to be one of our foundational volunteers, reflecting a commitment to the land trust of over 30 years. Today, in addition to volunteering, they are monthly donors as a way to support conservation throughout the year.

Farmers on conserved land are managing for a changing climate

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Cornfield and windmills under windy sky in Lowville

When Lynn Murray conserved his farm in 2015, in the town of Champion, his goal was to ensure that his kids could take over the farming later in life. Farming for Lynn and most of the farm families in the Tug Hill region is a family effort, and many of those farmers want to conserve their land so the next generation can carry on the family legacy. Yet farming is more than land. It’s a business in an increasingly tricky growing environment. The recent US Agricultural Census elevated this issue when it noted this spring that New York State has lost nearly 2,800 farms between 2017 and 2022, totaling 364,000 acres.

Reflecting on the evolving climate conditions, Lynn, a seasoned farmer, acknowledges the stark shift in weather patterns. “Well, it’s hard to quantify but obviously the weather seems more extreme than it used to be,” he observes. “So, we’ve had to be prepared for colder than normal summers, warmer than normal, or drier than normal. We have not had an average year in the last few years; it’s been more unpredictable.”

Farmers responding to a changing climate

Jon Ostrowski and his family are working on farming resilience, too. Together, they run an organic farm in the town of Champion – conserved in 2013. Jon notes, “We used to mow, rake, and bale it, but now, with the increasingly unpredictable weather, we’ve had to adapt.”

By implementing sustainable farming practices and new technologies, the Ostrowskis are investing in their farmland to withstand sudden droughts followed by heavy rainfall. “The switch to using a tedder to spread out the hay for faster drying has truly changed our approach. With rainy spells becoming more frequent, traditional methods have become nearly impossible during such periods.” “The farming community is poised to do our part, and down the road, we will have better technologies to do more,” emphasizes Lynn. Meanwhile, Jon stresses, “Conserving the land and keeping it green, whether ag or forest—we can’t keep taking over the land with more buildings; we won’t have the land we need to keep the earth healthy.”

The interest in farmland conservation and climate-smart farming is growing in New York. Farmers in Oneida, Herkimer, Oswego, Lewis, Jefferson, and St. Lawrence counties are looking to our land trust to assist them in voluntarily conserving their land as part of their long-term strategy to ensure the next generation has the opportunity to farm, no matter the weather.

Is conservation right for you, or someone you know?

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bright healthy farm fields

Would you like to protect your land? Do you know someone who might be interested in protecting their farm, woodlands, or wetlands?

People protect their land for a variety of reasons. For many, it’s a way to ensure their love of the land will remain intact after they leave. For others, it’s a way to honor their parents and grandparents. Sometimes it helps with estate planning or financial management plans.

If you would like to explore if conservation is right for you and your family, contact Emily Antonacci, Land Stewardship and Conservation Manager, 315-779-8240, x12 or email [email protected].

All conversations are confidential to provide your family the privacy it needs to make a decision that is right for you.

Nature close to home

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mowed trail through tall grasses in the fall
Flicker in fall
Flicker resting on a rock covered with moss by Pamela Underhill Karaz.

With today’s hectic lives full of work, school, sports, and family happenings, we all need easy-to-access public outdoor spaces close to home where we can take a break.

Thanks to growing support from people like you, we are expanding the number of places where people from all walks of life can breathe some fresh air, listen to the sounds of nature, and escape their daily pressures while protecting quality wildlife habitat at the same time.

National research to better understand and connect Americans and nature revealed that time outside spent with friends and family surrounded by nature’s healing power has become a necessity for maintaining perspective and finding joy.

The study also offered an important insight and a wake-up call for local land conservation groups like ours:

Participation in traditional nature-based recreation is stagnant or declining; Americans are spending more time indoors using electronic media more than ever before. At the same time, there is growing evidence that human health and well-being depend on beneficial contact with nature.

Our land trust has been working hard to increase access to nature close to home in partnerships with local families, community organizations, and municipalities.

Community conservation growing in the Tug Hill

The 121-acre French Settlement Road Public Conservation Area, located in the Town of Lorraine and donated to our land trust by Dr. Marvin Reimer, is one place to do just that.

This past summer, a parking area was installed thanks to a generous gift from Pure Water for Life. Public programs began this fall, featuring a morning Flow into Fall yoga series outdoors surrounded by the sounds of birds and flowing water.

This winter, we will be hosting snowshoe and cross-country ski outings. As funding becomes available, we will complete the trail system, including an accessible trail, signage, an information kiosk, and benches, in the coming year.

 

Blue-winged Teal Duck
By Passion 4 Nature

Exploring on the eastern side of Tug Hill

If you’d like to explore another land trust project, the newly dedicated Keller Mohawk Hill Public Conservation Area in the Town of West Turin is a great place to go.

We are working with Ducks Unlimited, volunteers, and community members to make this a haven for wildlife and people. With restored waterfowl wetlands surrounded by open grassland and forested borders, it’s a place of wide open sky and wildlife abundance.

Improvements for wildlife and visitors are planned for the coming year, including an accessible trail system, limited tree plantings, signage, and seating.

Bobolinks and other migratory and grassland birds challenged by habitat loss and climate change now have a safe place to rest and raise their young.

Other special places to explore

There are several other public conservation areas owned and managed by our land trust, including the Joseph Blake Wildlife Sanctuary in the town of Rutland and the upcoming David S. Smith property in the town of Leray.

Each one offers important wildlife habitat and unique opportunities to connect to nature. As we face the need to connect more people to nature close to home to inspire a love of the land, wildlife, and community, these conservation areas are crucial for our overall health and well-being—and as a haven for wildlife.

That only happens because of people like you. Thank you.

An unwavering love of Tug Hill

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performing ongoing trail maintenance

If you are looking for folks who walk the conservation walk, you have found them.

Bob and Carol Keller have stood by the land trust year after year, conserving their land, participating in forest conservation efforts, cheering on community programs and the establishment of new public conservation areas, and contributing quietly to strategic initiatives.

Their unwavering support and generosity were recently honored at our fall Annual Meeting with the dedication of Keller Mohawk Hill Public Conservation Area.

Bob and Carol want you to know that this is a team effort. They love working lands, like well-managed forests and farms and treasure unique places for birds and wildlife. The Kellers also recognize that connecting kids to nature is the future of conservation and have embraced our efforts to connect to urban, suburban, and rural areas in and near Tug Hill.

To ensure that the land trust continues to thrive, they have also included Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust in their wills. Throughout the past 15 years, the Kellers’ steadfast efforts, combined with other land trust supporters, have been key to protecting, improving, and expanding the local places where people, like you, and nature, can thrive together.

Thank you, Bob and Carol, for all you have done and all you continue to do. You are an inspiration.

Making outdoor learning fun and easy

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Tracks and Signs book and other guides are included in the Backpack

With so many challenges facing families these days, getting outside for fun and learning shouldn’t be one of them. The custom-designed Tug Hill Explorer Backpacks make it easier for kids, teachers, mentors, and parents alike to head outside for adventure.

The initial backpack concept and content design were created with generous support from the Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Stewart’s Holiday Match Fund, and community supporters last year.

There are currently two versions: one focusing on birds and another on animal tracking. Each backpack contains books, tools (like binoculars and magnifiers), and activities. A list of suggested locations open to the public for adventures is also included.

To date, eight libraries in the Tug Hill region have received backpacks for community use to borrow and return: Carthage, Lowville, Parish, Poland, Remsen, Turin, Westernville, and Williamstown.

They’re a big hit!

Now we’re working to provide additional backpacks to more libraries in the region. Want to help? Contact Lin Gibbs, Community Programs Manager. Donations toward the backpack program
will make more backpacks available in more places.

Farming with the future in mind

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Albert standing next to a field of rolled hale bales

The Desormeaux’s farm isn’t just rolling meadows with cows, vast fields that turn golden in the fall, and picturesque barns. It’s also a demonstration of the love of community built on tradition as a force for the future.

In 1953, Albert Desormeaux bought a farm in the town of Gouverneur from a neighbor who had no heirs, beginning his own life’s venture. Together, he and his wife, Theresa, embarked on a path that would shape the land, their family, and their community.

Stepping into their kitchen you’ll find more than memorabilia. Displayed is a tangible connection to a life fully lived, dedicated to the land and the legacy of farming. “We are incredibly lucky to have purchased the farm when we did, as purchasing farmland becomes increasingly difficult. People now don’t always get this opportunity that my family has,” mused Albert.

That was a big reason why ten years ago, Albert and Theresa decided to conserve their farm. “We wanted to make sure that our kids could inherit this farm and not have it be sold for development,” explained Albert. “We are glad we did. The conservation agreement is farm-friendly. To evolve and thrive, we can do what we need to do as a farm business.”

The farm is home to 200 cattle and grows corn, soybeans, and hay silage alongside pasturelands and woodlands. A small brook meandering through the property provides habitat for migrating songbirds. The family has worked steadily to enhance soil health and water management as part of their long-term sustainability strategy.

Albert, together with his son, manages their woodlot carefully for sustained timber harvest. In 2009, to help reduce energy costs, they installed solar panels on their farm buildings, generating enough power to run the whole farm.

Conserving their farm is an extension of a long list of leadership roles the Desormeaux family has taken over the years.

fields with a barn and silos in distance

As a community leader, Albert served as a director on the board of the Agri-Mark Coop, the farmer-run milk processing plant, and then Cabot Creamery Cooperative after the two merged in 1992.

During his time in the cooperative, Cabot featured Albert’s portrait on its cheese packaging and trucks in recognition of his farm’s production of quality milk and Albert’s dedication to supporting family farms. A true honor for Albert and his family.

“We thought a lot about whether to conserve our farm. We decided it was the right thing to do as the conservation agreement will help ensure that our farm’s legacy can continue on,” explained Albert.

Farmland protection projects like the Desormeaux’s often take years to accomplish. Sometimes it’s through the Army Compatible Use Program (ACUB) in partnership with our land trust and Ducks Unlimited.

Other times farmers apply to the NYS Farmland Protection Program with the assistance of the land trust. After a competitive review process by the Department of Agriculture and Markets, those farms that are selected then work in partnership with our land trust to conserve their farm.

Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust is now working with ten additional farm families to achieve their conservation goals. We are working to identify ways to expedite the farmland protection process. With farmland increasingly at risk, these farm families are not only cultivating crops and raising cattle; they’re protecting the region’s farming future.

Inspiring the love of the land

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students developing self-esteem and team building

Thanks to partnerships with Verona Beach State Park, Delta Lake State Park, private landowners, Midtown Utica Community Center, and Young Scholars LLP in Utica, more young people than ever are finding joy in the outdoors in the southern part of Tug Hill.

Youth who never knew the scent of fresh forest air have returned to their families and communities with new energy. They’ve started sharing their excitement, pride in newfound abilities, and knowledge with their friends and family members.

Research has documented that time spent outside with others can help reduce feelings of isolation, build self-esteem, relieve stress, and create treasured memories. Whether learning to use a map and compass, paddle a canoe, set up a campsite, or hike safely, these youth are connecting with nature, experiencing a sense of peace and belonging, and feeling accomplished.

Julie Rubenstein, who owns Camp Woodlot in the Town of Forestport, where a lot of the trail work has been happening, explained her passion for kids and nature.

“Too many young people today — especially in urban areas — have little opportunity to experience what the outdoors has to offer. Team building, self-esteem, respect, serenity, science, spirituality, and physical exercise, can all be found in nature,” explained Julie.

As they move forward as future decision-makers for conservation, their connections and knowledge gained now will serve them all well in the years ahead.