Anne and Robert Stack have chosen to protect their 96-acre property in the town of Davenport with a conservation easement. Anne Stack, in a recent interview with OLT’s Land Protection Manager, detailed her reasons for working with the land trust to conserve their property.

Three new conservation easements are scheduled to close in December, protecting more than 270 acres in the towns of Davenport, Exeter and Stark. Private landowners have a variety of reasons for working with Otsego Land Trust to conserve their land in perpetuity. OLT staff work with the property owners to identify the key conservation values and draft a legally-binding easement that expresses their vision for the land. Patrick Clearey, along with his wife Amy and their nieces and nephew, have chosen to protect the family’s 135-acre property in the town of Exeter with a conservation easement. Clearey recently explained his interest and motivation.

As the September full moon rose over the hill, more than 100 supporters of Otsego Land Trust gathered under a festive tent at June and Kent Barwick’s home in Cherry Valley. The Otsego Land Frolic was our culminating event, held to honor Otsego Land Trust’s many donors and landowners. Campbell Farm, the Barwicks’ privately-owned 218-acre property, has been protected forever through a conservation easement with Otsego Land Trust since 1998.

Earlier in the day, people gathered for guided nature walks on two other conservation easement properties in Cherry Valley. At the Solomon property, a 193-acre diverse farm and wetland landscape owned by Maria Camargo, participants learned about the ecological importance of wetlands and probed the pond for a peek at native amphibians. At Glensfoot Farm, a 508-acre farm owned by the Kingery, Schwartz and Wertenbaker clan, hikers learned how to spot a healthy forest and how to identify (and eradicate) invasive plants.

The Acorn Society is a select group of like-minded conservation leaders who have made provisions to support local conservation beyond their own lifetime. If you have already made arrangements for deferred giving to Otsego Land Trust, simply let me know so that we can acknowledge your commitment to the future. If you would like to learn more about how deferred giving might work, please reach out to me and we'll begin a conversation.

Stewardship is one of Otsego Land Trust’s most important responsibilities as we conserve land in perpetuity. Walking the land and chatting with the property owners, our annual visits ensure that forests, fields, wetlands and streams haven’t been adversely affected by human or natural forces.

In our ongoing effort to make nature more accessible to all residents, Otsego Land Trust offers a variety of recreational and educational opportunities. Each year we strive to improve our six public preserves – all of which are open for free public access and enjoyment from dawn to dusk daily.