Keyword: land protection

103 Acres Permanently Protected

January 22, 2013 | Posted in CLC, Headline | Keywords: ,
Protected farmland

The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) has permanently protected another 103 acres of farmland. Working with CLC, Robert and Linda O’Mara donated the development rights on their property in the Town of Ghent, which is a working farm, and created a conservation easement that protects the important natural resources and characteristics of the property. With the easement, as with all of CLC’s easements, the landowners will be able to live on and enjoy their land, and continue agricultural and conservation forestry activities.
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Malcolm Gladwell Protects Land

December 14, 2012 | Posted in CLC, Headline | Keywords: ,
Malcolm Gladwell (right) looks over documents with Peter Paden
Meadow with Trees

As an award-winning author, Malcolm Gladwell is known for distilling vast amounts of research into a clear and compelling understanding of how the world functions. Working with the Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC), he has a new story to tell: protect land for future generations.

Gladwell recently donated the development rights on his 300-acre property in Columbia County, NY to CLC. Such transactions, which are called conservation easements, permanently protect the most important natural characteristics of a property. As with all easements, Gladwell can continue to live on and enjoy the land, and the property can also be used for agricultural and sustainable forestry activities.

It’s a gorgeous piece of property and I’d love to make sure future generations can enjoy it as much as I have.

Malcolm Gladwell CONTINUE READING

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Mount Lebanon Conservation Project

July 13, 2012 | Posted in Advocacy, Headline | Keywords: , , , , , , , , ,
Abode of the Message
Contact your representatives
& Support this project

The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC), the Abode of the Message, John and Brenda Adams, the Berkshire Farm Center and Services for Youth, Darrow School, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) are working on a project to permanently protect 1,310 acres of land in New Lebanon and Canaan. Potential funding cuts have put this wonderful opportunity in jeopardy. CLC is calling on area residents to contact their Federal representatives and tell them to support the Mount Lebanon Forest Legacy Project.

The project area consists of land in and around the Mount Lebanon Shaker Society National Historic Landmark and the adjacent Shaker Swamp. The land includes scenic beauty, important wildlife habitat, and historically significant sites. It also is a potential boost to both the local forestry and tourism economy. The project supports several goals of Canaan’s Strategic Plan and New Lebanon’s Comprehensive Plan, as well as goals articulated at the state and national level.

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CLC Supports County-Wide Computer-Aided Mapping

June 5, 2012 | Posted in CLC, Community Assistance, Headline | Keywords: ,

GIS WorkshopWorking with the Columbia County Environmental Management Council and with the endorsement of the Columbia County Board of Supervisors, CLC recently obtained funding for the county to train municipalities to utilize Geographic Information Systems (GIS), a computer-aided mapping technology. With this technology, municipalities have the information and infrastructure to make strategic conservation and land use decisions.

The program provides GIS software, data, and training to volunteers selected by their municipalities. So far, Neil Curri, GIS Resource Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County (CCEDC) has trained 29 volunteers from 13 towns to use the software. A second round of training for additional volunteers will be scheduled later this year. CLC is coordinating the program. CONTINUE READING

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Gibson Sponsors Conservation Easement Tax Incentive

February 23, 2012 | Posted in Advocacy, Headline | Keywords: , , ,
Chaseholm Farm
The Conservation Easement Tax Incentive enabled Barry Chase to place an easement on Chaseholm Farm.

Over 300 U.S. Representatives, including Representative Chris Gibson, have co-sponsored the Conservation Easement Incentive Act. H.R. 1964 which makes permanent a recently-expired tax incentive that helps organizations like CLC work with modest income landowners to conserve important natural or historic resources in our community. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is a co-sponsor of the corresponding Senate bill the Rural Heritage Conservation Extension Act, S. 339.

The Columbia Land Conservancy is thrilled that Representative Gibson has joined with so many of his colleagues to make this important conservation tool permanent. We have seen firsthand the dramatic impact the incentive has had in helping landowners permanently conserve farms, ranches, forests, and wildlife habitat in Columbia County and across the nation. The incentive was a big driver of the 5,000 acres that CLC conserved during the past 5 years. We look forward to working with Representative Gibson to get the bill passed.

CLC Executive Director Peter Paden CONTINUE READING

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