I agree that contacting the Finger Lakes Land Trust could be beneficial. They certainly are experts in land conservation. Bob Horn
> On Jan 10, 2021, at 6:26 AM, John Gregoire <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Dave, > The state has a strong farmland trust which greatly benefit the owner in cash > which is in exchange for keeping it farmland. I have no further detail/ > John > > On Sat, Jan 9, 2021 at 8:17 PM Dave Nutter <[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: > As many of you know, the private Lott Farm, located on the NE corner of > NYS-414 and Martin Rd on the south border of the Town of Seneca Falls, has > long been the site for the August farm equipment fair called Empire Farm > Days. Therefore it has fortuitously been managed as an extensive grassland. > It is the only remaining breeding site in the Cayuga Lake Basin for Upland > Sandpipers (They bred between Wood Rd & Caswell Rd in Dryden years ago, > before a few houses went in there.) as well as a great place for many other > breeding grassland birds, the occasional rare Dickcissel, plus fairly regular > Snowy Owls in winter. Furthermore, the owner has been gracious in granting > access, without charging any fee, to birders who simply request permission, > describe their vehicle, and agree to remain on the gravel roads. > > In talking to Reuben Stoltzfus this evening I learned that we cannot take for > granted the situation which had simply been the result of good luck and > generosity. This past year, the Empire State Farm Days event did not take > place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But also the event is now under new > management who have chosen a different site for the future. This means that > whatever profit and benefit which the Lott Farm gained from that event is > gone. And they never got any benefit except good will from us birders. > > While Reuben has not talked to the farm owner and did not know of any plans > for this land which had been managed as grassland, I think it’s safe to > assume that there is a strong incentive for the owner to find some use which > will pay the taxes or turn a profit, and that grassland bird habitat may not > be in the picture unless action is taken quickly to encourage future > management to allow these birds to continue, before decisions are made - if > they have not been finalized already - for the plowing or construction season > this spring. > > Is this something about which local bird clubs would want to work with the > owner of Lott farm? Are there DEC programs which can reimburse landowners for > maintaining such habitat? Would bird clubs want to help more directly? Would > birders be willing to pay a small fee for the privilege of birding there or > to become members of some organization for the pride of knowing they are > helping some regionally rare birds survive where we can sometimes see them? > > These are just some ideas based on very limited information. I know there are > people reading this who are far better than I am at organizing, networking, > researching, and promoting these things. Please think about it, discuss it, > and help ensure that come mid-April the Upland Sandpipers have a home to > return to. Thanks. > > - - Dave Nutter > -- > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > Archives: > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > Please submit your observations to eBird <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! > -- > -- > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > Welcome and Basics <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> > Rules and Information <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > <http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> > Archives: > The Mail Archive > <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html> > Surfbirds <http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> > BirdingOnThe.Net <http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> > Please submit your observations to eBird <http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! > -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
