Land trust expands Cayuga Lake Conservation Area

Jacob Mack, Ithaca Journal
·2 min read

The Finger Lakes Land Trust announced Tuesday its acquisition of 110 acres of woodlands and meadows in the town of Lansing, through a partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC).

“The recent acquisition overlooks the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake and includes the Cedar View Golf Course which was operated by the Larsen family for more than 50 years before it ceased operation in 2021,” said Edie Jodz, assistant director of communications for the Finger Lakes Land Trust, in a statement.  "The property is located just north of the Bell Station parcel which the FLLT acquired in 2022.”

Cedar View property (foreground) with Bell Station property to the south.
Cedar View property (foreground) with Bell Station property to the south.

About the property

Once part of a dairy farm, the property consists of lakeshore woodlands that feature several seasonal tributaries to Cayuga Lake, and its purchase was funded by the land trust’s opportunity fund – a revolving loan fund which is replenished by fundraising or land sales to public conservation agencies.

The trust intends to sell the now 400-acre property – which includes the former Cedar View golf course and the lakeshore portion of Bell Station – to NYSDEC to be managed as a public wildlife preserve, featuring 3,600 feet of lakeshore and more than 400 acres of wildlife habitat.

“We were thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the Larsen family to conserve this special property,” said Land Trust Executive Director Andrew Zepp.  “Together with Bell Station, this site is large enough to have special significance as habitat for fish and wildlife while also providing outstanding opportunities for outdoor recreation.”

Before Finger Lakes Land Trust conveys the land to NYSDEC, it will partner with U.S Fish and Wildlife Service to expand meadows on the former golf course, enhancing ground land habitat for at-risk ground-nesting bird species, such as Bobolinks, Savannah Sparrows, and Eastern Meadowlarks

The Cedar View Golf Course property will remain closed to the public until improvements are completed, but the adjacent Bell Station property will remain open for hiking and wildlife observation.

The Finger Lakes Land Trust is a non-profit that has protected over 30,000 acres of the region’s undeveloped lakeshore, gorges, forest, and scenic farmland since its founding in 1989, manages over 45 public nature preserves, and holds easements on 179 properties that remain privately owned.

This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: Finger Lakes Land Trust to dedicate 400 Lansing acres to wildlife