04/21/2022
New local organization awarded $11,500 grant for land conservation in Broome County
The Southern Tier Land Conservancy (STLC) is pleased to announce the acceptance of the 2022 NYS Conservation Partnership Program - Capacity & Excellence Grant for $11,500 from the Land Trust Alliance (LTA) with funding from New York State Conservation Partnership Program (NYSCPP) and New York's Environmental Protection Fund.
The STLC was able to leverage matching funds from the Robert F. Schumann Foundation, to secure this $11,500 grant, which will assist with the development of the STLC’s strategic plan and to engage in community outreach over the next year.
The STLC is based in Vestal, NY, and was formed in 2020 with the mission of conserving local land for the benefit of future generations. It is registered with the IRS as a 501c3, non-profit organization. More information can be found on STLC’s website at www.SouthernTLC.org.
“This new funding is crucial to help get our message out to the community to learn what opportunities exist for conserving land and supporting efforts to preserve natural areas and open space,” according to STLC President Jeff Merill. “We are a small group with big ambitions for the region. We see that Broome County has a fantastic landscape that is the pride of the community and a big reason why the Southern Tier is a great place to live. We want to help folks in their efforts to maintain this appeal and to bring open space access to everyone.”
Managed through the Land Trust Alliance, the DEC program provides grants to New York land trusts to advance land conservation, farmland protection, community conservation, and recreation and tourism. Over the past 17 years, the Conservation Partnership Program has awarded 997 grants totaling $21.7 million to 91 land trusts working across New York. This funding, provided by New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund, has leveraged more than $23 million in local matching funds, helping land trusts conserve tens of thousands of acres of farmland, wildlife habitat, recreational areas and urban open spaces.
Over the next year, the STLC plans to host a series of stakeholder meetings with community members and local organizations. “We need to develop a network of supporters across the county who find the vision of conserving open space to be a priority” states Jason Shaw, STLC treasurer and Broome County legislator. “This new funding will make it possible for us to develop a solid framework for engaging with interested landowners and facilitating conservation. We are very excited about the future of Broome County!”
For more information, please see: https://www.southernTLC.org or contact:
Jason Shaw, STLC Treasurer, [email protected]
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“When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac
