The Long Island Conservation Alliance

06/10/2026

Spotted a fox in your yard? Good. Don't call the wildlife removal service. 🦊

Red foxes are harmless to humans, smaller than most house cats once you get past the tail, and they're doing something no pesticide can: hunting the mice that spread Lyme disease.

A fox denning under your deck in spring? The kits will be gone by summer. Leave the family alone and let nature do its job.

Here's what actually helps:
✅ Keep cats indoors
✅ Leave brush piles and unmowed edges
✅ Ditch the rodenticide (it kills the predators you need)
✅ Never feed wildlife

The fox is a free public health service. Treat it like one.

🔗 Full blog post: https://longislandconservancy.org/2026/05/27/if-you-want-to-combat-lyme-disease-bring-on-the-foxes/

06/08/2026

This summer, take your team outside and make it count. 🌿

Long Island Conservancy is offering Corporate Volunteer Days for teams that want more than a day off-site. Swap the conference room for Long Island's natural landscapes and spend the day doing work that genuinely matters: pulling invasive species, planting native trees and wildflowers, and restoring the ecosystems right in your backyard.

It's hands-on. It's meaningful. And it's one of the most memorable team-building experiences your people will have all year.

Here's what your team will take away:
✅ A real, visible conservation impact
✅ Stronger connections across teams and departments
✅ A deeper sense of purpose and a reason to talk about what your company stands for

Reach out to [email protected] to book your Corporate Volunteer Day this summer.

🌱 Plant native. Remove the invasive. Conserve our lands.
Learn more at: https://longislandconservancy.org/corporate-volunteer-days/

06/04/2026

It's not the deer that's driving Lyme disease on Long Island. It's the mouse. 🐭

The white-footed mouse is the primary reservoir for Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria behind Lyme. When a juvenile tick feeds on an infected mouse, it carries that pathogen into its next life stage. Mice (along with chipmunks and shrews) are responsible for infecting up to 90% of the ticks that eventually bite humans.

So, what controls the mice? Foxes do.
A red fox can crater a local mouse population in ways no other predator can, and a landmark 2012 study found that the rise of Lyme disease correlates not with deer numbers, but with the decline of red foxes.

Healthy ecosystems are public health. That's why we fight for them.

🔗 Read the full post on our blog: https://longislandconservancy.org/2026/05/27/if-you-want-to-combat-lyme-disease-bring-on-the-foxes/

05/29/2026

As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, creating a garden with native plants is one of the simplest and most meaningful ways to support both your well-being and the environment. This time of year is a reminder to prioritize practices that nurture mental health, and native species are especially powerful in that effort. Adapted to Long Island’s climate, they require less water, fewer chemicals, and less maintenance—reducing stress while giving you more time to simply enjoy the calm, restorative space you’ve created.

🌱 Start with native plants
Build a resilient, low-maintenance garden that supports pollinators and local wildlife

💧 Water wisely
Native plants typically require less irrigation once established

🌼 Skip harsh chemicals
Let your garden thrive naturally, creating a healthier space for you and your surroundings

🪴 Get your hands in the soil
Gardening itself is a low-impact activity that can reduce anxiety, improve mood, and foster mindfulness

🌞 Spend time outside regularly
Even a few minutes a day can boost mental clarity and emotional balance

A thoughtfully planted garden becomes a place to slow down, reconnect, and recharge. These small, intentional moments outdoors can make a lasting difference in your overall sense of balance and well-being.

05/28/2026

Real environmental change happens when organizations come together with a shared purpose.

The Long Island Conservancy was proud to partner with Pace Analytical Long Island Laboratory for two hands-on invasive species removal events at West Hills County Park focused on combating garlic mustard, one of the most damaging invasive plants threatening Long Island’s native ecosystems.

By working side by side, volunteers helped protect local woodland habitats, restore biodiversity, and make a direct impact on the health of our environment. This collaboration demonstrates the power of partnerships in creating meaningful, lasting change for our communities and natural spaces.

A special thank you to Rona Fried and Spadefoot Ecosystem Solutions for helping make this effort possible through their support and commitment to environmental stewardship.

We are always looking to build new partnerships with businesses, organizations, and community groups that want to make a difference across Long Island. Together, we can accomplish so much more.

📩 Interested in partnering with us? Reach out to [email protected] to learn how your organization can get involved.

05/28/2026

A native oak supports around 500 species of moth and butterfly caterpillars. A native black cherry, over 300.

A Bradford pear supports essentially none. 🌿

Caterpillars are the protein base of the entire songbird food web. A chickadee pair needs roughly 6,000 to 9,000 caterpillars to raise a single clutch. A forest edge taken over by Bradford pear is, to a breeding warbler, a desert dressed up as landscape.

And it gets worse: Bradford pears are structurally unstable. Between years 15 and 25, they split — usually in the first serious wind or ice storm. Every municipal forester in the Northeast has pulled Bradford limbs off cars and rooftops. Communities plant them once, then pay again to chainsaw the wreckage.

The good news: Long Island has a deep bench of native flowering trees that fill every niche Bradford pear occupies — with none of the downside. Serviceberry. Eastern redbud. Flowering dogwood. Beach plum. Fringe tree.

The argument that there's no alternative is not an argument. It's a habit. 🌳

05/24/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/18PUNeP2hZ/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Our Executive Director Devon Giordano and her team at the LIC have brought us environmental programing for Long Island’s youth for ages 2-18!

I know the faculty. I also get to learn from them - every day, and its fun.

— Marshall Brown, Co-Founder and Board President

Learn more at the link:

Hands-on environmental education programs on Long Island for kids, schools, and families. Nature-based learning, leadership, and conservation programs.

05/23/2026

Sometimes, the most powerful remedies are found in the natural world around us.

🌳 Green Therapy - Nature-Based Healing
Spending time in green spaces like parks, gardens, and forests has been shown to reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve mood. Gardening, especially with native plants, adds an even deeper connection by rooting you in your local environment while supporting the ecosystems that make Long Island thrive.

🌊 Blue Therapy - Water-Based Healing
Being near water, whether it’s the ocean, a lake, or a quiet stream, can have a calming, almost meditative effect. Studies show that “blue spaces” help reduce anxiety, promote relaxation, and enhance mental clarity.

Together, green and blue spaces offer powerful, natural ways to care for your mental health. Whether you’re planting a native garden, exploring a local preserve, or spending time by the shoreline, these moments of connection matter.

05/21/2026

Our young environmental ambassadors had an incredible experience at the Gold Coast Book Fair, engaging with inspiring speakers, exploring the importance of literacy and civic leadership, and representing the next generation of community changemakers!

Students had the opportunity to hear from and interact with distinguished guests including Assemblyman Charles Lavine, Former Congressman Steve Israel, Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Meredith Vieira, and Susan Lucci, while learning about the power of advocacy, storytelling, public service, and community outreach.

We are proud to see our youth stepping into spaces that encourage curiosity, leadership, and meaningful conversation about the future of our communities and environment. Learn more about our youth programs at longislandconservancy.org.

Thank you to everyone who helped make this inspiring day possible!