The final Rose Café for the 2015-2016 academic year was about the Finger Lakes Land Trust. I found it very interesting to learn about how local lands are being preserved. I think the Finger Lakes Land Trust mission is particularly important because this region has natural beauty that should be preserved. Also, it is encouraging that the land trust is active currently even though there is ample open space around Ithaca.
During the talk I was thinking about a previous Rose Scholars event in which the city planner for Ithaca spoke. Looking back, I am surprised that the city government official did not discuss preserving open space in the community. Luckily, private organizations such as the Finger Lakes Land Trust are taking the lead.
I was also surprised to learn that the Finger Lakes Land Trust allows land owners to harvest lumber from the protected lands. I had always though of preserved lands just being left to nature. I guess allowing lumber harvesting makes it easier for the land trust to persuade owners to protect their land from development.
It was encouraging to hear that most of the donors are individual citizens. I think this shows that people in the area recognize the need to protect natural lands from development. This is great news for the local environment and for people like me who enjoy exploring the regions natural beauty.
This talk was a good way to end the year of Rose Cafés. I’m looking forward to next year’s speakers.
It’s great to hear that individuals contribute the most to the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Ithaca has a lot of land that should be preserved and an active community wanting to keep the natural lands will help make that possible.
Preserving nature is definitely a necessity, especially these days. I feel like there should be more of these land trusts not just in the countryside, but also on the periphery of cities too
I completely agree that it is such an important issue, and land preservation takes a lot of hard work from dedicated people. I also was surprised to find out that they allow lumber harvesting. I think it is difficult to get people to agree to preserve their land sometimes because of economic opportunities that may arise which would be hard to pass up. It is incredible when people care about the land and want to do everything they can to keep it from being destroyed.