The Peconic Land Trust and the New York State Department of Conservation recently agreed to a conservation easement for the 29.8-acre Harold A. Reese preserve in Southold; the development rights will transfer to the DEC while the land continues to be held by Peconic Land Trust. The arrangement ensures that the preserve, which adjoins the Wolf Preserve, will not be further developed. Wildlife on the preserves will have one contiguous habitat, and the public has the assurance that this land will remain as it is.
“By placing this conservation easement on the property, it extinguishes the right to have anyone build there in perpetuity,” said Kimberly Quarty, director of conservation planning for Peconic Land Trust.
According to the DEC, the property is a predominantly wooded coastal oak-hickory forest, a rare ecosystem with only 10 sites. It also has one acre of freshwater wetlands and is on the Peconic Estuary Program’s Critical Land Protection list. “As far as animals on site, we do have the white tailed deer. There’s been red fox, raccoons, wood ducks, screech owls,” said Ms. Quarty. “So it has a variety of wildlife habitat that can now peacefully reside here and not have to worry about being pushed out by development.”
This easement is a boon for nature enthusiasts, but it also protects Long Island’s drinking water. “[There are] some very accessible trails for the public. And protecting this land is protecting our sole-source aquifer. So, there won’t be any additional septic systems on there, any houses or any other contaminants or pollutants going into the groundwater. [The easement] is impacting, of course, the immediate area, but it also has a long-term impact on our groundwater,” said Ms. Quarty.
“Conservation easements are a valuable tool to ensure the protection of New York’s open space for future generations,” DEC interim commissioner Sean Mahar said in a statement. “The Harold A. Reese Preserve is a unique and environmentally significant property, with both statewide and nationally rare ecosystems. DEC is excited to partner with the Peconic Land Trust to conserve this woodland habitat and safeguard recreational access for residents and visitors of Southold.”
