Press Release
Finger Lakes Land Trust Receives Morehouse Award

The Finger Lakes Land Trust was awarded the David Morehouse award by the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network and the Inter municipal Organization.
Since 1989 the Finger Lake s Land Trust has worked to protect land that is crucial to the character, health and natural beauty of the Finger Lakes region. Over these years the Land Trust has conserved nearly 10,000 acres of wetlands, forests, farmland, waterfront, grassland and gorges, 3,500 acres of which are located in the Cayuga Lake Watershed. The Land Trust has accomplished this by accepting donations of land and by initiating conservation easements on privately owned land. The Land Trust’s action in legally protecting a natural area from development safeguards the very essence of our regions unique beauty for generations to come.
Within the Cayuga Lake Watershed, the Land Trust owns and manages 14 nature preserves that are open to the public. Among these are the 500 acre Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve, just south of Ithaca, which is home to a diverse array of plant and animal life and features a mile of frontage on the Cayuga Inlet. The Trust also owns the 150 acre Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary at the headwaters of Fall Creek, a major tributary to the lake.
The Finger Lakes Land Trust’s work is crucial to the health of our watershed because the hundreds of tributaries that run over and through the Land Trust’s protected lands flow unfiltered directly or indirectly into Cayuga Lake. Through the Land Trust’s years of work, these delicate systems of wetland filtration, ground water percolation, and stream sedimentation are protected from disruption by commercial or residential development on protected lands. In addition, the work of the Land Trust has safeguarded the enormous aesthetic value of our region- a quality that would be difficult to regain if lost.
“We are honored to be presented with this award” says Land Trust Executive Director, Andrew Zepp “our work wouldn’t be possible or successful without working in collaboration with groups like the Watershed Network. We look forward to working with them to continue to protect and care for Cayuga Lake and its surrounding watershed.”

The Land Trust was nominated by William S. Hecht of Union Springs, and was chosen because of their years of dedicated service to the Finger Lakes region through their efforts in preserving wild areas from development. The David Morehouse award recognizes leadership and commitment from individuals or organizations to protect the health and beauty of the Cayuga Lake Watershed.

The Morehouse award was created in honor of the late David Morehouse, a Town of Ledyard resident, who dedicated many years of his life to improving water quality in the Cayuga Basin. Morehouse was a founding member of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network and the Cayuga Lake Watershed Intermunicipal Organization who both sponsored the award. The Finger Lakes Land Trust was presented with the Morehouse award on August 23rd at our annual Lakefest celebration which was held at Goosewatch winery located in Romulus NY.