Cornell Plantations and the Finger Lakes Land Trust are partnering to protect significant natural areas within Tompkins County. Cornell also has announced its commitment of $125,000 to the land trust to help buy land and fund conservation easements in these areas.

As part of the partnership, Cornell Plantations and the land trust will identify conservation priorities and develop protection strategies. The two organizations will also share land-management expertise and jointly determine how the land-acquisition grant will be spent.

"This agreement reflects the priority that Cornell University places on the critical task of preserving the unique natural areas of our region," said Don Rakow, the Elizabeth Newman Wilds Director of Cornell Plantations.

The announcement follows Cornell Plantations' recent addition of two natural areas to its more than 4,000 acres of biologically diverse and ecologically fragile natural areas. They are a 120-acre chestnut oak forest on Bald Hill, 13 miles southeast of Ithaca, and an approximately 20-acre fen on Old Stage Road in Groton, 15 miles northeast of campus.

Cornell Plantations' more than 40 on- and off-campus sites include Beebe Lake, Cascadilla and Fall Creek gorges, a variety of other wetlands, glens, meadows, bogs and old-growth forests. These ecologically important areas are available for research, education, hiking, birding, photography and nature study. Natural areas guides are available at Plantations' Garden Gift Shop.

"We are delighted by the university's strong commitment to the future of our natural areas," said Andy Zepp, executive director of the land trust. "By working together, we can ensure the integrity of these sites, which are invaluable for research and educational purposes, and also provide many other benefits to the public."

The Finger Lakes Land Trust has conserved more than 8,000 acres through the establishment of public conservation areas, the use of conservation easements on private land and the provision of technical assistance to local municipalities and nonprofit organizations. The group owns and manages 24 public conservation areas and also holds conservation easements on 54 private holdings. The land trust works cooperatively with landowners and local communities to conserve those lands unique to the Finger Lakes region.

Cornell Plantations is the arboretum, botanical garden and natural areas of Cornell and is a member of Ithaca's Discovery Trail partnership. It is free and open to the public during daylight hours.