Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust

DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATIONS MISSION: THTLT WORKS IN AND AROUND THE LEGISLATIVELY DESIGNATED TUG HILL REGION WHICH COVERS PARTS OF JEFFERSON, LEWIS, ONEIDA AND OSWEGO COUNTIES. IT WAS FORMED FOR TWO PURPOSES, TO HELP INCREASE AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION OF THE TUG HILL REGION THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, FIELD TRIPS AND SPECIAL EVENTS, AND THROUGH THEIR VOLUNTARY LAND PROTECTION PROGRAMS WORKING WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS AND OTHER PARTNERS. ITS MISSION IS TO PROTECT THE WILDLANDS, WORKING FORESTS AND FARMS OF THE TUG HILL REGION AND SURROUNDING AREAS, AND TO PROMOTE APPRECIATION OF THE REGION'S NATURAL AND CULTURAL HERITAGE, FOR PRESENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS.

SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DESCRIPTION. TUG HILL TOMORROW LAND TRUST (THTLT) IS COMMITTED TO CONNECTING WITH PARENTS AND CHILDREN, FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE. WE KNOW IT IS IMPORTANT TO INSTILL A LOVE OF CONSERVATION AT AN EARLY AGE IF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO CARE FOR THE LAND AS ADULTS. TO THAT END, THTLT HOLDS A VARIETY OF FIELD TRIPS, PROGRAMS AND EVENTS TO GET PEOPLE OUT ON THE LAND AND EXPERIENCING A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES IN A VARIETY OF LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE TUG HILL REGION. THTLT ALSO WORKS WITH LOCAL DAY CARE CENTERS AND SUMMER SCHOOL-AGED PROGRAMS TO PRESENT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS THAT GET KIDS EXCITED ABOUT BEING OUTSIDE. THTLT HAS PRODUCED A FIELD GUIDE FOR THE TUG HILL REGION WHICH PROVIDES DETAILED INFORMATION IN A FRIENDLY WAY SO PEOPLE CAN EASILY FIND OUT MORE ABOUT WHERE THEY ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE SEEING. THTLT ULTIMATELY HOPES THESE PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS WILL FOSTER A LOVE OF THE LAND AND THE DESIRE TO TAKE CARE OF IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THTLT ULTIMATELY HOPES THESE PROGRAMS AND MATERIALS WILL FOSTER A LOVE OF THE LAND AND THE DESIRE TO TAKE CARE OF IT FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

SEE SCHEDULE O FOR DESCRIPTION. THTLT WORKS WITH PRIVATE LANDOWNERS TO PROTECT WORKING FOREST, FARMS RECREATION AND WILD LANDS IN NORTHERN NEW YORK'S 2,100 SQUARE MILE TUG HILL REGION AND SURROUNDING AREAS. THE TUG HILL REGION COVERS PARTS OF JEFFERSON, LEWIS, ONEIDA AND OSWEGO COUNTIES. WE DO THIS MAINLY THROUGH VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION EASEMENTS. IN 2021 WE COMPLETED FOUR DONATED CONSERVATION EASEMENTS, ALL IN ONEIDA COUNTY. THE HUGHES BROTHERS, WESLEY AND RICHARD DONATED AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON THEIR FARMS TOTALING 383 ACRES IN THE TOWN OF FLOYD. THIS IS AN IMPORTANT AREA TO CONSERVE. THE FARMS ARE PART OF THE MOHAWK RIVER WATERSHED. THE PROTECTION OF THESE FARMS WILL HELP TO REDUCE RUN-OFF FROM HEAVY RAINS THAT OTHERWISE MIGHT OCCUR IF THEY WERE CONVERTED TO HOUSES. IN ADDITION, THE LANDS ARE PART OF A WOODLAND-FARMLAND MOSAIC FOR WILDLIFE. TWO OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO WILDLIFE CONNECTIVITY THAT WERE PROTECTED BY DONATED CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE BOTH IN THE TOWN OF FORESTPORT. THE 163-ACRE RUBENSTEIN CONSERVATION EASEMENT AND THE 139-ACRE CLARK/MADDEN CONSERVATION EASEMENT ARE BOTH IN A REGION THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY THE NATURE CONSERVANCY (TNC) AS AN IMPORTANT CONNECTION FOR WILDLIFE EXTENDING FROM THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIANS UP INTO CANADA-AN IMPORTANT MIGRATION CORRIDOR GIVEN THE CHANGING CLIMATE. AT STAKE ARE NUMEROUS WILDLIFE, ESPECIALLY ANIMALS LIKE BLACK BEAR WHICH CAN MOVE AS FAR AS 10 MILES A DAY. INDEED, NYS DEC NOTES THAT ADULT BEARS HAVE LARGE HOME RANGES, WITH MALES TRAVELING UP TO 100 SQUARE MILES, AND FEMALES TRAVELING 25 TO 50 SQUARE MILES.THTLT HAS BEEN PARTNERING WITH FT. DRUM AND DUCKS UNLIMITED ON THE ARMY COMPATIBLE USE BUFFER PROGRAM (ACUB) WHICH PURCHASES EASEMENTS ON LAND AROUND FT. DRUM TO LIMIT THE DEVELOPMENT AND ALLOW THE ARMY TO MAXIMIZE TRAINING ON POST. IN 2021 WE COMPLETED THE FIRST FEE ACQUISITION THROUGH THE ACUB PROGRAM ON A 101.69 ACRE PROPERTY IN THE TOWN OF LERAY. THIS IS A KNOWN ENDANGERED BAT ROOSTING AREA AND WILL BE MANAGED FOR BAT HABITAT AND POLLINATOR HABITAT. WE ARE WORKING TO OPEN THIS TO THE PUBLIC BY CREATING A PARKING AREA, TRAILS AND INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE. TO DATE WE HAVE PROTECTED 8,451 ACRES USING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THROUGH THE ACUB PROGRAM. TO DATE WE HAVE PROTECTED OVER 21,000 ACRES WITH CONSERVATION EASEMENTS THROUGHOUT TUG HILL. THTLT ALSO OWNS THREE PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREAS, THE 140- ACRE JOSEPH BLAKE WILDLIFE SANCTUARY IN THE TOWN OF RUTLAND, JEFFERSON COUNTY, THE 120-ACRE FRENCH SETTLEMENT ROAD PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA IN THE TOWN OF LORRAINE, JEFFERSON COUNTY, AND THE NEWEST 101.69-ACRE DAVID S. SMITH PUBLIC CONSERVATION AREA IN THE TOWN OF LERAY. WE ARE WORKING TO OPEN THIS TO THE PUBLIC BY CREATING A PARKING AREA, TRAILS AND INTERPRETIVE SIGNAGE.