A 73-acre stretch of scenic farmland in Tompkins County has been permanently protected, thanks to a donation by longtime Finger Lakes Land Trust member Sandy Hill.
The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) announced it finalized a conservation easement on the property, located on Wilkins Road in the town of Ulysses. The land, donated in 2023, includes mature woodlands and a tributary feeding into Cayuga Lake. The easement permits only one home on the property, while ensuring continued agricultural use and a forested buffer to safeguard water quality.
Sandy Hill donated the land with the intent that it would be sold subject to the easement terms. The proceeds from that sale will establish the Carman and Sandra B. Hill Fund, which will support paid internships focused on land and water conservation. The gift honors Sandy’s late husband, Carman Hill, who passed away in 2017.
“My donation has been made to protect farmland from development and keep Cayuga Lake clean,” Hill said. “Climate change is having a devastating effect, so we all should make an effort to protect our land. Also, I wanted to honor my late husband, Carman Hill, who carefully cared for this beautiful farmland and wood lot.”
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