A new conservation effort in Cayuga County will help protect water quality and wildlife near the source of Cornell University’s drinking water.
The Finger Lakes Land Trust has acquired 26.5 acres along Fall Creek in the town of Summerhill. The property includes more than 3,400 feet of stream frontage and will be preserved as natural habitat.
Fall Creek is the largest tributary to Cayuga Lake and plays a key role in the region’s water supply. Funding for the project came from New York State’s Water Quality Improvement Projects program and an anonymous donor.
The site is near existing conservation areas, including Summerhill State Forest and the Land Trust’s Dorothy McIlroy Bird Sanctuary. The area supports native brook trout and is part of one of New York’s Important Bird Areas.
This marks the latest move in an ongoing effort by the Land Trust to protect Fall Creek. Last year, the organization used state funding to conserve a 260-acre stretch just south of the new site.
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