The Finger Lakes Land Trust has planted more than 500 native trees and shrubs in the Cayuga Lake watershed as part of an ongoing effort to improve water quality and restore wildlife habitat.
The project took place on a 25-acre property in the town of Enfield, Tompkins County. The land borders Taughannock Creek and was recently added to the organization’s Lower Nature Preserve.
In total, 575 trees and shrubs were planted in what used to be a cornfield. The restoration site lies next to wetlands and is now being managed to support native wildlife. According to the Finger Lakes Land Trust, the new vegetation will help reduce stormwater runoff and erosion, while filtering pollutants before they reach Cayuga Lake.
The plantings included black cherry, shagbark hickory, sycamore, elderberry, and gray dogwood—all species that benefit local birds and other wildlife by offering food and shelter.
This marks the fifth stream buffer project the Land Trust has completed in the Cayuga Lake watershed. Over the last five years, the group has worked with partners to plant more than 10,000 trees and shrubs across the region.
Funding for the latest project came from The Nature Conservancy and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The Finger Lakes Land Trust has protected over 34,000 acres of forests, lakeshores, gorges, and farmland across the region. Its network of more than 45 public nature preserves and 200 private conservation easements helps preserve water quality, protect wildlife habitat, and support sustainable land use.
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