The Finger Lakes Land Trust received its 83rd conservation easement and second in Cayuga County after recently acquiring 127 acres east of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge.
Owned by Kathryn Whitehorne in the Town of Aurelius, the property features 40 acres of wetlands, according to the Ithaca-based Land Trust. A small stream that flows from the tract enters the refuge. The property also includes more than a mile of undeveloped frontage on Laraway Road.
Conservation easements are legal agreements that limit development while allowing land to remain in private ownership and on the tax rolls. Easements are binding on future owners of the land and are monitored by the Land Trust to ensure compliance with the terms of the agreement. Easement donors are eligible for both state and federal tax benefits provided that certain criteria are met, according to the Land Trust.
source: Ithaca Journal
