ITHACA, NY — As a part of its athletics and events center project, Ithaca College has created approximately 4.5 acres of compensatory wetlands to offset the loss of 2.77 acres of wetlands on the site of the campus facility, which is currently under construction. The college has signed an agreement with the Finger Lakes Land Trust and the Town of Ithaca to place these compensatory wetlands in a conservation easement, which guarantees that the property will remain in its natural state and not be used for future development.

Signing the agreement were Tom Rochon, president of Ithaca College; Herb Engman, supervisor of the Town of Ithaca; and Andy Zepp, executive director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust.

“We take the stewardship of our land and resources very seriously,” said Rochon. “The signing of this agreement is symbolic of our deepest values and our highest aspirations for the future. I want to thank the land trust, the town and everyone at the college who has helped bring us to this moment.”

The land is located off Coddington Road in the Town of Ithaca. The easement will be held by the Finger Lakes Land Trust for five years, after which the town will take it over. The wetlands will be maintained by the college and the land trust, with the town providing oversight.

“This rather unusual collaboration between a private college, a private nonprofit organization and a municipality is a truly creative solution to mitigating the impact of the construction of the athletics and events center and protecting the land in perpetuity,” noted Engman.

The college also made a separate agreement to place almost 75 acres of property that it owns in the Town of Newfield into a conservation easement with the Finger Lakes Land Trust. Located off Piper Road, the land contains part of the Van Buskirk Glen and was donated to the college by Bob Robinson. Part of the Ithaca College Natural Resource Reserve, the property is managed by the Ithaca College Natural Lands Committee and the easement is in keeping with the intent of Bob and his family.

“The wetlands being set aside and the Van Buskirk land are priceless natural areas,” said Zepp. “I thank the college and the town for their commitment to preserving these areas and I look forward to continuing and expanding our partnership.”

Founded in 1989, the Finger Lakes Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that to date has protected more than 10,000 acres of the region’s wetlands, forests, farmland, grassland and gorges. This has been accomplished through the establishment of nature preserves that are open to the public for quiet recreation, the use of conservation easements and the provision of technical assistance and educational programs to local governments, landowners and the public.

For more information, contact

Ithaca College: Rick Couture, Associate Vice President for Facilities, (607) 274-3764 or rcouture@ithaca.edu

Town of Ithaca: Herb Engman, Supervisor, (607) 273-1721 or HEngman@town.ithaca.ny.us

Finger Lakes Land Trust: Andy Zepp, Executive Director, (607) 275-9487 or andrewzepp@fllt.org