NEWFIELD, N.Y. (WHCU) – The Finger Lakes Land Trust has added 43 acres of permanently protected land in Tompkins County.

The announcement was made last week by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT), and the Wetland Trust (TWT).

The property is located in the Town of Newfield and features wetlands and more than 5,000 feet of undeveloped lake frontage on the Cayuga inlet. The addition builds on a network of reserves bordering the inlet, which protects water quality by filtering pollutants in stormwater before it empties into Cayuga Lake.

“This acquisition will help ensure water quality within Cayuga Lake while also securing important habitat for fish and wildlife,” said FLLT Executive Director Andy Zepp. “Protecting this land from development also means its floodplains will continue to minimize flooding downstream.”

FLLT acquired the property using some of a Water Quality Improvement Project grant awarded by the DEC back in December 2018. The new property joins two other FLLT preserves bordering the inlet.

“Protecting water quality is a top priority for DEC and our land trust partners throughout New York State,” said DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “By working with partners like the Finger Lakes Land Trust and the Wetland Trust, DEC is safeguarding a drinking water source and a key natural buffer along Cayuga inlet for generations to come.”