ITHACA, N.Y. (WHCU) – One major focus for the Finger Lakes Land Trust is getting rid of harmful algal blooms in Cayuga Lake.

Harmful algal blooms are not only a danger to public health, even causing death in animals like dogs, they can also be catastrophic to summer tourism dollars in the area.

The Finger Lakes Land Trust recently crossed the 30,000-acre threshold for land that will be protected in perpetuity, much of it designed to protect water quality.  The conservation organization’s Executive Director Andy Zepp tells WHCU there’s likely three main culprits causing the recent rise in the amount of the harmful cyanobacteria blooms during the summer months.

The Land Trust focuses on the land-use aspect of prevention, protecting undeveloped shorelines and working with farmers and property owners to reduce the amount of nutrients flowing into the lake.

More information is available on harmful algal blooms, and you can report one here.