One of the most notable aspects of our home here in the Tri-State is the commitment to land conservation and preserving the rural character of our region. One of many non-profit conservation organizations in the area is the Dutchess Land Conservancy, which preserves critical resources and open lands of Dutchess County, NY. Its dedication is unsurpassed. Since 1985 the Dutchess Land Conservancy has preserved over 45,000 acres of habitat, open space, farmland, 4,800+ acres of water, and 20,620+ acres of forests. The DLC recently created a new conservation preserve to protect critical wetlands and wildlife habitats called Jesse and Gayle Bontecou Wildlife Conservation Preserve. Who generously donated more than 1,250 acres of critical wetlands, forest habitat, open fields, streams, and Bontecou Lake to the Dutchess Land Conservancy in an area straddling the towns of Stanford and Washington, ensuring the permanent preservation of crucial open land in Dutchess County. The land is made up of irreplaceable natural resources that will be forever safeguarded with perpetual protection through a conservation easement that the family also donated to Scenic Hudson. This donation increases an impressive band of over 12,000 acres of contiguous properties protected by the DLC. Help them to protect even more land by visiting their website here.