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2018 Annual Report

Adirondacks

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1,700 Road-stream crossings inventoried this summer in Essex County.

277 Number of those allowing no fish passage at all.

Learn how Freshwater Project Coordinator Luke McNally plans to address this challenge. Page 6.

7 Conservancy-owned public preserves in the Adirondacks.

64,785 Acres of private conservation easement lands owned by the Conservancy in the Adirondacks.

Conservation is great for nature and communities. See how our work is helping Willsboro. Page 9.

500,000 Hikers who have encountered Summit Stewards over the past 29 years. That’s when the Adirondack Chapter launched the program with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and the Adirondack Mountain Club. The alpine educators are found atop some of the region’s tallest peaks.

200 Pounds of trash removed from preserves and roads by volunteers last year.

131 Birds counted during this year’s Bird Blitz.

Public outreach is at the core of our mission, a commitment we reiterated at our first-ever Nature Fair. Page 10.

11 Seasonal workers added to help us tackle our summer work.

In many cases, the work they do will long outlast the summer. Read how on page 11.

46 Length, in years, of Tim Barnett’s tenure at The Nature Conservancy, where he was the longest-standing employee before retiring.

Read about his remarkable career on the back cover.

16,800+ People who have been educated by the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) about invasive species since 2009.

1,031 Terrestrial invasive species infestations managed by APIPP since 2010 that no longer have invasive species present or have been deemed locally eradicated.

74% Of 408 highly vulnerable Adirondack lakes surveyed by APIPP since 2002, percentage that are still free of aquatic invasive species.

811 Individual volunteers who have participated in an aquatic invasive species survey on an Adirondack lake or pond since 2002.

42% Threatened and endangered species in the U.S. facing decline because of invasive species.

Learn how we’re using high-tech methods to prevent the spread of invasive species. Page 3.

More than just numbersThe impact of the work done every year by The Nature Conservancy’s 150 staff members in the Adirondacks and New York State can hardly be measured by numbers alone — but these numbers are still pretty impressive:

Front cover: © John D

iGiacom

o. Nichol Brook, Keene.

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DeAR FRienDs oF the ADiRonDAcks

Sarah Underhill and Peg Olsen

Sincerely,

Earlier this year, in a conversation we had with friends who know the Adirondacks well, the

question came up: What makes this place so special?There are as many answers as there are people

who love this place. But we heard one response that particularly delighted us:

The Adirondacks are one of the few places left where you can swim across a lake with your mouth open.

At first, we laughed. But the more we thought about it, the more we realized: It’s simple, and so true, and it captures so much of why we do what we do to protect this remarkable landscape.

Our team of scientists based in Keene Valley is carrying out critical work every day to protect lands and waters, build healthy communities and tackle climate change. You can read about many of those projects in these pages. Our innovative use of remote-controlled drones, for instance, helps identify and control invasive species before they have a chance to spread. In Willsboro, where we have worked for years to protect the health of Lake Champlain and nearby ecosystems, you’ll read how our work shores up the economy as much as the region’s ecology. And while climate change is certainly a problem bigger than the Adirondacks, we’re finding that our vast forests are an important tool to store carbon — which is why we’ve launched a program to help landowners not only keep more trees, but get paid for it.

Sarah Underhill, Board Chair

That last program expands an effort started in Pennsylvania several years ago. As part of one of the largest conservation organizations in the world, we can draw upon the experience and expertise of thousands of scientists, land managers, economists and conservationists around the globe. At the same time, it also means that while our work is local, it has global impact: Many of the projects we’re undertaking, such as our pioneering efforts to reconnect aquatic habitats and improve wildlife connectivity, are serving as models for work elsewhere.

Of course, none of this work can happen without your support. We’re so grateful for all that you’ve done to help us keep the Adirondacks so remarkable. And such a magnificent place to take a swim.

Peg Olsen, Director

our work is local and has global impact

© Lynn Savarese

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“A 50-acre wetland that may take a half-day to map on the ground can be inspected from the air in under 15 minutes.”

Protecting Land and Water

© Kenneth A

aron/The Nature Conservancy

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As Zack Simek’s remote-control drone steered itself above a marshy wetland, taking pictures of the habitat below, the coordinator of the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program’s Terrestrial Project kept a watchful eye on the device. He was using the drone to look for phragmites, a tall invasive grass that often takes root in remote, hard-to-access wetlands. Too dense to row into, too marshy to hike, these areas defy monitoring.

Which is why Simek has taken to the sky, using the drone’s camera to map the ground below. Detecting invasive species before they have a chance to spread is one of the best ways to stop them from overtaking native habitats and the drone is an efficient way to survey large areas quickly.

“A 50-acre wetland that may take a half-day to map on the ground can be inspected from the air in under 15 minutes,” says Simek.

The drone, about the size of a small pizza box, can legally fly to 400 feet. After an on-board camera shoots high-resolution photos at periodic intervals, software stitches those images into one unbroken scene. Then, Simek inspects that picture for evidence of infestation. (Phragmites, which can grow 15 to 18 feet tall, appears as a light-colored blotch on an otherwise green wetland.)

This year, Simek has used the drone to evaluate 20 vulnerable wetlands that have never been surveyed. The devices won’t put humans out of work anytime soon: remote sightings will still need to be confirmed.

“Drones don’t completely replace boots on the ground—it’s more a complementary tool,” he says. “It has a lot of promise.”

eyes in the sky

drones can spot invasive species in hard -to -reach areas before they have a chance to spread

no type of habitat or region of the globe is immune from the threat of invasive species.Invasive plant and animal species have :

• Contributed directly to the decline of 42 percent of the threatened and endangered species in the United States.

• Cost the United States economy an estimated $120 billion a year.

• Caused over 100 million acres (an area roughly the size of California) to suffer from invasive plant infestations.

Invasive species are a global problem — with the annual cost of impacts and control efforts equaling 5 percent of the world’s economy.

The Nature Conservancy is working to prevent and control the spread of invasive species in all 50 states and across more than 30 countries. Together with our partners we are focusing on prevention and early detection as the most effective strategies to combat invasive species.Zack Simek maneuvers his drone above a wetland in Ray Brook,

using a tablet to monitor the aircraft’s progress.

© Kenneth A

aron/The Nature Conservancy

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When Maureen Clark’s uncle bought the 152-acre property in Forestport that now belongs to her and her husband, the woman who sold it was clear: She didn’t want the land, then a farm, carved into subdivisions. “One of the reasons she sold it to him was that he meant it to be used by our family,” says Clark, who spent summers there as a child.

Now, Clark is seeking to honor her uncle’s stewardship by placing a conservation easement on the property, guaranteeing it will remain undeveloped forever.

Clark’s land, which includes 4,000 feet of shoreline along Kayuta Lake and nearby streams, is part of the Black River Valley, an important wildlife corridor that links the Adirondacks with the Tug Hill Plateau. When landowners like Clark pledge to keep their lands intact, it ensures that species have the freedom to move and survive even as other pressures, such as climate change and land development, squeeze their habitats.

As part of an ongoing project to cultivate support for wildlife connectivity in the region, The Nature Conservancy and the Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust worked with several landowners to put wildlife cameras on their properties, including Clark’s. In the year the camera was up on her land, it captured a bear, deer and a fox, among other critters. In short, Clark says, nothing too surprising. But she saw enough to understand the importance of keeping it protected and is eager to finish the easement. “There’s really nothing to lose for the landowner,” she says.

Room to roam Protecting Land and Water

The Black River Valley, seen here, consists of a patchwork of farms and forests vital to the region’s communities and quality of life. The Nature Conservancy is working with partners to ensure this landscape continues to support the people who depend on it as well as the wildlife that traverses it.

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Wildlife-friendly steps you can take

Ensuring that nearby forests remain connected to the Adirondacks, which itself is part of the most intact temperate broadleaf forest in the world, is critical to the health of countless species. But even if you don’t put a conservation easement on your property, Wildlife Connectivity Project Manager Alissa Rafferty offers these steps to be more wildlife-friendly.

Animals have four critical needs: food, water, cover and space. If you’re a forest owner, the most important step you can take is to maintain or enhance as much natural vegetation as possible—it both provides cover and food.

Farm owners can help wildlife move freely by removing obsolete fencing, adding or widening hedgerows, and reducing pesticide use or finding natural alternatives.

If your property includes streams or rivers, add or maintain vegetated areas alongside them — buffers preserve water quality, guard against erosion and flooding, and let animals migrate safely.

Limit human footprint. Fences, roads, trails, structures and pets can affect wildlife. Cluster development where possible and limit access to more sensitive wildlife habitat.

Interested in learning what else you can do to promote connectivity? Visit nature.org/NewYork or call (518) 576-2082 for more information.

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as climate change, development and other pressures squeeze habitats, landowners can play a vital role

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Luke McNally, the Conservancy’s new Freshwater Project Coordinator, stands in Roaring Brook in Lake Placid. It looks like many of the serene waterways that criss-cross the Adirondacks: Shaded by trees, the stream meanders over a shallow bed and courses through a crescent-shaped group of boulders. Then it runs beneath River Road, ultimately leading to the Ausable River.

This idyllic scene looks like it’s always been this way —but it hasn’t. Four years ago, The Nature Conservancy launched a pilot project to restore road-stream crossings that hinder the passage of native species of fish, while also bolstering the ability of those crossings to withstand storms that affect nearby communities.

In that time, The Nature Conservancy has worked with New York State, Essex County, the Ausable River Association and town governments to fix eight crossings in the Ausable River watershed, re-connecting over 100 miles of river habitat. But there are many more

crossings to fix. McNally’s job: Identify which of the 1,000-plus deficient crossings in Essex County should be improved first, and to find partners and funding agencies to turn this successful pilot program into a regional model that other places around the state can follow.

At River Road, where a pair of too-narrow, flood-prone drain pipes were removed and a 35-foot span was put in its place, the work has recreated natural features such as riffles, pools and runs vital to fishery health. And the boulders, seemingly scattered by nature, were carefully arranged to form a knee-deep pool, leaving a cool spot for brook trout to shelter when the water warms.

“My goal is to ensure that waters can remain clean and healthy, plentiful with fish and other wildlife, while simultaneously keeping communities safe from flooding,” says McNally, gazing upon the restored stream. “This work isn’t an easy fix. But there’s too much at stake to leave things as they are.”

Building a better crossing

Luke McNally seen with the reconstructed span across Roaring Brook in Lake Placid. The boulder McNally is perched upon was strategically placed to create better habitat for fish that depend on cold waters.

tackling climate change

reconnecting river habitats one stream at a time

Left: © Kenneth A

aron/The Nature Conservancy

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People come from around the country, and world, to try their luck fishing for brook trout, an iconic Adirondack species. But our frigid waters aren’t always as chilly as they once were, and fish can’t pass through poorly designed crossings choking off miles of their cold-water breeding and spawning habitats. As a result, we’re concentrating our restoration efforts on places where brook trout are likeliest to be found. (See item on p. 11.) It’s great for fish and our communities—tourism is a $1.4 billion business annually in the park.

Restoring brook trout

© Sean Platt

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tackling climate change

For many owners of large woodland tracts, sustainable forestry presents a reliable source of revenue.

The Nature Conservancy’s Working Woodlands program gives landowners a way to make money for leaving those trees in the ground and guarding against climate change.

Trees capture carbon dioxide that would otherwise remain in the atmosphere: An acre of mature forest captures about a metric ton of carbon every year, the equivalent of keeping about 2.7 cars off the road. Under the program, the Conservancy pays landowners who adopt and maintain a long-term forest management program based upon how much carbon their forests sequester. In turn, the Conservancy can sell carbon credits to corporations and others interested not just in offsetting their own carbon footprint, but also in sustaining local economies and protecting drinking water, wildlife habitat and scenic views.

To Troy Weldy, senior conservation manager of The Nature Conservancy in New York, the Working Woodlands program is an innovative tool to encourage landowners to protect forests they may otherwise cut — while at the same time providing access to professional expertise that helps them create sustainable forest management plans, at no cost to them. As of 2017, the program has protected 40,000 acres nationally. Launched in New York earlier this year, the Conservancy is working with owners of nearly two dozen properties, including several in the Adirondacks, who are interested in participating.

“A lot of landowners want to pass down a healthy and productive forest for future generations. This program offers a great solution,” Weldy says.

healthy forests, healthy climate

The Working Woodlands program lets owners of large tracts generate revenue not only from the trees they harvest, but also from the ones they leave standing.

working woodlands helps landowners profit from wise management

Are you interested in learning whether your property is a good fit for the Working Woodlands program? Contact Troy Weldy at tweldy@tnc.org or Chris Jage at christopher.jage@tnc.org for more information.

© Blake G

ordon/The Nature Conservancy

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the perfect pair

economic development and conservation go hand -in-hand in willsboro

Willsboro Supervisor Shaun Gillilland, standing on a bridge across the Boquet River, says The Nature Conservancy’s work to protect the community’s natural resources has sparked downtown revitalization efforts.

Building healthy communities

© John D

iGiacom

o When Shaun Gillilland, the Town of Willsboro’s supervisor, looks at the wealth of natural resources in and around his community — such as an extensive, wheelchair-friendly trail network, nearly two miles of protected shoreline leading to the mouth of the Boquet River, and hundreds of acres of publicly accessible land — he sees more than green space. He also sees a solid foundation for his community’s economic future.

For years, The Nature Conservancy has long been a vital partner in helping the town make the most of these resources.

“Conservation of natural outdoor spaces contributes to our success,” says Gillilland. “If the recreational experiences are here for people to see and enjoy and use, they will come — and that’s why our partnership with the Conservancy has been so effective.”

Over the past decade, the Conservancy has collaborated with Willsboro on several projects connecting people with nature. An easement held by the Conservancy on Noblewood Park provides public boat access to Lake Champlain, one of a handful of spots in New York where that’s possible, and our Boquet River Nature Preserve protects a half-mile of pristine waterfront while providing miles of multi-use trails.

We’re just as mindful of improving communities as we are the environment. Earlier this year, the Conservancy purchased land connecting the preserve to Willsboro’s Main Street, a deal that opened the door for another non-profit group to pursue plans to convert a long-vacant grocery store to community space — jump-starting the town’s downtown revitalization plans.

Projects like these attract visitors, as well as new residents and businesses. That’s vitally important to Gillilland, who is now in his fifth year as supervisor and knows the town needs to diversify its economic base. “Recreation is important, but towns in the Adirondacks can’t rely on just one industry,” he says. Indeed, new businesses are starting to arrive; the state’s largest producer of organic flour opened a mill there.

“Economic development and preservation of natural spaces go hand-in-hand,” Gillilland says. “Conservation groups don’t have to be on one side, with town governments and development agencies on the other. A symbiotic relation-ship can exist. You just have to have both sides work on it.”

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serious fun

We’re serious about conservation — but it can also be a lot of fun. Instead of telling you what we do at an annual meeting, we wanted to show you. These visitors to the Conservancy’s first-ever Nature Fair in August were among nearly 100 people who learned about the scope of our activities across the Adirondacks, including efforts to combat invasive species, help wildlife survive even as climate change threatens habitats, and work with communities to ensure people and nature can thrive together. Join us next summer.

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Sofie McComb As climate changes, The Nature Conservancy’s work to protect freshwater habitats favorable to native brook trout gains urgency. But where, exactly, are the best places to find that species?

That’s the question Sofie McComb, the Adirondack Chapter’s Conservation Associate, helped answer this summer.

By piecing together GIS data gleaned from Conservancy

research and other sources, McComb gave fisheries experts a valuable tool to help determine where to concentrate conserva-tion efforts as warming waters threaten cold-water-loving fish, including the iconic brookies. (See story on p. 6.)

McComb’s position, established by a 2007 grant from Clarence Petty and Barbara Glaser, gives college students real-world experience outside the classroom. Knowing that her work will be used to shape freshwater management policies “feels amazing,” says McComb, a master’s student in environmental science and management at the University of California, Santa Barbara’s Bren School. “It’s so impressive to see how much science the Conservancy does here in the Adirondacks.”

summer staffers leave mark katherine Gale

Katherine Gale loves plants, but she also knows they can do real damage —ecologically and economically — if they spread beyond their native habitats. As the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program’s seasonal educator, Gale worked one-on-one with boaters, hikers and others to teach them

what they can do to keep invasive species out.“Invasives are spread by people, but most residents

and visitors aren’t aware of the simple steps they can take to stop them from infiltrating new areas,” says Gale, who is studying environmental science at Paul Smith’s College.

Gale, who worked at farmers’ markets, boat launches and other public places, quickly recognized that public outreach is as important to change as science itself. “We’re the bridge between the science and the people,” she says of her efforts. “I’m realizing that in a field like this, the contact you have with others can have a real impact.”

Wash your boat. Clean your boots. Don’t transport firewood. or, in other words: keep invasive species out.

That’s the name of APIPP’s new campaign to educate residents and visitors about the threats posed by invasive species, and what we can do to prevent their advance into uninfested areas. “Invasives spread primarily as a result of human activity,” says Brendan Quirion, APIPP’s director. “But whether you live, work or play in the Adirondacks, there are simple steps we can each take to keep invasives out while hiking, gardening, camping, fishing and doing all the other things that bring us here or keep us coming back.”

Are you as serious about protecting the Adirondacks from invasive species as we are? We need you to take the Keep Invasive Species Out pledge and help spread the word! When you or your organization promise to do your part, we’ll send promotional materials so you can let others know how to do theirs.

To learn more: https://keepinvasivespeciesout.com/take-the-keep-invasive-species-out-pledge

Nature Fair photos ©

John DiG

iacomo, except upper left, ©

Kenneth Aaron/The N

ature Conservancy

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Protected Lands, Pure WaterThe next time you sip your favorite Adirondack beer, take a moment to think about its origins: Beer is 95 percent water. Healthy forests gather water from rain, fog and snow and purify and slowly release it into rivers, lakes and streams on its way to the tap.

Whether you prefer a crisp lager or a toasty stout, every brewer will tell you that clean water is beer’s most important ingredient. “The foundation of our beer is the water, found in the granite 600 feet below the Adirondack Park,” says Devon Hamilton of Paradox Brewery in Schroon Lake. “This water is so pure, it needs no filtering or treatment. Without the protected lands around this region, our beer wouldn’t be what it is today.”

As Hamilton knows, The Nature Conservancy doesn’t just play a critical role protecting the environment — it also does vital work in ensuring our communities are as resilient as the lands and waters around them. By caring for our forests, we’re also safeguarding clean water for the places we live, work and play. And all the brewers who call the Adirondacks home.

Adirondacks & Beyond

The brewers at Paradox Brewery know tasty suds depend on pure water, which the Adirondacks has in abundance.

© John D

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OUR WORK TO PROTECT FORESTS HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD RESULTS IN MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES (AND BETTER BEER)

it all starts with clean water

© Terry Cook/The N

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Forests Beyond new York’s BordersForests store and filter more than half of the drinking water in the United States.

Recently, a record-setting gift to the Conservancy from the Bridgestone tire company protected 6,000 acres of Tennessee forest. The Bridgestone Nature Reserve at Chestnut Mountain includes mixed hardwood and pine forests, wooded mountain gulfs and caves. The land shelters the headwaters that provide drinking water for local communities.

Internationally, The Nature Conservancy has developed financial tools, known as water funds, that allow users of water downstream to invest in land conservation and restoration upstream. These funds

OUR WORK TO PROTECT FORESTS HERE AND AROUND THE WORLD RESULTS IN MORE RESILIENT COMMUNITIES (AND BETTER BEER)

it all starts with clean water

pay for forest protection, reforestation of pastureland, and the planting of cover crops as a smart way to secure water quality and reduce shortages in the future.

Quito, Ecuador, was the first city to benefit from the program. The city’s water supply starts high in the Andes, flowing through cloud forests and grasslands and picking up spring water and snowmelt from glaciers until it reaches the municipal water system. Because water quality in cities is directly dependent on the landscapes through which the water flows, we recognize that protecting those landscapes means ensuring sustainable water supplies for generations to come.

Healthy forests provide drinking water for millions, both in the U.S. (Chestnut Mountain, Tenn., left) and around the world (Quito, Ecuador, right).

© Terry Cook/The N

ature Conservancy

© Bridget Besaw

/The Nature Conservancy

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A legacy of protection

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care for the future. Leave a planned gift.The Legacy Club honors those who provide support for conservation in wills, trusts, life income gifts, retirement plans, life insurance designations, and other planned gifts. We are grateful to the following individuals, who have let us know that they’ve made provisions for the Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy in their estate plans.

Herbert B. Hudnut, Jr.Mr. Richard D. JarvisMr. Herbert J. JohnsonDave JoorElaine E. JoostDouglas & Jami KerrLynne L. KingsleyMr. & Mrs. Eugene KirchJeremiah KirwanWilliam F. Koebbeman, Jr.Sally & Dick LightyMarian E. LindbergJonathan S. LinenRobert G. Locke &

Sarah Thorne-LockeDouglas & Sarah LukeMr. Thomas J. LynchMr. Theodore D. MackIan & Rebecca MacKellarDr. Lawrence L. MasterPeter R. McKnightEdward W. McNeilMr. Edward H. MillerJim & Peg MillerDavid E. MorseMs. Georgann H. MullerMr. Rich W. NordDr. V. NossiterBill & Jane OlsenPeter S. Paine, Jr.Keith PartykaMary Ella PassageWilliam L. PaternotteMs. Anita N. PatkaMr. & Mrs. Bernard PattenEdward D. PettyCarol PinneyLorraine W. PlauthMeredith M. PrimeFred & Susan ReimerJohn & Sandra ReschovskySusan & George RobinsonLewis & Sheila Rosenberg

Marin L. & Gloria W. SageJoanne ScheiblyMrs. Irene L. SchmittHoward & Martha SimoninNancy M. Slowik &

Timothy BrandonTheodore S. Smith, Jr. William D. SmithPhilip B. Snyder &

Patricia D. PaineDr. Betty C. SpenceChandler SteinEdward T. Stork &

Mary E. BarrieKenneth StrikeCharlie SvensonSusan Terwilliger &

Michael Mulcahy

Ms. Phyllis B. ThompsonMr. Donald L. TraverPaul M. TurnerMr. & Mrs. Peter R. Van BruntPaul T. Vesely &

Vincent C. DiLauroErin V. WalkowBrock M. & Mary M. WeatherupCraig & Constance WeatherupMrs. Anne C. WeldJudith F. WernerLorri R. WetzelSue A. WhanRobert & Judith WhitePeter & Kathy Wyckoff

A LeGAcY to Be PRouD oF Your planned gift can help us help nature today. While most planned gifts take years to be realized, you don’t have to wait: An outright gift of stock or real estate can result in immediate conservation benefits and tax savings.

By naming The Nature Conservancy as a beneficiary of a 401(k), IRA or life-insurance policy, a portion of your estate, or your residual estate, you can:

• Retain control of your assets during your lifetime. • Modify your bequest if circumstances change. • Realize possible estate tax savings.

You can also make a lasting gift while providing yourself or others with income for life.

LET US KNOW

If you’ve already named The Nature Conservancy in your estate plans, we’d be thrilled to talk with you.

to learn more please visit nature.org/bequest, or contact erin V. Walkow, associate director of philanthropy | (518) 576-2082 ext. 133 | ewalkow@tnc.org.

Anonymous (10)John P. Andrews & Michele A. JackWendy S. AronsonMr. Timothy L. BarnettMr. Lionel O. BartholdJameson A. BaxterSteven BechardDr. Barbara L. BedfordMary Ellen BernhardtMr. & Mrs. John BessetteWendell & Ruth BiermannFlorance H. BigelowWilliam & Alice BoardmanMr. & Mrs. Robert BoothIrene BowenJ. Martin & Barbara B. CarovanoLinda CohenSarah CohenJohn & Carolyn CoitFrancis J. & Dorcas M. CulrossJulia E. DamkoehlerGeorge D. DavisMr. Alan DeeMs. Martha M. DemingLyn DuMoulinPenny Eger & M.J. OsborneJohn EggersRyan W. FerebeeCarol MacKinnon FoxJohn P. FreemanAimee C. GomlackLeslie B. & Janet G. GrayHarry & Lyn GroomeRalph & Georgia GuentherGwen HaalandLinda & Gerry HareLila L. HarringtonMs. Barbara L. HennigRobert & Adeline HinmanMatthew HobartSarah L. HollandB. Sue Howard

In memory of J. Scott Howard

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Annual Fund Contributions

$50,000 and up

Anonymous

$20,000–$49,999

Anonymous (2) Mr. Richard Hooker IIIF. M. Kirby Foundation Geoffrey Lynge Estate Mr. Joel Treisman

Joseph & Joan Cullman Conservation Foundation

The Walbridge FundMrs. Candace K. Weir

David & Candace Weir FoundationWright-Cook Foundation

$10,000–$19,999

Jameson & Reginald Baxter Reginald R. & Jameson A. Baxter Foundation

Lyn & Harry Groome Mrs. B. Sue Howard

In memory of J. Scott HowardMr. Stephen J. Kulyik

In memory of Barbara H. BergmannOverhills Foundation

Meredith M. Prime Rochester Area Community FoundationCharlie & Sally Svenson Mr. & Mrs. Steven Tadler Sarah & Bob Underhill Connie & Craig Weatherup

Weatherup Family FoundationMr. & Mrs. Peter Wyckoff

Northern New York Community Foundation

$5,000–$9,999

AnonymousAdirondack Foundation –

McLanahan Family Fund Adirondack Foundation – Paine Family FundMrs. Frances Beinecke & Mr. Paul ElstonMr. & Mrs. John Bogle Chingos Foundation John & Lynn Colston

John E. Colston Private FoundationSarah Winter French Dr. Charlotte Gross Linda & Gerry Hare Dr. & Mrs. Herbert B. Hudnut, Jr. Mr. David P. Hunt Ms. Elizabeth S. McLanahan Jim & Peg Miller Peter & Patty Paine

Boquet Foundation, Inc.Mr. Edward D. Petty Elizabeth & Justice Reed

F.G.K. FoundationMs. Adrienne J. Rinella Ellen M. Scholle Drs. Howard W. & Ora K. Smith

Kingsley FoundationMs. Margaret J. Smith Mr. & Mrs. Donald J. Yanulavich

$2,500–$4,999

Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Abrahamson Abrahamson Family Foundation

Dr. Barbara L. Bedford & Dr. Charles C. Geisler Stephen H. Burrington & Abigail A. Swaine Dr. & Mrs. James Dannenberg Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Forester Lea Paine Highet & Ian D. Highet Lola & Raymond Johnson Doug & Sarah Luke Miss Nancy L. Olsen Ms. Carol J. Pinney Dr. & Mrs. Robert Preyer

Robert O. Preyer Charitable Lead UnitrustTed & Minney Robb Marilyn Burns & Jeffrey Sellon

Bingham, Osborn & Scarborough FoundationMr. & Mrs. Enos Throop, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Harry Tobiassen Mr. & Mrs. James Visconti Arthur Wilson

$1,000–$2,499

Adirondack Foundation – Evergreen FundAdirondack Foundation –

Mr. John G. Fritzinger, Jr. Lionel O. Barthold Mr. & Mrs. Gary Benzon Ruth Biermann USBMs. Catherine A. Brennan Mr. Marcus Brown & Ms. Kathy Hyland Dr. & Mrs. John Brust Mr. William G. Bryant Mr. & Mrs. G. Michael Bush Mr. Grant A. Calder Janet Callear

This list acknowledges those who donated $250 or more to the Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy in the past fiscal year.

Working togetherDonoRs and VoLunteeRs

the adirondack chapter’s legacy of conservation is great — but the challenges we face loom just as large. your support plays a critical role in ensuring we can maintain resilient landscapes, hold the line on invasive species, protect lands and waters, and connect people and nature — eternal tasks that become more important with each passing year. we are deeply grateful for your support.

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Charles & Judy Canham Linda Cohen

Adirondack Foundation The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc.

Sarah Cohen Adirondack Foundation The Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, Inc.

Mr. & Mrs. Aims Coney, Jr. Dr. Robert Conley & Mrs. Susan ConleyDr. & Mrs. James Dawson Mr. Richard DeMartini & Ms. Jennifer Brorsen

DeMartini Family FoundationMs. Courtney DemingMr. & Mrs. Donald E. Dorn General Electric Foundation

Matching Gift Program Mr. & Mrs. Warren Gifford Mr. Walter F. Gilges Goldman Sachs Matching Gift ProgramMs. Jessica S. Griffiths Mr. & Mrs. Mark Grohowski Mrs. Daphne E. Hallowell

Headlands FarmMs. Sarah Hart Miss Elizabeth H. Hawkey

Harweb FoundationAmy Heintz

Heintz Family TrustMrs. Caroline P. Hoffman Mr. & Mrs. John Hubbard, Jr.

The John C. & Susan K. Hubbard FoundationMr. & Mrs. Andrew Hudnut Mr. & Mrs. Paul Ingrey William & Mary Janeway Mr. Richard D. Jarvis Sally P. Johnson Mr. & Mrs. J. David Joor

Dr. & Mrs. Todd Jorgensen Kevin & Betty Ann Keane Mr. Daniel Keane &

Mrs. Leslie Fernandes Mr. & Mrs. Alexander G. Keeler

Keeler Motor Car Company Charitable Foundation

Mr. Charles K. Kellogg The Kirk Kellogg Foundation

Mrs. Ann Pfohl Kirby Elizabeth P. Kirchner Mr. William F. Koebbeman Mr. Robert H. Koppe &

Ms. Eleanor R. LewisEric & Greyson Kuhn Mr. & Mrs. George Lee, Jr. Roxanne McCormick Leighton Mr. & Mrs. Richard Lighty Dr. Robert Locke &

Mrs. Sarah Thorne-LockeMr. & Mrs. Richard Malloch McClelland Family & The Mountaineer Bruce McLanahan Edward W. McNeil Merck Foundation Mr. Edward H. Miller Ms. Ashley A. Milne-Tyte Mr. W. K. Norman, Jr. Mrs. Jane R. Olsen Peg R. Olsen Mr. & Mrs. Mark L. Pacala Mr. Jan M. Popkin & Dr. Joan E. Popkin Mr. John Roth &

Mrs. Lauren Razook RothMr. & Mrs. John Reschovsky John & Nancy Rosenthal

Meadowhill FundKenneth A. & Joanne M. StrikeMr. & Mrs. Thompson Swayne

Mr. & Mrs. Ramsay Tanham Mr. & Mrs. Lanny Thorndike Amy Vedder & Bill Weber Mr. & Mrs. Wayne Virkler Harvey W. & Bernice G. Weinstein Mr. Donald P. Wichman Julie Willis Ms. Nancy H. Winter Philip & Tricia Winterer

$500–$999

Adirondack Foundation – Woods & Pearl McCahill Family Fund

Adirondack Foundation – Port Jackson FundAdirondack Foundation – Rocky Bog FundDr. & Mrs. Michael Bettmann Victoria & Wilber H. Boies Mr. W. D. Brown Mr. & Mrs. J. Martin Carovano Ms. Diane C. Cast Mrs. Pamela L. Coe Mr. & Mrs. Robert Constable Mr. Raymond Curran &

Ms. Kathleen DaggettMr. & Mrs. David Curtis Mr. & Mrs. David Cuthell Dr. & Mrs. William DeHoff Mr. Perry Dimmick & Ms. Lindsay Ruth

Rochester Area Community FoundationDr. Thomas P. Doolittle Mr. & Mrs. E. Draper, Jr. Ms. Denise M. Elmer Dr. Sarah Fernsler & Mr. William LeBoeufMr. & Mrs. Richard H. Forbes Carol MacKinnon Fox Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Gehl Mrs. Joanne K. Gianniny GlaxoSmithKline Mr. & Mrs. Robert GreenbaumMr. & Mrs. Philip Hansen Mr. & Mrs. Harold Hawkey, Jr.

Harweb FoundationMr. & Mrs. David Heider IBM Matching Grants Program ICE NYSE Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. James Ireland III Mr. & Mrs. Michael James Mrs. Anne K. Jeffrey Dr. & Mrs. Eugene Kaczka Nancy Olmsted Kaehr & Michael G. KaehrMr. & Mrs. David Kaiser Mr. & Mrs. Barry Kiel Mr. & Mrs. Peter S. Kim

The Ayco Charitable FoundationMr. & Mrs. Peter Kindler Ms. Lynne L. Kingsley Mr. & Mrs. Jefferson Kirby Mr. George C. Lajeunesse Dr. & Mrs. Douglas Langdon Mr. & Mrs. George Lockhart

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Dr. & Mrs. David Mandelbaum FJC

Mr. & Mrs. Dwight N. Mason Mr. & Mrs. Curtiss Matterson Mr. & Mrs. Richard McGinn

Mountaintop Foundation, Inc.Mr. & Mrs. W. Scott McGraw Mr. & Mrs. Philip Moldenhauer Mr. & Mrs. James Morley

St Huberts FoundationMs. Kathleen Myer & Mr. Christopher GravesNo Mercy Brothers Parts Locators Mr. & Mrs. Alexander Paine

Boquet Foundation, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Charles Raffe Howard Kirschenbaum & Mary Rapp Mr. & Mrs. Fred Reimer Susan & John Sattler III Mrs. Harriet H. Savage Mr. & Mrs. Richard Schumaker Dr. John Sharpless & Ms. Janet RutkowskiMr. Peter F. Tauck Mr. & Mrs. William Ughetta Mr. & Mrs. Peter Walker

$250–$499

Adirondack Foundation – Wray Family FundAdirondack Foundation – Kelly R. Huiatt FundAdirondack Garden Club American Express Foundation Mr. Jeremy D. Baker

The Ruth & Louis Baker Family Foundation

Mr. Robert P. Ball Mr. & Mrs. Fred Betz Mrs. Lynn H. Boillot Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Brady Constance & Kirk BrownMr. & Mrs. Dean Butts Mrs. Patricia A. Calascibett Dick & Tilly Close Mr. Herbert Coles & Ms. June Fait Mr. & Mrs. Robert Craft, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. Philip Defliese, Jr. Kingsley H. Dolan Joseph & Katherine Donohue Mr. Robert M. Drennon Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Elkinton Mrs. Yvonne C. Farmer Mr. James Flynn VI & Mrs. Linda Flynn Ms. Doni Fordyce & Mr. Michael UrfirerMr. & Mrs. Timothy Fritzinger Mr. & Mrs. James Goodwin, Jr. Mr. & Mrs. David Gosda Wendy & Stephen Hall Mr. & Mrs. David Heidecorn

Heidecorn Family Foundation, Inc.Mrs. Beverly F. Heineman Ms. Margery C. Henneman Ms. Barbara L. Hennig Mr. & Mrs. Norman Hetrick, Jr. Ms. Sarah L. Holland Mr. Rush Holt & Ms. Margaret Lancefield

Princeton Area Community FoundationMr. Peter Horvath & Dr. Elizabeth MaherIda Houby & Bill Miller Mr. Edward A. Johnson David & Nicola Jordan Mr. John E. Kelsch Nathan La Porte & Leah Handel Ms. Holly Leicht & Mr. Adam WeinsteinMr. & Mrs. Andrew P. Love Dr. Ian & Rebecca MacKellar McGrath & Company, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Jay McGraw Mr. Barnabas McHenry

McHenry Memorial Trust FundMr. & Mrs. Richard Miller Donald T. & Marjory B. Moeller Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding

Trust, Inc.Mr. Robert Ormerod, Jr., &

Mrs. Sharon OrmerodMrs. Eleanor J. Perkins

The Eleanor J. Perkins TrustMr. Robert J. Ringlee Dr. Cynthia Rye & Mr. Robert Murphy Mr. Charles A. Schneider Ms. Eleanor Schneider &

Mr. Fred ChapmanMr. & Mrs. Edward Scudder III Greg & Kathy Short Ms. Barbara A. Silber

Ms. Natalie L. Starr Mr. & Mrs. Curtis Stiles Ms. Susan F. Stoddart Miss Jaimie Trautman Ms. Caroline W. Treadwell Richard Tredwell Preeti & Ben Verghese Ms. Stephanie Wagoner & Mr. James KloiberMs. Amelia Weir Ms. Susan Whiting & Mr. Bruce Van DusenMr. & Mrs. Andrej Zajac

Gifts to Capital & Special Programs

Along with annual operating support, funding for special initiatives is integral to conservation success. The following generous people and institutions made gifts or payments on pledges for freshwater, climate, land or intern initiatives in the most recent fiscal year. For more information about strategic conservation priorities, contact Erin V. Walkow, associate director of philanthropy | (518) 576-2082 ext. 133 | ewalkow@tnc.org.

Adirondack Foundation – McLanahan Family Fund

Adirondack Foundation – Teresa Sayward Fund for the Boquet River Basin

Mr. Gene M. Bernstein Peter & Patty Paine

Boquet Foundation, Inc.Ms. Rita Grolitzer Barbara Linell Glaser

Jane N. Mooty Foundation TrustJoanne P. Scheibly Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Kerr Roxanne McCormick Leighton Annette Merle-Smith Stephanie & Robert Olmsted

The Furtherance Fund, Inc.Peter & Patty Paine Patagonia Environmental Grants Program

The Mountaineer & McClelland FamilyBrian & Ginny Ruder

The Ayco Charitable FoundationMr. and Mrs. James Visconti Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Wahl

Gifts in KindJohn DiGiacomoBunny GoodwinCarl Heilman IILawrence MasterStephanie & Robert Olmsted

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Gifts in Honor OfTimothy L. BarnettStefan & Dana BibbFrederick C. CalderTimm & JoAnne DuMoulinThomas MendlPeg OlsenMeredith M. PrimeJohn & Mike QuenellJudy & Russ SmithCharlie O. Svenson

Gifts in Memory OfVirginia BergaminiBarbara H. BergmannFlorence Bateson BerryDaniel A. BradburdMary Louisa Shear BrennanRolf E. BrynilsenRichard CalascibettWalter M. ChapmanBernard L. ClausenJohn K. DuffyHannelore DuMoulinWilliam Eldridge

Donors of Time and Talent

In addition to more than 30 cooperating partner organizations and hundreds of Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program volunteers, we extend heartfelt thanks to the following individuals for the creative ways they supported Adirondack conservation over the past year.

Preserve Adopters & Stewardship Big Simons Pond Preserve: Virginia Davis Ammons, Paul Merrit Sperry

Boquet River Nature Preserve: Bill Amadon, Champlain Valley Senior Community, Vic Putman, Eli Schwartzberg, Randall Swanson, Town of Willsboro

Clintonville Pine Barrens Preserve: Mandy & Rocco Giampaolo, Sid Maicus, David Thomas-Train

Everton Falls Nature Preserve: Duncan Cutter, Will Thomas

Gadway Sandstone Pavement Barrens Preserve: John Coryea, Dr. Ken Adams

Hudson River Ice Meadows: Evelyn Greene

Silver Lake Bog Preserve: Ryan Novak, the Paul Smith’s College Veterans Club, Jim & Ginger Visconti

Spring Pond Bog Preserve: Dan Reandeau, Township 19 Club, Ellen Utley

General stewardship: Doug Munro

Event HostsStephanie & Robert OlmstedSarah Underhill

Office Volunteers Yvonne FarmerLinda Vaught

PhotographersJohn DiGiacomo Carl Heilman II Larry Master

The Nature Conservancy Birding BlitzJohn BittnerMarian BodineJoan Collins

John DavisBill KruegerPhyllis MagnusLarry MasterStacy RobinsonAngie RossJohn & Pat Thaxton

Science SupportBarry BaldigoHarry FineScott GeorgeDr. Dan KeltingEd McNeilSergio Sarmiento

Stephen FlintConnie FontaineJoan C. FredericksErnest Robert GieseDr. Stanley GrossJohn W. HawkinsonJ. Scott HowardRose Anna “Bobbie” KottlerWesley “Bud” LanyonMichael A. LudasGeoffrey Lynge

Realized BequestsAnonymous Mr. Wendell J. Biermann Mr. Harold K. Boyce Reverend Rich Broderick Stephanie D. Bugden Mr. Pierce J. Cotter Mr. Richard F. EisenbergJohn W. Hawkinson Mrs. Jane S. Kruysman Mrs. Anitra Christoffel Pell George V. & Jean A. Smith

Charitable Trust

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Hannah DarrinNOLS; student, Yale UniversityNew Haven, CT, & Hague, NY

Harry GroomeWriter; Chairman (retired), SmithKline Beecham Consumer Health CareVillanova, PA, & Keene Valley, NY

Emily C. LyonsGlobal Head of Corporate Market Development, Global Growth Organization, Thomson ReutersNew York, NY

Elizabeth McLanahanDirector, NOAA Office of International Affairs and Senior Advisor to the NOAA AdministratorWashington, DC, & Saranac Lake, NY

Peter S. Paine, Jr.SecretaryAttorney; Chairman, Champlain National BankWillsboro, NY

Meredith M. PrimeCivic leader; Co-founder, Adirondack Foundation Lake Placid, NY, & Perrysburg, OH

Charles O. SvensonTreasurerSenior managing director, Brock Capital GroupNew York & Saranac Lake, NY

Sarah UnderhillChairCivic leader, freelance writer, editor, curatorBronxville & Tupper Lake, NY

Amy Vedder, PhDSenior VP, The Wilderness Society (retired) Johnsburg, NY

Takeyce WalterFine artist, instructorRound Lake, NY

Julie WillisReal estate agent, interior designerConcord, MA, & Keene Valley, NY

Board of Trustees

WoRkinG FoR You in the ADiRonDAcks

Barbara Bedford, PhDSenior research associate (retired), Natural Resources, Cornell University Ithaca, NY

Frances BeineckePresident (retired), Natural Resources Defense CouncilThe Bronx & Long Lake, NY

Stephen H. BurringtonExecutive director, Groundwork USABrookline, MA

Charles Canham, PhDSenior scientist, forest ecology, Institute of Ecosystem StudiesMillbrook, NY

John ColstonVice-chairTechnology consultant; Senior executive, AOL (former)Glyndon, MD, & Long Lake, NY

David DarrinCivic leader; President, Lake George Land Conservancy (former)Hague, NY, & Sarasota, FL

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@ADIRONDACKTNC

FACEBOOK.COM/TNCNY

@NATURE.NY

WEB: NATURE.ORG/NEWYORK

EMAIL: ADIRONDACKS@TNC.ORG

PHONE: 518-576-2082

Michelle BrownSenior conservation scientist

Dirk BryantDirector of conservation programs

Craig CheesemanGIS/computer specialist, IS manager

Chris JageLand protection manager

Tom LakeFollensby Pond caretaker

Jessica Levine (TNC Canada)Senior conservation advisorStaying Connected Initiative coordinator

Jan Maria LocalioConservation program coordinator/Stewardship specialist

StaffBill MartinConservation Easement Program coordinator

Sophie McClellandPhilanthropy coordinator

Lukas McNallyFreshwater Project coordinator

Peg OlsenDirector

Dawn OrmsbyOperations program specialist

Bethany PelkeyAdministrative assistant

Brendan QuirionAdirondack Park Invasive Plant Program manager

Alissa RaffertyWildlife Connectivity Project manager

Zachary SimekTerrestrial Invasive Species Project coordinator

Erin Vennie-VollrathAquatic Invasive Species Project coordinator

Erin V. WalkowAssociate director of philanthropy

2018 Field staff

Sofie McCombAdirondack Conservation Associate Derek Dykstra, Samuel FixlerStream Barrier Assessment Technicians

Katherine Gale Invasive Species Seasonal Educator

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P.O. BOx 65 / 8 NATURE WAYKEENE VALLEY, NY 12943518-576-2082ADIRONDACKS@TNC.ORGNATURE.ORG/NEWYORK

The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.

This year, we’re publishing our annual report in the honor of founding director Tim Barnett. In 2018, the 78-year-old conservationist retired after a distinguished 46-year career with the Nature Conservancy. We embrace this chance to reflect on the challenges, unforgettable moments, and milestone land protection deals that define his legacy. We look ahead to how his leadership created the foundation for a connected and resilient landscape, and what Tim’s experience teaches us about successful conservation work in the 21st century.

tim Barnett’s Legacy46 years, countless projects, an indelible impact