Susie Wood posted on July 22, 2009 11:30
Rachel Cole, contributing writer
The Thousand Island Land Trust (TILT) came to Oak Point on Murray Isle last Tuesday, July 14, 2009 to reintroduce themselves, give an overview of their organization and answer questions about TILT. They were well represented by their President Susie Smith, Executive Director Andrew Wood, Board Member Carol Munro and Founder Ken Deedy.
Murray Isle President Bill Munro and his wife Judy hosted the event under the remaining tents from the Murray Isle Fish Fry. Refreshments were served with a welcome warm cup of coffee as the day remained grey and chilly.
Fifteen to twenty Islanders attended this informal gathering and soon learned that the focus of the meeting was neither fund-raising nor specific to Association holdings. The Land Trust would welcome donations, they encourage membership and spoke briefly about maintaining a membership base, however, the tone for the hour and a half gathering remained informative.
Briefly, TILT accepts land when it is either donated or purchased outright or put under a conservation easement. Protection of land qualifies as a charitable donation if there is a "public benefit", such as Tidd Shoal off of Basswood which is protected as a nesting site for Common Terns. TILT can sell land donated to it, but will generally put it under conservation easement and follow the donor’s intentions such as keeping the land ‘forever wild’. Ultimately, the effect on the local property tax base is minimal as they do pay property taxes on some of their properties and steward their land holdings through donations.
A conservation easement is a voluntary agreement drawn up by TILT and the landowner. Land placed under still belongs to the landowner who can continue to use the land as they always have, and either sell or pass it on to their heirs. There are specific requirements that the Land Trust must meet along with New York State legal standards and practices involving appraisers and surveyors. Once TILT accepts a conservation easement, they must monitor the properties annually to ensure that the easement and the land are protected.
Part of the Land Trust's mission statement suggests they want to preserve what we all love about the Thousand Islands and to increase the quality of our surrounding territory. The Thousand Islands Land Trust office is located on the Riverfront in Clayton at 135 John Street and can be reached at 315-686-5345 or info@tilandtrust.org.