A Note to Our Community: We are all in this together.

Dear Friends,

During this unprecedented health crisis, everyone at the Peconic Land Trust is thinking of you, our families, our friends, and our communities. Like you, all of us at the Trust are concerned about, and are adapting to, the changes brought upon our lives by COVID-19.

Many of us on staff are working from home and we have moved to phone/video conferencing for all meetings. We continue to monitor health updates from all sources and follow their guidelines including physical (aka social) distancing of 6 feet and even sheltering in place as appropriate. We hope that you and your family, friends and neighbors are all doing well and taking care of each other during these challenging times.

We have heard from many of you, for which we are most grateful – despite the need to physically distance ourselves from one another, this is the time to tap into our social networks to express caring and compassion.

Please continue to reach out to us with any comments, questions, or concerns, and we will do likewise. Our full staff list with email addresses can be found here. Or please email us at info@PeconicLandTrust.org or call 631.283.3195.

It is natural for many of us to feel anxious at this time - but remember that we are all in this together. With Spring fast approaching, working outside in our yards and gardens, as well as taking time for a walk along the beach or a hike on one of many trails, may be a good option for you and your family, while following all of the proper precautions.

Remember how good you felt taking in the scent of the woods or hearing the sound of the waves with your feet in the sand? Nature helps calm our minds (and our nerves) and makes us feel better as we know from our own experience.

Because of you, we have protected thousands of acres of farms, woods, and shorelines in concert with landowners, communities, partner organizations, and the public sector. Together, we are so fortunate to be part of a conservation legacy in our communities of which you play a vital part. During these trying times, please take advantage of all that you have made possible. You can find information about protected land on our website.

And, while we have cancelled gatherings and events through the end of March, we continue to protect the land and water that sustain our communities. For April and beyond, more cancellations will undoubtedly occur, but we will explore ways that we can come together virtually. In the meantime, as Spring approaches, we are, with your help:

• conserving land for water quality, sustainable farming, shoreline protection, and more,
• helping new and established farmers get ready for the growing season,
• restoring the health of coastal ponds through research and remediation,
• readying community garden beds at Bridge Gardens and the Ag Center,
• defending conservation restrictions on protected land, and
• seeding trays for transplanting in the fields at Quail Hill Farm.

All of this and more is what the Peconic Land Trust is all about as we do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Helping our communities in times of need is a core tenet of our work. As you are here for us, we are here for you. All of us at Peconic Land Trust wish you good health at this critical time in our history. Thank you for all you do for our communities on Long Island! Be safe, be well.

Yours,

John v.H. Halsey
President
Peconic Land Trust
JHalsey@PeconicLandTrust.org