More than 1,200 acres of open space have been permanently protected in New York State through the efforts of five community-based partners, with support from the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) program. These initiatives aim to safeguard drinking water sources and advance the state’s 30×30 Initiative, which seeks to conserve 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.
The WQIP program awarded over $7.4 million in grants to five land trusts across regions including Westchester, the Finger Lakes, and Western New York. Eight parcels were acquired for source water protection, with remaining funds designated for future acquisitions.
In Erie County, Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper (BNW), assisted by Western New York Land Conservancy (WNYLC), secured two properties totaling more than 44 acres identified as priorities in the state’s Open Space Conservation Plan. These parcels contain wetlands and forests along Eighteen Mile Creek and a tributary within the Niagara River watershed.
Jill Jedlicka, Executive Director of BNW, said: “Protecting our region’s Great Lakes and inland waterways starts with protecting critical headwater forests and green space at their source. We are grateful for our long-standing partnership with the Western New York Land Conservancy which allows each of our organizations to do what we do best—protect our water, protect our lands—and to support the shared vision of the Western New York Wildway that will benefit our entire region. Thank you to the DEC and their funding support from the WQIP program, and to the property owners who patiently and generously worked with our team for years to be able to conserve these lands and waters for future generations.”
Another project in Allegany County saw WNYLC acquire over 200 acres along Black Creek’s shoreline in order to protect wetlands crucial for downstream public drinking water supplies in Genesee River Basin communities like Angelica.
Marisa Riggi, Executive Director of WNYLC stated: “Over the past five years we’ve made tremendous progress in protecting public drinking water sources and the Western New York Wildway. But since only 1.3% of identified linkages in the Wildway are conserved, permanently protecting these linkage properties represents a wonderful, positive step toward creating the corridors of connectivity the Western New York Wildway requires. We are thrilled to share this success with our friends at Buffalo Niagara Waterkeeper, and we are truly grateful for the DEC’s WQIP grant program and all of our generous donors who made this possible. This partnership demonstrates that when organizations work together, they can make a lasting impact on our region.”
In Westchester County, Westchester Land Trust purchased two forested parcels exceeding 13 acres near Muscoot Reservoir after they were listed for residential development; these will now remain undeveloped as part of Bedford’s open space inventory.
Kara Whelan, President of Westchester Land Trust said: “Westchester Land Trust and the town of Bedford have a long legacy of working together to protect our shared natural resources. We’re proud to uphold our community’s long-standing commitment to land conservation and we’re grateful to DEC’s WQIP program and the Bedford Open Space Acquisition Committee for championing this effort to safeguard a key piece of this watershed.”
In Locke (Finger Lakes region), The Nature Conservancy acquired a 99-acre parcel containing forests and wetlands feeding Owasco Lake—a drinking water source serving more than 30,000 people.
Bill Ulfelder, The Nature Conservancy’s New York Executive Director remarked: “By protecting and restoring the lands around rivers, lakes, and streams, we can safeguard clean drinking water for New York families. The Nature Conservancy is proud to partner with DEC on projects that improve water quality and provide wildlife habitat. This project conserves upstream wetlands and streams, which is one of the most effective ways to safeguard the health of downstream lakes. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Hochul and the New York State Senate and Assembly, New York continues to lead the way by providing critical funding through the Environmental Protection Fund, Clean Water Infrastructure Act,and Environmental Bond Actto undertake projects like these that benefit people and wildlife throughout our great state.”
The Finger Lakes Land Trust also secured a conservation easement on more than 115 acres in Niles (Skaneateles Lake watershed) as well as an additional parcel in Summerhill (Cayuga Lake watershed), both aimed at preserving wild streams supplying public drinking water.
Andrew Zepp, President of Finger Lakes Land Trust said: “Both of these projects help protect wild streams that serve as public drinking water supplies. They also build upon earlier projects that were completed through partnerships with New York State through the WQIP program. This program is really making a difference in the Finger Lakes region and elsewhere in the state.The health of our streams and lakes depends upon the health of adjacent land and the WQIP program is providing the resources needed to secure these critical areas.”
Since its inception,DEC’s Water Quality Improvement Project Program has preserved nearly five million acres statewide via fee or conservation easements across various management categories.Last December, more than $222 million was allocated through WQIP grants supporting diverse environmental initiatives such as municipal wastewater upgrades or habitat restoration.Applicationsfor new grants continue under Consolidated Funding Application guidelines.
Complementary programs include DWSP2—the Drinking Water Source Protection Program—created by DEC alongside other agencies.DWSP2 provides free technical assistanceto municipalities developing strategies safeguarding both surface- or groundwater-based sources; it has served almost 2.5 million consumers so far across evaluations covering more than one hundred thirty source waters statewide.
State investment continues into clean water infrastructure,with an additional $500 million addedin fiscal year 2025-26 bringing total commitments since 2017 up towards $6 billion.The Clean Water Bond Act alone totals $4.2 billion.
