With the help of volunteers and landowners, over 4,500 acres of wetlands, gorges, forests, farmland and streams have been protected. Acquisition and conservation easements are the primary protection tools. The Finger Lakes Land Trust is interested in retaining the working and natural landscape of the Skaneateles Lake Region but have limited time and money. The FLLT developed a set of criteria to direct the process of acquiring and protecting land. Property contains significant hydrological features such as wetlands, streams, lakes or ponds.
Property is adjacent to protected land.
Property offers educational or historical benefit such as an archeological site. Prime agricultural sites are identified through attributes such as favorable soil, topography and moisture. . I soil is considered prime agricultural land with no management limitations. Class II indicates generally fertile conditions but with limitations due to erosion, flood and drought potential. For the purposes of this study, Class I and II soils are used to represent Prime Agricultural farmland.