NYS DEC and Sisters of St. Joseph Conserve

43 Acres in Brentwood

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DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton, Trust’s Melanie Tebbens, Trust Board members Valerie Scopaz and Katharine Griffiths, Trust’s Dan Heston, and Sister Karen Burke from the Sisters of St. Joseph. ‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍ ‍‍‍

Peconic Land Trust has worked with the Sisters since 2015 to help them realize their conservation goals. On July 2, the NYS DEC announced the acquisition of a conservation easement from the Sisters of St. Joseph, permanently protecting 43 acres of globally rare pine barrens in Brentwood. To read the full press release, click here.

The DEC and the Sisters will jointly manage the property for groundwater and habitat protection and public access to open space in an area historically underserved by parkland.

“The Sisters of St. Joseph have long been known for their focus on environmental stewardship and their unwavering commitment to serving Brentwood and communities across the region,” Commissioner Lefton said. “DEC looks forward to building upon our existing long-term partnership with the Sisters as we manage this land together to protect habitat and water quality and help connect Long Islanders to the outdoors.”

The property contains species typical of a pine barrens ecosystem including a pine-oak-heath forest, scrub-oak, and blueberry understory, and an herbaceous layer of ferns, sedge, and wintergreen, all in well-drained sandy soils of glacial outwash plains and moraines. This forest type is rare, and even more so given its location in an urban environment as defined by the New York Natural Heritage Foundation.

“Peconic Land Trust has been honored to work with the Sisters of St. Joseph since 2015 to help them realize their Land Ethic and amazing vision for the property. From reintroducing agriculture to the fields and helping to establish a vibrant farming community, to the replacement of lawn with a meadow, siting of solar and advanced septic water treatment, to the conservation of healthy woodlands with an understory that is thriving, the property is both protected and transformed. The Sisters of St. Joseph have made their campus a true community place that is ecologically diverse and healthy,” said Dan Heston, Director of Agricultural Programs at the Peconic Land Trust. “We thank New York State – the Governor, the Legislature and the Department of Environmental Conservation — for working with the Sisters of St. Joseph to realize the permanent protection of these woodlands for the benefit of the community.”

We are grateful to all those who joined us at the Krupski Farm to celebrate 42 years of conservation. We remain committed to conserving and stewarding the land that provides nourishment, respite, and places to gather. This event would not have been made possible without the help and support of our sponsors, vendors, and committee.

Thank you!

New Book Features Bridge Gardens

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Blue Carreon’s new, beautiful book, The Gardens of the Hamptons, features sumptuous photographs of over 40 gardens across the South Fork, with a special section on “Gardens for Everyone” featuring Bridge Gardens! We thank Blue for including us among some of the most amazing gardens. Blue, who never gardened himself until moving to East Hampton in 2015, has used his new love of gardening with his design eye and photography to bring the gardens to life. Keep an eye out: Also included are the gardens of Bridge Gardens members (and music night fans), Marcia Previti and Peter Gumpel!Interested in learning more, click here.

Light, Sand, and Sea Highlight the
Landscapes of the East End

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Thank you to longtime Trust friend and supporter Mark Magowan and the team at The Vendome Press for gifting the Trust copies of their new beautiful coffee table book: Light, Sand, and Sea: Hamptons Artists and their Studios, by Coco Myers and Jamie Lopez. The pages show how inspiring the landscapes of Long Island’s East End are to today’s contemporary artists. “The East End has long been a magnet for artists who are drawn to the inspiring nature of the landscape – the light, the fields, the farms, and of course, the expansive sea. And while the legacy of artists like Jackson Pollock, Lee Krasner, Willem de Kooning, and others remains strong, the area continues to be rich in talent today.” The book provides a close up look at 50 artists working today on the East End – an intimate look at their work and their studios. Interested in learning more, click here.

UNCOMMON GROUND VI:
Contemporary Outdoor Sculpture

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curated by Cheryl Sokolow/C Fine Art

Uncommon Ground VI showcases spectacular outdoor sculptures by internationally recognized and museum-collected artists, including Kevin Barrett, Norman Mooney, Hans Van de Bovenkamp, John Clement, Jane Manus, Jerelyn Hanrahan, Isobel Folb Sokolow, Carole Eisner, Joel Perlman, Alex Barrett, Steve Zalusky, and Aurelio Torres.

Due to its popularity, the exhibition has been extended to November 2, 2025!

Meet the Artist Reception

Mark Your Calendar: September 13, 4-6 p.m.

Join us for an evening of art and music at the
Artist’s Reception with Curator Cheryl Sokolow,
featuring music by Certain Moves.RSVP required,631.283.3195, ext. 122

Peconic Land Trust In the News

36 Hours | Long Island’s East End – Charity Robey, The New York Times

Behind the Trees on Montauk Highway, a Historic Farm Still Thrives– Stephen J. Kotz, 27 East

Your Turn: What I learned about strawberries, asparagus, and hops at Condzella’s Farm– Lynn Hallarman, TBR News Media

On the radio: Tune in on Tuesday, September 10, at 9:30 am, as the Trust’s Yvette DeBow Salsedo and C Fine Art’s Cheryl Sokolow are guests on Gianna Volpe’s Heart of the East End radio program on WLIW, 88.3 FM. Yvette and Cheryl will be chatting with Gianna about the sculpture exhibition now on view at Bridge Gardens, Uncommon Ground VI, as well as other programs at the gardens and with the Trust. Listen in!

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You make our work possible. Thank you!

Donate Now

Peconic Land Trust | 631.283.3195 | Info@PeconicLandTrust.org

Peconic Land Trust conserves Long Island’s working farms, natural lands, and heritage for our communities now and in the future. To learn more, visit us online at www.PeconicLandTrust.org.

The Peconic Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. The majority of our support comes from our donors! We do not collect or distribute the 2% real estate transfer tax. Click here to learn more.

Financial Disclosure Statement: A copy of the last financial report filed with the New York State Attorney General may be obtained in writing to: New York State Attorney General’s Charities Bureau, Attn: FOIL Officer, 28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005 or Peconic Land Trust.