named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Conservation Easements Program
Holds over 200 conservation easements protecting land across more than 30 communities in perpetuity
Stewardship and Ecological Restoration
Manages preserves through initiatives including invasive species control, pollinator habitat restoration, and forest health programs
Sugar Hill Farm
Community farm in Bedford Hills producing over 10,000 servings of vegetables annually donated to local food pantries
Urban and Community Engagement Initiatives
Expands land conservation impact in urban centers and underserved communities through education and access programs
activities · 10 groups
What they do
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Land Acquisition and Conservation Easements 2 activities
- Conservation partnerships and easement grantingPartners with municipal entities such as the Town of Bedford to secure public infrastructure needs while conserving land, including granting permanent easements for water supply wells and transmission lines at Guard Hill Preserve.
- Land conservation and preservationHas preserved over 9,600 acres of open space in Westchester County and surrounding regions since 1988 through ownership and conservation easements, including protecting critical drinking water sources serving over nine million people. Owns and maintains over 1,360 acres as publicly accessible preserves.
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Wildlife Monitoring and Field Research 1 activity
- Bat conservation programAdvances bat conservation through research, habitat restoration, professional assessments, and community education at Lodestone Preserve, supported by a $123,500 grant.
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Community Stewardship Volunteer Programs 1 activity
- Community engagement and volunteer programsHosts public educational events and volunteer opportunities at preserves like Tom Burke to engage communities in invasive species management and pollinator conservation.
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Community-Based Urban Agriculture 1 activity
- Community food production and donationOperates a food pantry garden program at Sugar Hill Farm where volunteers grow over 10,000 servings of nutrient-rich vegetables annually, donated to food pantries in Katonah and Mount Vernon.
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Ecological Habitat Restoration 1 activity
- Habitat restoration and ecological managementConducts targeted ecological interventions including goat grazing to manage invasive species and restore pollinator habitat at Tom Burke Preserve, mosquito larvae control using biological larvicide at Otter Creek Preserve, and native vegetation restoration for bat conservation at Lodestone Preserve.
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Nature Preserve Management and Public Access 1 activity
- Public access and infrastructure improvementOwns and manages public preserves with free year-round access and undertakes capital improvements such as the Zofnass Parking Improvements Project in Pound Ridge, NY, which is permitted and grant-funded.
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Neighborhood Civic Engagement 1 activity
- Public education forums and lecturesHosts county-wide lectures and forums on smart growth, land use planning, and conservation planning to promote informed community development.
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Local Land Conservation Advocacy 1 activity
- Regional conservation planning and technical assessmentConducts ecological and community assessments of sensitive sites, such as a 2.85-acre site along the Hutchinson River in Mount Vernon, to inform conservation strategies.
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Horticultural Education and Community Gardening 1 activity
- Urban and community greening initiativesHelped establish community gardens in Yonkers, White Plains, and Peekskill, and planned the restoration of Untermeyer Garden on the Hudson River.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- National and regional accreditation complianceMaintains accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance and meets the Better Business Bureau of New York’s 20 Standards for Charity Accountability, demonstrating adherence to national standards for excellence in land conservation.
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financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.18M
Contributions & grants$1.76M81%
Program service revenue$28K1%
Investment income$438K20%
Other revenue$-45K
expenses
Total expenses$1.92M
Program expenses73%
Admin / overhead16%
Fundraising10%
Salaries & benefits$1.11M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$27.27M
Cash$1.73M
Investments$6.80M
Liabilities$1.13M
Net assets$26.14M
Liquid reserves53.3 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -43.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 22
- Amy Fergusen — Secretary
- Bruce Churchill — Chair
- Bruce Ward — Director
- Carine Verschueren — Director
- Chantel McGee — Director
- Christopher Boege — Director
- Clifford H Aronson — Director
- Dave Tobias — Director
- David Ansel — Director
- Dina Dublon — Director
- Dr Diana Williams — Director
- Gary Perusse — Director
- Jennifer Schwartz — Director
- Joe Edgar — Treasurer
- Lee Manning-Vogelstein — Director
- Matt Young — Director
- Michael Sheerin — Director
- Nancy Karch — Director
- Nanette Bourne — Vice Chair
- Norma Silva — Director
- Offutt A Porter — Director
- Tony Freund — Director
relationships · 19
Who they work with
- Better Business Bureau of New York Government — Meets its 20 Standards for Charity Accountability
- DIG Farm Partner — Allison Turcan of DIG Farm recognized as a honoree at Westchester Land Trust’s annual benefit event.
- Dominican Sisters of Hope Partner — Honored as a leader in conservation and community stewardship at Westchester Land Trust’s annual benefit event.
- Dominican Sisters of Hope Partner — Partnered with Westchester Land Trust to establish a conservation easement on 34 acres at The Center at Mariandale in Ossining, NY.
- Fat and Sassy Goats Partner — Partners with WLT to provide targeted goat grazing for invasive plant management at Tom Burke Preserve.
- Land Trust Alliance Government — Accrediting body that awarded Westchester Land Trust national reaccreditation for meeting high standards in land conservation.
- Land Trust Alliance Network — Accredited member of the Land Trust Alliance’s national accreditation program, meeting national standards for land conservation.
- Land Trust Alliance Network — Accredited member organization
- Lewisboro and Bedford residents Partner — Founding group of residents who established Westchester Land Trust to protect open space in their communities.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Government — Issued a permit for mosquito larvae management at Otter Creek Preserve.
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Government — Permitting and regulatory partner for the Zofnass Parking Improvements Project
- Office of the New York State Attorney General Government — Provides funding through the New York Pollinator Conservation Fund to support WLT's habitat restoration work.
- Sarah K. de Coizart Article TENTH Perpetual Charitable Trust Funder — Provided a $123,500 grant to support bat conservation and habitat restoration at Lodestone Preserve.
- The New York Community Trust Funder — Co-funder of the New York Pollinator Conservation Fund supporting WLT's pollinator habitat restoration initiative.
- Town of Bedford Partner — Collaborates with Westchester Land Trust on conservation and public water infrastructure projects, including at Guard Hill Preserve and Muscoot Reservoir.
- Town of Bedford Partner — Partnered with Westchester Land Trust to secure the local drinking water supply at Guard Hill Preserve.
- Town of Pound Ridge Government — Permitting and regulatory partner for the Zofnass Parking Improvements Project
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Government — Provided funding through the Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund to support ecological assessments at the Project Kiana site.
- Village of Mamaroneck Partner — Previously conducted mosquito larvae treatments in the same area at Otter Creek Preserve for over 35 years.
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Driven Urban Conservation for Climate Resiliencemethodology: community-driven urban conservationBy engaging communities to identify underutilized urban sites and applying ecological assessments to guide restoration, the organization advances climate resilience and equitable access, because locally informed, participatory conservation increases relevance, sustainability, and adaptive capacity in urban ecosystems.
- Integrated Habitat Restoration with Minimal-Impact Managementmethodology: ecosystem-minimal-impact mosquito control,integrated habitat restoration,ecological grazingBy using ecologically sound practices like prescribed goat grazing and biological larvicides alongside native plantings and invasive species control, the organization restores ecological balance while minimizing harm, because low-impact, natural methods sustain biodiversity and ecosystem services over time.
- Land-First Stewardship with Ecological Prioritizationmethodology: land-first stewardshipBy prioritizing ecological assessment and habitat restoration before enabling public access, the organization ensures long-term conservation outcomes and sustainable community coexistence, because healthy ecosystems are foundational to lasting public benefits.
- Public-Private Partnership for Perpetual Land Preservationmethodology: public-private_partnershipBy collaborating with public and private partners, the organization permanently preserves land under conservation easements, because combining resources and legal frameworks enables scalable, enduring protection of natural resources in high-pressure development regions.
- Science-Driven, Proactive Conservation Modelmethodology: science-driven conservationBy integrating ecological research with long-term planning, the organization protects vulnerable species and enhances ecosystem resilience, because data-informed interventions lead to more effective and adaptive conservation outcomes.