Ducks Unlimited honored Thousand Islands Land Trust (TILT) with the New York Conservationist of the Year Award at the annual state convention. The award recognizes an individual, partner, volunteer, or organization significantly contributing to DU’s habitat conservation program in New York.
“Over the last two decades, we have built a strong relationship with Thousand Islands Land Trust,” said DU Biologist Matthew Wagner. “TILT brings local knowledge, expertise, and support to our NY program that is essential to protecting and restoring wetland and associated grassland breeding habitat in the St Lawrence River Valley, and we look forward to continuing the partnership”.
TILT has committed more than $5.5M in match value to DU since the early 2000s. Most of that funding helped catalyze and secure North American Wetland Conservation Act grants (which require a dollar-for-dollar match from private or public agencies). These NAWCA grantshelped permanently protect over 12,000 acres in Jefferson and St Lawrence Counties, which represent critical grassland nesting and brood rearing habitat for Atlantic Flyway waterfowl.
TILT’s focus area is the great Thousand Islands region, extending from Henderson Harbor to the northern corner of Morristown. They have helped conserve crucial shoreline habitat, grassland and uplands, and critical wetland habitat for migrating birds.
“Thank you to our friends at DU for honoring the Thousand Islands Land Trust with this award,” said Jake Tibbles, TILT’s executive director. “Habitat protection is at the center of our mission. And we are fortunate to have a trusted partner in DU to help safeguard the lands and waters we all love, now and for ngenerations to come.”
Established in 1985, TILT protects the Thousand Islands' regional landscape by acquiring property in fee title, securing conservation easements to protect the integrity of the land in perpetuity, and establishing areas for public outdoor recreation. Currently, TILT protects 15,000 acres of land – including many important wetlands, grasslands, and woodland habitats. This includes 10 Signature Preserves and 22 miles of trails that are open to the public year-round.
