Free equitable farmland access, soil health workshops offered

MILLBROOK — The Dutchess Land Conservancy (DLC), The Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC), Rock Steady Farm (RSF) in Millerton and The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies are collaborating to offer two educational, down-to-earth workshops to the public

Soil health workshop

The second workshop, Introduction to Soil Health, will be led by soil scientist and microbial ecologist, Dr. Lucas, at the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook. It will take place on Saturday, Oct. 8, from 9 to 11 a.m.

The program will begin with a presentation indoors, after which participants will drive a short distance and then take a flat 0.2-mile walk to see Lucas’ soil research site and continue to discuss soil health and management. A tent and chairs will be available.

Arrive prepared to spend time outdoors; masks are required for the indoor portion of the workshop. To register, go to www.clctrust.org; for more details, go to www.clctrust.org/events or contact Sam Calhoun at sam.calhoun@clctrust.org or 518-392-5252, ext. 204.

Conservancies’ history

The Dutchess Land Conservancy (DLC) is a private nonprofit land conservation organization dedicated to preserving the scenic, agricultural and environmental resources of Dutchess County, and the surrounding area.

For the past 37 years the DLC has worked with private landowners to preserve nearly 46,000 acres of farmland, open spaces, forests, water resources, wildlife habitats and scenic views. As a key part of its land protection strategy, the DLC focuses on preserving working agricultural land through partnerships with agencies, land trusts and other allies.

Through its purchase of development rights (PDR) program, 43 family farms have been protected to date.

The DLC also provides professional assistance to landowners and municipalities to encourage environmentally sound planning and conservation of important land for public recreational use, and educates people of all ages on matters of land conservation and stewardship. For more information, go to www.dutchessland.org or call 845-677-3002.

For more than 30 years, the CLC has collaborated with landowners, businesses, government agencies, partner organizations and municipalities to preserve Columbia County’s vibrant rural character.

It has conserved more than 30,000 acres of farmland, forests, and wildlife habitat to ensure clean air and water, healthy ecosystems, a strong agricultural sector, and a rich variety of outdoor recreational opportunities.

CLC works with the community to cultivate connection to the land by providing outdoor and educational activities at 10 Public Conservation Areas, to support agriculture by ensuring prime farmland continues to be available to the next generation of farmers, and to promote land protection. For additional information, call 518-392-5252 or go to www.clctrust.org.

Doug Ohlandt is the communications manager of the Dutchess Land Conservancy in Millbrook. He currently resides in Poughkeepsie and has been a Dutchess County resident for 21 years.