LIVINGSTON COUNTY – The Genesee Valley Conservancy has successfully finished preservation projects for 1,677 acres of prime farmland in Livingston County over the past week, ensuring that their lands will always be protected for agricultural use.
According to a press release from the Genesee Valley Conservancy, the organization has been in long-term cooperation with five farm families to ensure the permanent protection of their farmland, and last week, they completed these five conservation easements as part of two farm projects.
“This high quality farmland will now be protected in perpetuity for agricultural use,” said the Conservancy. “In addition to the tremendous productive capacity, these fields also provide great scenic views for the community and contribute to the rural character that defines the community.”
Each of these projects is also close to other Conservancy projects, building on the conservation success.
Triple H Farm was protected by the Hamilton families of over 1,182 acres in Leicester and Geneseo. 95% of the land is prime soil, the most productive of all soil classifications. There are over three miles of frontage on the Genesee River.
The Sunny Knoll Farm was protected by the Grushow & Shenkel Families, of 495 acres in Lima. The town of Lima’s 2010 Farmland Protection Plan calls for permanent farmland conservation projects just like this one. The farm buffers the southern entrance to the Village and provides over 2 miles of scenic road frontage.
The Conservancy added that as they continue to celebrate their 25th anniversary with events this summer, they are thrilled to add these high quality farms to the list of permanently protected places.