Teacher’s 128-acre family retreat now protected as part of wildlife corridor

Jeanne Paisley, a schoolteacher from Long Island, purchased 128 acres of forest, fields, and wetlands in Richford, Tioga County, New York. Her family had undertaken a road trip across the United States and Canada, during which they stumbled upon this idyllic site. Paisley was drawn to the area due to the natural beauty and the lack of neighbors asking her to maintain a lawn. She had always been passionate about nature, stemming from her childhood during the Great Depression.

The landowner placed a conservation easement on her property with the Finger Lakes Land Trust, which restricted future development and protected the mature forests and prime farmland surrounding the east branch of Owego Creek. The conservation easement aimed to safeguard the watershed, as it is susceptible to erosion due to stormwater runoff if disturbed by development. This helps maintain local water quality, supporting fish like eastern brook trout, which inhabit the creek.

The property is part of a larger network of protected lands in Paisley's Southern Tier neighborhood, joining state forests, the Land Trust's King Nature Preserve, and another conservation easement. Research shows that exposure to nature can lead to improved mental health, better sleep, and lower stress levels. By protecting this land, Paisley has contributed to the preservation of ecosystem services, such as water purification, which benefits her community and downstream ecosystems ultimately leading to the Chesapeake Bay, the country's largest estuary.