Ontario Bays Initiative - News & Events

Ontario Bays Initiative, Inc. is an all-volunteer land trust, which means that success depends on people who devote their time to helping our organization. For more than a decade, Verna Docteur has been one of them.

Verna, a Chaumont resident, began volunteering for OBI in the late1990s, following her retirement from a 31 year career as a Biology teacher for the Belleville-Henderson School District. She joined the Board of Directors in 2001 and served as Secretary of the Board of Directors from 2004 to 2010. This year she decided it was time to retire from the OBI Board.

“I’ve really enjoyed OBI. They’re a wonderful, fun group of people,’’ said Verna.

Over the years, Verna said she has seen the small land trust evolve as it acquired more responsibility and became more well known.

“I’ve watched the group become more serious about the task at hand,’’ said Verna, who said the group was more informal during the early years.

The non-profit land trust has  gradually acquired more conservation properties along the shoreline communities in Jefferson County. The total amount of land protected by OBI in Jefferson County now exceeds 600 acres.

In addition to keeping the office in order and helping to organize our annual fundraiser, Verna has also contributed her expertise out in the field. Her training as an invasive species technician has been invaluable to OBI as the organization works to eradicate swallow wort from the land trust’s conservation properties.

As OBI’s Land Steward, Lee could always count on Verna’s assistance with staking out property boundaries and property inspections. It sometimes meant bush wacking through honey suckle, trudging through fields and ending the day exhausted.

“Adventures with Lee Russell I will always remember,’’said Verna, with a laugh. “That part of OBI is the one thing I probably won’t miss.’’

Over the years, Verna also worked for The Nature Conservancy as an invasive species technician and trail builder on local projects, including the Chaumont Barrens and El Dorado trails.

She has quietly gone about her work over the years without complaint. Yet her reliability and attention tode tail have not gone unnoticed by her fellow board members. She was recently presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by the OBI Board of Directors.

Although she is no longer on the OBI Board of Directors, Verna remains committed to supporting the organization.

“I will still help out with the fundraisers and I will always remain a friend of OBI,’’ she said.

With the help of a $5000 grant awarded this spring, the Ontario Bays Initiative, Inc. Board of Directors has spent the last few months working on an assessment that aims to strengthen our local land trust.

The grant from the Land Trust Alliance provided funding for a Guided Organizational Assessment based on Land Trust Standards and Practices. The board has been working closely with Samuel Stokes, a Maryland-based consultant who has administered assessments for several other land trusts.

Mr. Stokes held a preliminary meeting with the11-member OBI Board of Directors in August and then asked OBI board members to complete a detailed questionnaire about OBI’s practices and policies and whether they comply with the Land Trust Alliance’s 12 standards and 88 practices.

According to the Land Trust Alliance, a national conservation organization representing land trusts, these standards and practices "indicate a land trust’s ability to operate in an ethical, legal and technically sound manner and ensure the long-term protection of land in the public interest."

The standards and practices are the criteria for receiving the seal of approval from the Land Trust Alliance and cover all aspects of a land trust’s operations, including outreach, mission statement, record keeping and stewardship. Responses to the questionnaire were reviewed in detail in October at a meeting OBI board members attended with Mr. Stokes. Responses were reviewed and discussed at length.

Another meeting scheduled with Mr. Stokes in November was for review of the draft assessment report and recommendations. Now, OBI must prepare a work plan for implementing the recommendations. The plan will be submitted to the Land Trust Alliance.

In 2012, OBI will go to work meeting those recommendations with a goal of becoming a stronger, more effective local land trust.

OBI was founded in 1993 and this marks the first time a board assessment has been conducted. The board was pleased to have received the grant and the opportunity for the assessment, which brings OBI a step closer to seeking accreditation from the Land Trust Alliance. OBI has been a member of the Land Trust Alliance since 2000.

Of the more than 1,000 land trusts nationally, more than half are all-volunteer land trusts similar to OBI. The accreditation process is a voluntary program that confirms a land trust is meeting the standards and practices.

The Land Trust Accreditation Commission is responsible for operating the accreditation program. To date, 135 land trusts across the country have received accreditation.

With winter on the way, the beautiful summer eveningsof 2011 are a bit difficult to recall. Yet the evening ofAugust 16, 2011 wasn’t just another lovely summer day. It was one that will be longremembered for bringing outdozens of OBI supporters who helped make our landtrust’s annual cookout fundraiser a tremendous success.

The event was hosted by Urban and Sally Hirschey at their home, Le Mistral, overlooking Fuller Bay. The Cape Vincent location provided a beautiful backdrop as guests enjoyed freshly made steak sandwiches and a wonderful, tasty array of homemade foods prepared by OBI Board members and their families. For the first time, the cookout added a children’s area to make the event even more family-friendly.

The evening raised more than $4,000 for OBI and drew more than 140 OBI volunteers and supporters. The annual cookout was started several years ago and has since raised thousands of dollars for OBI. It also helps spread the word about the mission and the work of the land trust, which was started in1993.

This marks the third time that the cook out has been hosted by Urban and Sally, a long time member of our board of directors.

The event is a fun social event that also helps spread the word about OBI’s mission and the work of the land trust. There were several displays featuring OBI’s conservation properties and guests had the chance to signup for the Friends of OBI program.

Jim LaPlante, chairman of the OBI Board of Directors,addressed the crowd to express appreciation for their support of OBI and also highlighted the various accomplishments of OBI during 2011.

This included a turtle crossing project on Wilson’sBay Marsh in Cape Vincent, a $5,000 grant from the Land Trust Alliance for an assessment of the Board of Directors and a conservation easement for Downybrook, a 182-acre wildlife sanctuary in Brownville owned by Helen and Mary Eldrett. A separate $8,250 grant from LTA will be used to create a management plan at Downybrook. Jim recapped what has been an exciting, busy year for our growing land trust.

OBI Consultant Gerry Smith provided an overview of conservation easements and why property owners may want to consider taking steps to protect the open spaces and wildlife habitats in our service area.

Bird expert Rick West, an Adams resident, was once again a special guest along with his fascinating “birds ofprey.’’ Several species of birds were given the spotlight during Mr. West’s presentation, which offers guests a glimpse into the lives and habits of his amazing f e a t h e r e d friends.

All funds collected through reservations and donations in support of the fundraiser will be used to help cover basic operations. It is our only fundraising event of the year. It will help support OBI’s conservation activities in 2012.

The all-volunteer land trust relies upon donations and grants to further its conservation programs and conservation work. Additional support from donors is always appreciated. Donations are tax deductible under applicable tax laws.

We hope to see you at next year’s cookout!