​A TRIP TO THE ENCHANTED EDIBLE FOREST AT CROSS ISLAND FARMS

Saturday, August 19 | 10:00 AM @ 44301 Cross Island Road, Wellesley Island, NY 
OBI and Lyme Garden Club co-hosted this field trip to the Enchanted Edible Forest at Cross Island Farms on Wellesley Island for a guided tour by owner Dani Baker, author of The Home Scale Forest Garden. 

​Screech Owl House Building Brings Out OBI Supporters

The chance to learn about the native screech owl and build a nesting box brought out several OBI Land Trust members to White Caps Winery on Point Salubrious in Chaumont on Saturday, July 8. The beauty of the winery provided a perfect backdrop for the workshop, and included a glass of wine. OBI Land Steward Lee Ellsworth explained that while the screech owl is not an endangered species, it is facing a loss of habitat. The newly constructed wooden boxes are most useful to the screech owl when place 10-feet to 30-feet high up in a hardwood tree, away from people and noise. 
The next OBI Land Trust event at White Caps Winery is “All About Bluebirds: A Bluebird House Building Workshop” on Saturday, August 12, 2023 at 11 am. Sign-up deadline is August 10: whitecapswinery@gmail.com
Anniversary Celebration
Oh, What a Night!
OBI Land Trust Celebrates 25 Years of Conservation and Honors Two Loyal Supporters
 
At OBI Land Trust, we think a quarter-century of conservation is a great reason to celebrate.

This year’s annual fundraiser – held August 6, 2018 at Crescent Yacht Club - was extra special as our volunteer land trust marked 25 years of service to Jefferson County’s shoreline communities. The celebration was our most successful fundraiser ever and drew dozens of supporters, including Rep. Addie Jenne. She presented Citations from the New York State Assembly to both OBI Land Trust and our guests of honor, Urban and Sally Hirschey.

The Hirscheys, formerly of Cape Vincent, are the epitome of the volunteer spirit and we were grateful to honor them in the presence of our other OBI “friends” – our loyal supporters and volunteers who join us each year for our annual summer gathering. Our success depends on all of you!

Rep. Jenne said that OBI’s success and 25-year milestone was “a testament to the people in the community and the strength and dedication” that has allowed our volunteer land trust to survive and thrive in Jefferson County, where tourism and agriculture are a way of life.

Rep. Jenne praised the Hirscheys as “wonderful people” who are examples of how commitment to your community can truly make a difference at the local level. The Citation to the Hirscheys noted their involvement in OBI and various other local causes. Sally has retired as the longest serving board member on OBI’s board of directors. The couple has been among OBI’s top donors and donated their time and talents to our land trust. The Hirscheys have been named Emeritus members of the OBI Board of Directors.

OBI wishes to thank everyone who participated, including SUNY Potsdam Professor Glenn Johnson, who brought along his students to help educate people about the plight of the Blanding’s turtle, a threatened species in New York State. Other reptiles and amphibians were also featured and guests were able to ask questions about conservation close to home.

The summer gathering is an annual event that helps fund operations for our Chaumont-based land trust and also is a tradition that brings together OBI supporters and those looking to learn more about our land trust.

OBI Land Trust greatly appreciates the Citations presented by Rep. Jenne and we also are grateful for the supporters who make our land trust a success. Thank you to all who joined us for this truly wonderful night and let’s get set for even greater success for OBI Land Trust in the next 25 years!