Westchester Land Trust Awarded Funds To Protect Glenwood Lake

NEW ROCHELLE, NY — New Rochelle will remain a little greener for future generations thanks to a recently announced grant for a community conservation project.

Westchester Land Trust (WLT) was awarded a $23,000 grant from the Westchester Community Foundation to support the stewardship and restoration of a newly acquired property in New Rochelle. The property includes the last remaining undeveloped land parcels around Glenwood Lake Park. The woodland area was protected earlier this year by WLT in a partnership with the City of New Rochelle and the Friends of Glenwood Lake Park. The three groups together were able to secure private funding to purchase the property at fair market value from the previous owner.

“This grant from the Westchester Community Foundation will help protect Glenwood Lake and the surrounding ecosystems from the impacts of development,” Michael Yellin, who is both a member of the WLT Advisory Board and Glenwood Lake Association, said. “We are incredibly grateful that these funds will allow us to restore the property and increase public access for the local community to enjoy this special place.”

Glenwood Lake Park is a 13-acre public space near the heart of New Rochelle. The preservation of the adjacent undeveloped 0.4-acre property was seen as key to protecting the water quality and wildlife habitat from the impacts of the development of more houses. The property could have been developed if the land had not been protected.

The grant will allow groups to restore the property’s natural habitat, create a spur trail that will link to the Glenwood Lake Park trail system, and provide public access to the new property. WLT said it will work with the Glenwood Lake community and local volunteers to achieve these improvement goals..

“We are grateful to Westchester Community Foundation for recognizing the importance of investing in local conservation efforts like this project,” WLT President Lori Ensinger said. “This grant gives the project a real boost and we’re excited to continue our work with the Friends of Glenwood Lake Park to ensure that these newly protected parcels are restored and enjoyed by the community for years to come.”