North Shore Land Alliance Celebrates Its 15th Anniversary

The North Shore Land Alliance will host a birthday party celebrating its 15th anniversary on Saturday, June 2nd from 10:00am to 2:00pm at the historic Humes Property. Family activities will take place on the lawn between the Rumpus House and newly-mowed meadow and will include a petting zoo, creating fairy houses, and building aquifer models with educator Karen Mossey. Stella Miller will lead an early-morning bird walk throughout the property and Mary Schmutz will give a tour of the exquisite Japanese Stroll Garden, which just reopened to the public May 12. The festivities will culminate with birthday cake and a dogwood tree planting in honor of Board Chair Carter Bales, who will retire at the end of this year.

Since its inception 15 years ago, the North Shore Land Alliance has protected nearly 1,200 acres of land on the North Shore, including the Humes Property, which it purchased from the Humes Estate in 2015 for conservation purposes and hopes to open to the public next year. The 28-acre piece of land boasting meadows, woodlands, and freshwater wetlands is situated between Shu Swamp and Upper and Lower Francis Ponds, and completes one of the most important open space corridors on the North Shore of Long Island. The property was the estate of former U.S. Ambassador to Austria, John P. Humes, Sr. and his wife Dr. Jean Schmidlapp-Humes. There are eight structures on the premises in varying stages of disrepair, including the “tavern house,” located along Oyster Bay Road, which dates to the 17th century and was thought to have been a tavern accommodating an unknown guest list of passersby.

Lisa Ott, Land Alliance President & CEO, said, “In reflecting on the Land Alliance’s 15 years, two words come to mind: pride and gratitude. I am very proud of all we have accomplished together and very grateful to all who have played such an integral part in those accomplishments – our members, local foundations, non-profit friends, government partners, board, and staff. I look forward to celebrating The Alliance’s accomplishments with the community on June 2nd.”

The birthday party is free to Land Alliance members and $20.00 for non-members. To register for the party, become a member, or learn more about the North Shore Land Alliance visit www.northshorelandalliance.org or call (516) 922-1028.

The North Shore Land Alliance, Inc. is a nationally accredited, non-profit 501(c)(3) land trust founded in 2003 that works to protect and preserve, in perpetuity, the green spaces, farmlands, wetlands, groundwater, and historical sites of Long Island’s north shore for the enhancement of quality of life and benefit of future generations.