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| Dogwoods bloom in spring at the Leon Levy Preserve. |
Leon Levy Preserve
386 acres
Route 35 at Route 123, South Salem
One of the biggest successes that Westchester Land Trust and local governments here have been involved in is the creation of the Leon Levy Preserve, in Lewisboro.
Conservationists in town identified the 386-acre property as a priority for preservation as long ago as the 1970s, when a townhouse development was proposed for the site. And when the Town completed a formal review of open space in 2000, the property received one of the highest rankings because of its size and location, hiking trails, watershed protection value and wildlife habitat.
In 2005, an extraordinary partnership of public and private organizations succeeded in buying the land, and the Leon Levy Preserve came into existence.
Westchester Land Trust worked with the Town of Lewisboro to negotiate the $8.3 million acquisition. The purchase was made possible because of a $5 million contribution from the Jerome Levy Foundation; $1 million each from the Town of Lewisboro and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection; and $500,000 over five years from the Dextra Baldwin McGonagle Foundation.
The land was named the Leon Levy Preserve in honor of the well-known Wall Street investor and founder of Oppenheimer Funds. The late Mr. Levy was the Jerome Levy Foundation's primary benefactor. His widow, Shelby White, arranged the gift.
"Our involvement in the project is a fitting tribute to Leon's love for Lewisboro, and he would have been proud and pleased to see this land protected," Ms. White said.
Mr. Levy's brother, Jay Levy, said, "Leon planted a radish when he was four years old, and thus began his life long love of nature."
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The Dextra Baldwin McGonagle Foundation also made a crucial contribution to the preservation effort.
"The Dextra Baldwin McGonagle Foundation is proud to help preserve this beautiful piece of land for the Town of Lewisboro," said Jon Spanier, the foundation's president and also a Lewisboro resident.
The Leon Levy Preserve boasts extensive wetlands, a ravine with 25-foot cliffs, views west toward the Hudson, and extensive hardwood forests. About 90 acres lie within the watershed of New York City's Croton Reservoir system, and the rest of the land drains into Stamford's reservoirs.
Westchester Land Trust worked with the Town Board, the town's Open Space Advisory Committee, New York City, and local residents for well over a year and a half on the acquisition.
The town granted a conservation easement on most of the land toWestchester Land Trust, to ensure its permanent preservation. For its share of the cost, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection also received a conservation easement, protecting the 90 acres of the property that is in the city's watershed.
State Senator Vincent L. Leibell provided a crucial state grant of $62,000 to help the Town with financing costs.