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| The Mancini easement helps protect Guard Hill Road's equestrian tradition. |
Donated by Robert and Elizabeth Mancini
47 Acres
Guard Hill Road, Bedford
There is perhaps no more prominent landmark for Bedford's riding culture than Tanrackin Farm. Sprawling over Guard Hill Road, Tanrackin was the home of Wilhelmine Waller, who for decades was one of the country's more notable horsewomen.
Tanrackin was on a town list of properties worth saving back in the 1970s. It easily could have been subdivided for McMansions, as other nearby properties were. But four years after Mrs. Waller's death, almost all of Tanrackin Farm has been protected.
In late 2007, Bob and Beth Mancini donated a conservation easement on 47 acres of the old Tanrackin Farm, and in the spring of 2008 they protected an additional 11.5 acres with a second easement. Those followed a 64-acre easement that Mrs. Waller herself donated to Westchester Land Trust in 2001 (on land now owned by Mark Heffernan and Lisa Endlich) and a 67-acre conservation easement that Mrs. Waller donated to the Bedford Historical Society in 1990 (on land that is now called Daisy Hill Farm).
The Mancini property already has a house in the easement area, and the easement allows for the construction of a 29-stall barn and indoor riding ring. However, the easements protect against further subdivision and development other than than to enhance the agricultural use of the property.
The property is a significant part of the Guard Hill Road area, one of Westchester's signature agricultural and horse regions. The easement protects the scenic views of the property from both Guard Hill Road and I-684.
Streams and wetlands on the land drain into Broad Brook and, eventually, into New York City 's Croton Reservoir system, and the easement therefore plays an important part in protecting water quality.The property is also in the Westchester County Agricultural District, which means that the easement helps meet state and local goals for protecting farmland.
With the Mancini easements, Westchester Land Trust has now protected 365 acres in the Guard Hill area. Add in the Bedford Historical Society easement on Daisy Hill farm, and the total reaches 432
acres.
Each of our easement's is evaluated by our land conservation staff. Our
land preservation coordinator, Damon Oscarson, writes a report and a
recommendation, and sends it to a committee of our Board of Directors,
which makes a final decision. Here's an excerpt of what Damon wrote
about the bigger of the two Mancini easements:
The property, which is 47.63 acres, will consist of an area set aside for the primary residence and other related buildings, and farmland and wetland areas. ... Agriculture will be allowed on all the farmland area, and the wetland areas will be preserved and maintained for water quality and wildlife buffers.
This property has very significant conservation values. ... The property has significant value in maintaining open space for scenic enjoyment and can be seen from I-684 and Guard Hill Road. The property has significant watershed protection value and the easement protects uplands, wetlands and watercourses which drain directly into Broad Brook. The Broad Brook drains north and meets the Stone Hill River just before draining into the Croton River Reservoir, the drinking water supply for New York City and surrounding areas. The property is also located within the Westchester County Agricultural District and protecting this property as a farm is pursuant to state and local governmental policy.