Did you know that there are wetlands that are located in New York State? These pockets of area saturated by surface or ground water support distinct and unique vegetation and creatures that often cannot survive anywhere else. Often called swamps, marshes, bogs, or the like, these areas are found in New York throughout river and lake floodplains.
It is common for landowners to think of wetlands as a burden, a breeding ground of insects that is better drained and made into something more useful and clean- like a tennis court. However, there are those who see wetlands on their property as something unique and worth protecting, people like Thomas Uger.
Thomas Uger started working with the Dutchess Land Conservancy in New York when he donated over one hundred and twenty five acres of his property as a conservation easement in Stanford. His property has several rare features, including a wetlands and a circumnatural bog lake, both of which can be rare habitats for animals like the Blanding’s Turtle, or blue-spotted salamander.
To read more about the Blanding’s Turtle and about Thomas Uger on our profile of him here.