Winnakee Land Trust Fall-Winter Newsletter 2016 | Page 2

A Message from Our President
Dear Friends of Winnakee,
What a year 2016 has been for the Winnakee Land Trust: The hiring of three new
staff; an amazing Gala and Barn Tour; our submission of reaccreditation materials
to the Land Trust Alliance; a number of successful grant awards; a kick-off
for a new trail initiative; productive county-wide trail round-table sessions;
and most importantly, our work on new conservation easements for northern
Dutchess properties.
All of this helped me in making a tough and wise decision. After almost 40 years
of working with an organization that I helped create and love dearly it is time to
step down as President. I have been President of Winnakee for 28 years and 10
years before that, when Winnakee existed as the Hudson River Shorelands Task
Force. Winnakee started those many years ago with no staff—we were a group of
energetic volunteers concerned about the large-scale development proposals that
were bombarding our northern Dutchess communities. These communities did
Sally Mazzarella, Winnakee President
not have the sophisticated planning tools or Planning Boards with the capacity to
confront the New York City developers and their professional teams of consultants.
During those challenging years, Winnakee Board members worked in partnership with other local leadership organizations. The
20-mile Historic District was created and properties were placed on the National Register of Historic Places. We were instrumental in
creating the first New York State Scenic District, followed by the New York State Coastal Zone. We were thrilled when our riverfront
communities were honored with the most prestigious designations in the country, the National Landmark District and then the
National Heritage Area. These initiatives and extraordinary designations reinforced the need and rationale for the existence of the
Winnakee Land Trust. It helped us create a vision that would, in time, become our legacy.
Over the years, our staff has grown from a part-time director to team of four. We have always focused on protecting the important
lands of northern Dutchess County, working with farmers to assist with the continuation of agriculture and creating miles of trails
and unique parkland for public enjoyment. We work with local government and help with environmental education of our youth.
We have protected through conservation easements over 2500 acres and are presently working on 515 additional acres of important
lands that will be protected in perpetuity.
Winnakee is on solid ground for fulfilling its vision for the future, thus the transition of the Presidency comes at a good time.
Carl Meyer is prepared to be the next President of Winnakee and will be a wonderful and talented leader. Carl has a long history
with our organization, he is a good steward of the land and will be dedicated to the Winnakee mis sion. I will continue to serve
on the Board of Directors and chair the development and fundraising committee.
I have a deep love for the Hudson Valley, especially the communities of northern Dutchess County. The work of Winnakee helps
to protect and preserve all that is special about this place I call home. I value our limited precious resources, our open space, our
farmland, our viewsheds, and our rich heritage. I am grateful for Winnakee's commitment to protect and sustain these important
community assets for future generations. I have a high regard for the many wonderful Board members I have served with, as well
as present and past staff, each put their trust in me to work towards guiding and fulfilling our mission. I cherish the relationships
and friendships of hundreds and hundreds of individuals and organizations that I have had the honor to know and work with.
I thank all of you for your commitment to the Winnakee Land Trust. It has truly been an extraordinary honor to serve as
President. I assure you, that we can all look forward to many more years of wonderful success under great new leadership.
Warm regards for the holiday season,

Sally Mazzarella, President

The Mission of Winnakee Land Trust is to protect and preserve the natural,
agricultural, recreational, architectural, cultural, scenic, historical, and open space
resources of northern Dutchess County. This includes farmland, viewsheds,
wetlands, wildlife habitats, and undisturbed natural areas.