Brothers Protect Farmland Overlooking Conesus Lake

Sitting at the top of the Conesus Lake watershed is a newly protected field and forest thanks to brothers Gordon and Robert McClellan.  In partnership with Genesee Valley Conservancy, they placed conservation agreements on their land to keep this open space undeveloped and available for agriculture and wildlife.

A total of 492 acres in the Town of Geneseo, Livingston County, are protected by conservation agreements through this project.  The protected farmland is comprised of 65% USDA Prime soil and 15% NY State Important soils.

Property History

Gordon and Robert’s parents, Robert McClellan Jr & Jeanette, bought the farm in 1947.  Their father raised award winning black angus beef cattle for over a decade before selling the herd and switching over to leasing arrangements with area farmers who used the acreage for crop and hay production until his passing in 2000.

The farm was expanded when their father learned adjoining property for sale was being eyed for a subdivision and housing development overlooking the lake.  This prompted him to step in and buy the farmland so he could ensure it remained agricultural open space.  This purchase matched his strong commitments to the Genesee Valley; he served on the Livingston County Soil and Water board for many years and was the founding president of Genesee Valley Conservancy, Inc.  In both cases, he worked to help protect and better the landscape of the Genesee Valley.

Genesee Valley Conservancy files for this property date back to 1993 when maps showing conservation options for the McClellan farm were created and discussed between the family and Conservancy; but no project materialized at that time.  Today, the brothers have fulfilled their father’s early exploration into conservation options for this land, continuing his legacy and actions to help save these fields sitting atop the Conesus Lake watershed.

Leased Farmland

The brothers continue their father’s practice of renting the land to area farmers.  Fields on this property have been leased out to Edgewood Farms in Groveland, a cash-crop operation that protected their own land in 2019, as well as to Dairy Knoll Farm in Groveland, a dairy farm that used the additional ground to grow forages and feed for their herd.

Investments and management decisions have been made to improve water quality on the farm – adding ponds to capture storm runoff, leaving vegetative buffers along the gully and on the bottom slope of the land to help slow and filter water before it reaches Conesus Lake.  While water quality concerns are an issue for all farms, this property’s location so close to Conesus Lake would have an outsized impact if the property were not managed well.

Conesus Lake

With views across Conesus Lake, this property has long been under threat for conversion to residential subdivisions.  Adding roofs, driveways, and herbicide treated lawns would have been of extreme detriment to the Conesus Lake water-quality, already degraded from the ideal level you would have for a drinking water and recreation perspective.

While this project helps ‘hold the line’ against further degradation of the lake, continued efforts are needed to correct and reverse the issues Conesus Lake has.  Conesus Lake Watershed Council is updating the management plan for the lake this year which will help set the course for continued conservation efforts and restoration and improvement projects to elevate the water quality of the lake.

Summary

This conservation project involved accepting two conservation easements, including the Conservancy’s 167th in its 35-year history, as well as the 31st project in the Town of Geneseo.

This project was the result of a collaboration between Genesee Valley Conservancy, Livingston  County Board of Supervisors, Livingston County Agricultural and Farmland Protection Board, Town of Geneseo and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets.  

To-date, the farmland protection program of Genesee Valley Conservancy has resulted in over $54 million being invested in protecting over 28,700 acres of some of the State’s most productive agricultural lands, right here in the Genesee Valley.

Genesee Valley Conservancy works throughout the Genesee River watershed to protect high quality habitat, open space and farmland for the community.  The Conservancy now oversees the protection of 39,702 acres.

Landowners in the Genesee River watershed interested in pursuing conservation options for their property, be it farmland, habitat, or a potential public nature preserve, should contact Genesee Valley Conservancy for more information.

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 Genesee Valley Conservancy is a nationally accredited non-profit conservation organization working to protect the habitat, open space and farmland in the Genesee River watershed.  Over 39,702 acres of natural habitat and productive farm and forest land have been conserved by Genesee Valley Conservancy in partnership with private landowners.  The organization also owns nature preserves open to the public for recreation and education.  For more information visit www.geneseevalleyconservancy.org