Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve

The Finger Lakes Land Trust’s Lindsay-Parsons Biodiversity Preserve in the town of West Danby consists of 537 acres of forests, meadows, brushland, gorges, streams, kettle ponds and wetlands. Several trails comprising a total of 3.6 miles are open year-round for hiking, skiing, and birding. The diverse habitats found in the preserve are home to an equally diverse variety of flora and fauna. Some rare species have been identified in the preserve and it provides an exceptional place for bird watching. Additionally, the preserve’s value for wildlife is enhanced by the fact that it borders Danby State Forest and sits along the Cayuga Inlet. One of the Land Trust’s and the Cornell Institute for Research in Chemical Ecology (CIRCE)’s goals for this preserve was to make it the world’s first temperate-zone preserve for research in biodiversity and chemical ecology. With this aim in mind, the scientists and students at Cornell have used the preserve to study the chemical interactions of organisms there. Due to the size and diversity of this preserve, it is ideal for use by area colleges and schools for different educational purposes. It also provides an excellent place for quiet contemplation.