CSJ and DEC Partner on 43-Acre Woodland Preservation Project

BRENTWOOD, N.Y. – July 2, 2025 – The Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, N.Y. (CSJ) are pleased to announce that a conservation easement has officially been recorded by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) for more than 43 acres of the CSJ’s 212-acre campus. 

“This easement is a profound expression of our congregation’s mission to foster right relationships—with God, with one another, and with Earth,” shared S. Tesa Fitzgerald, President of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood. “By permanently protecting these 43 acres, we are living out our call to be stewards of creation in a time of ecological crisis. This land is not only a sanctuary for wildlife, but a sacred trust we honor for the common good.”

Funds from the easement, which is priced at $3.44 million, will be used to further the Sisters’ existing environmental ministry while continuing their commitment to living out their Land Ethic Statement. This statement calls on the Sisters and their Partners In Mission to “acknowledge our responsibility to balance our communal needs and the needs of Earth now and into the future.”

“We’re so excited to work with the DEC toward the long-term health and protection of this tract of woodlands,” Heather Coste, Director of Ecological Sustainability with the Sisters of St. Joseph, said. “The ecological and community value of these woods are immeasurable, and we look forward to our next steps in shared stewardship together.”

The easement also helps protect the land from any future development.

“As Sisters of St. Joseph, our decision to protect these 43 acres of woodlands through a New York State Conservation Easement is a sacred act of love and responsibility,” S. Karen Burke, CSJ, Ed.D., a councillor on the Sisters of St. Joseph leadership team, said. “Rooted in our Land Ethic and our deep spiritual relationship with Earth, we recognize the land as a living presence, not a possession. Reforestation and preservation are part of our commitment to safeguard the land we hold in sacred trust for future generations.” 

The Sisters and DEC hosted a joint press conference about the new easement on the Brentwood Campus on Wednesday, July 2, at 2 p.m., in front of the woodlands. 

“The Sisters of St. Joseph have long been known for their focus on environmental stewardship and their commitment to the Brentwood community, said DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton. “DEC looks forward to continuing this already long-term partnership as we manage this land together to protect habitat and water quality and help connect Long Islanders to the outdoors.”

Click here to learn more about conservation easements.

ABOUT THE SISTERS OF ST. JOSEPH OF BRENTWOOD, N.Y.

The Sisters of St. Joseph have been dedicated to supporting a diverse population of people in need through education and the empowerment of women since 1650. For 170 years, the Sisters of St. Joseph have served the people of Long Island, growing to also serve those in Appalachia, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Puerto Rico, and other parts of the United States when there was an evident need for it. Today, the Sisters not only continue their mission through the empowerment of women and education, but also through spirituality, ecology efforts with a focus on sustainability, and justice actions — with four sponsored ministries, eight Congregational ministries, and four affiliated ministries. 

For more information about the Sisters of St. Joseph of Brentwood, visit brentwoodcsj.org.