Protecting and Respecting the Land on Which We Reside

By Samantha Miller

Rare trees and plants. Animals and insects. A unique, lush ecosystem in the middle of Long Island.

All that and more is being protected with the Sisters of St. Joseph’s partnership with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on a conservation easement that protects 43 acres of the CSJ’s 212-acre Brentwood Campus.

“This moment marks a profound affirmation of who we are as the Sisters of St. Joseph, a community deeply rooted in the Gospel and called to care for all of God’s creation,” S. Tesa Fitzgerald, CSJ, President of the Brentwood congregation, said at a press conference announcing the easement on July 2. “The preservation of these sacred woodlands is not only an environmental milestone, but a spiritual one.”

The CSJ and DEC will jointly care for the section of globally rare pine barrens, ensuring groundwater and habitat protection while providing public access to open space in an area historically underserved by parkland.

“It’s really wonderful to see these beautiful grounds,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said. “Everything that is happening around this great site is really remarkable. This is a unique and significant type of habitat, and it’s even more unique and significant to ensure that this densely populated place, we’re able to provide access to this space.”

The conservation easement was made possible by the State’s Environmental Protection Fund, which is at a record high of $425 million for this fiscal year. This easement alone is priced at $3.44 million.

Seven Years in the Making

The move toward a conservation easement began seven years ago — two years after the Sisters announced their Land Ethic Statement, which calls on the CSJ and their Partners in Mission to help care for and protect the land on which they reside.

“Within our congregation, it has been the persistent and passionate work of the Earth Matters
Committee and the Sustainability Team that has kept our Land Ethic alive and active,” said S. Karen Burke, CSJ, Ed.D., a councillor on the Leadership Team. “These groups have educated, advocated, and inspired, always reminding us that caring for the land is not separate from our mission—it is central to it.

“We are especially grateful to the past and present Leadership Teams of the Sisters of St. Joseph and all of our Sisters, who supported and encouraged this work for more than seven years,” added S. Karen, who thanked S. Helen Kearney, CSJ, who was the president of the congregation when the Land Ethic Statement was released and during the start of the conservation easement process.

S. Karen also thanked the Peconic Land Trust, who journeyed alongside the Sisters in the process, as well as all the local elected officials who helped make it possible.

“This work is not done in isolation,” she said. “It truly takes a village to protect and preserve our common home, and we are deeply grateful for each of you. Your presence, your leadership, and your advocacy make this moment possible.”

The DEC and S. Karen recognized S. Clara Santoro, as well, who created woodland preservation and
educational signs throughout the campus, each one a gentle teacher inviting visitors to learn from the trees, the waters, and the wildlife that surround them.

Protecting the Pine Barrens

Heather Coste, Director of Ecological Sustainability with the CSJ, spoke about the ecological value of these woodlands and why their preservation is so important for the health of Long Island and our shared future.

“These woods share a complex make up of species, from pines and oaks, blueberries and huckleberries, flowers, grasses, ferns and mosses, supporting a wide range of wildlife,” Coste said. “Birds like great horned owls, warblers, chickadees and bluejays share it with rabbits, foxes, and raccoons, as well as salamanders, snakes and turtles. The entire ecosystem is part of a globally imperiled plant community, Pitch Pine Barrens, and the western most intact tract of this type of woodlands on Long Island.

“Located above Long Island’s uppermost aquifer, these woods not only support the community and wildlife here, but help to keep the drinking water for all of the members of the Long Island community safe and clean,” they continued. “The opportunity to work with the DEC to preserve these woods for generations to come is an amazing partnership that will benefit all of our neighbors here, near and far, and the gift of working to improve the health and resiliency here is one I anticipate with pleasure and with hope.”

Town of Islip Councilman Jorge Guadrón was in attendance at the press conference, showing his support of the easement which will protect open space for the general public in Brentwood.

“This effort will only raise the standard of living for Brentwood residents alongside those in the vicinity,” he said.”

Suffolk County Legislature Steven Englebright, who supported the process since 2017, was there to help the Sisters of St. Joseph and the DEC celebrate.

Click here to learn more about conservation easements.