Land Trust 101: About CPF
The Cazenovia Preservation Foundation (CPF), is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, nationally-accredited land trust founded in 1967. We protect important historical, agricultural, and natural resources in and around Cazenovia in Madison County and eastern Onondaga County in Central New York for the benefit of the community and for future generations.
CPF's Fenner Conservation Pond property, located at the corner of Cody Road and South Road in the Town of Fenner, is open to the public for fishing, picnicking, birding, and non-motorized boating.
CPF currently protects 3,400 acres of farmland, habitat, and scenic landscapes through conservation easements. These lands remain in private ownership and on the local tax rolls. Importantly, when the property changes hands, the conservation protections stay in place. To learn more about the benefits of land conservation and ways to protect your property, visit cazpreservation.org/landconservation.
CPF also owns an additional 430 acres of open space and habitat, and manages 13 miles of all-season public trails for walking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Select trails are groomed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. CPF also owns a portion of the Fenner Conservation Pond which is open to the public for fishing, picnicking, birding, and non-motorized boating. For more information about CPF’s public trails and properties, visit cazpreservation.org/trails.
Trails are maintained by CPF land stewardship staff and over 100 volunteers that join us for Trail Work Thursdays and other special project days throughout the year. To find out how you can volunteer, visit cazpreservation.org/volunteer.
To help maintain the character of the Village of Cazenovia and surrounding area, CPF holds twelve easements that protect historical architectural building façades (and in some cases, historical site layouts). Some notable examples include: Hillcrest House at the Jephson Estate, the Cazenovia Public Library and Museum, the Lincklaen House, and The Meadows Estate and The Meadows Farm (currently home of the Albanese Longhorns).
Local municipalities welcome CPF’s collaboration on land use issues and comprehensive planning. In 2021, CPF hosted a free four-part webinar series “Beyond Rooftop Solar” on issues related to emerging solar development and built a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map-based solar-siting toolkit for the Town of Cazenovia, to help municipal boards evaluate commercial project applications. CPF Executive Director, Jen Wong, has served on the Town of Cazenovia’s: Solar Committee, to review and update the code related to solar development in 2022; Comprehensive Plan Committee in 2023; and currently serves on the Wind Energy Committee and Major Renewable Energy Committee.
In addition to its ongoing conservation and land stewardship work, CPF offers over twenty popular recreational and educational programs for adults and children each year, including National Trails Day, Walks ‘n Talks birding and fishing series, Music in the Meadow, Walk Among the Spirits, the Turkey Trot, and Snowshoe Sundays. To learn more about our events, visit cazpreservation.org/events.
