Preserving a superb natural resource is one of our most satisfying accomplishments. When that piece of nature is also accessible to the public, the satisfaction is greatly enhanced. The ultimate salvation of our planet depends upon a widespread appreciation of nature. The more people we can get to enjoy the outdoors, the better.
The IBM Glen is just such a superb place. It is an veritable island of nature rapidly being surrounded by an onrushing sea of urban sprawl. Its four miles of walking trails are heavily traversed by folks of all ages, sizes, and shapes. In its own way, the Glen is to its neighborhood what Central Park is to New York City. These kind of natural areas have to be saved before they are destroyed by rampant development.
The IBM Glen is in Broome County, Town of Union, about 11 miles from our county. I do not write about places in other counties unless they have a connection to Chenango County. Here is that link. We in the Chenango Land Trust played a key role in saving the IBM Glen. We hold the conservation easement on it. Although the Chenango in our name refers to the greater Chenango valley, those of us who secured this easement live in Guilford, Norwich, Oxford, and Sherburne. However, we did not do this alone. The Fred L. Waterman Conservation Education Center played the most important role.
Here is a brief history of the Glen. It was owned by IBM (International Business Machines) since 1931. In the 1990s, when IBM began downsizing its presence in the Triple Cities, it wanted to divest much of its real estate. The Glen was originally targeted to be logged and then sold to a housing developer. This sparked an outraged outcry from the local community. A "Save the Glen" group was formed in 2000. IBM wisely recognized the benefits of saving the Glen, so in 2004 it sold the land to the Homestead Development Corporation, with the specification that the Glen be placed in a conservation easement with the Chenango Land Trust and donated to the Waterman Center. This four-way cooperation should assure that the Glen will be saved in perpetuity. The Land Trust filed its easement with the Broome County Clerk on November 14, 2004, and Waterman took possession in January, 2005.
The Glen property covers over 200 acres drained by Grays Creek, which flows from north to south through a beautiful gorge. Its mature forest contains some of the oldest and largest trees in Broome County. In the 1930s and 40s, stone bridges were built crossing the creek. Rhododendrons were planted next to the bridges and are now large enough to walk under.
The photo shows some of the attendees of the Chenango Land Trust's annual picnic standing atop the remaining bridge. Fred von Mechow, CLT Director of Land Protection, is pointing to a geological formation. With him from left to right are Friends of the Glen representatives Eileen Patch and Peggy Tarbox, CLT board member Sean Ryberg, Waterman President Linda Struble, Fred von Mechow, CLT members Jean Walsh and Bob Gardiner, CLT Secretary Anne Altshuler, and CLT President Earl Callahan.
We took the opportunity to conduct a wildflower survey and were amazed at the number of species we found in just a few hours on a dark drizzly day, probably close to a hundred. The Glen encompasses many different habitats which are readily accessible by its many trails. Long after many of these species are wiped out in the surrounding land, they can continue to grow in the Glen.
Anyone wanting to join us in our campaign to save natural and historic sites is invited to attend our annual meeting Tuesday evening on October 17. We are still in the process of arranging a location. The program will be a slide presentation highlighting some of our properties already under easement and currently being investigated. It will be a good opportunity for concerned citizens to learn how they can protect land for future generations.