LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 20th Anniversary of the Orange
County Land Trust, to be celebrated on June 7, 2013

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and pay
tribute to those organizations dedicated to increasing public awareness
of, and appreciation for, the natural resources of New York, recognizing
the role all citizens have in protecting the environment and the quality
of life in this Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 20th Anniversary of the Orange County Land Trust; this mile-
stone event will be celebrated at its Anniversary Benefit Reception on
Friday, June 7, 2013, at the historic Bear Mountain Inn, Bear Mountain,
New York; and
WHEREAS, With the theme, From the Hudson to the Delaware.... A Legacy
of Land, the 20th Anniversary Benefit Reception will celebrate two
decades of land preservation and farmland protection in Orange County,
as well as recognize its many partners in land preservation and conser-
vation; the Reception will also include a special tribute to the late
Louis V. Mills, the founder of the Orange County Land Trust; and
WHEREAS, The Orange County Land Trust was formed in 1993 by a group of
conservation-minded visionaries under the leadership of Louis V. Mills
with a clear set of goals: to protect and preserve scenic and environ-
mentally sensitive areas and working farmland for future generations
before it became lost to anticipated growth and development; and
WHEREAS, The Orange County Land Trust's mission is to protect and
preserve the fields, forests, wetlands, ridgelines and river corridors
in and around Orange County, through voluntary conservation; and
WHEREAS, The Orange County Land Trust works in conjunction with land-
owners who wish to keep their land untouched by future development; it
also identifies critical areas in need of protection, partnering with
individuals, organizations, businesses and government agencies in order
to protect these areas; and
WHEREAS, Since its inception, the Orange County Land Trust has helped
protect over 4,500 acres from development, including thirteen working
farms; it has become the voice of, and a catalyst for, voluntary conser-
vation of land in Orange County; and
WHEREAS, As a result of the diligent efforts of the Orange County Land
Trust, Orange County remains a region abounding with the varied and
beautiful landscapes that give it its distinctive sense of place,
remaining an attractive place in which to live, work, and raise a fami-
ly; and
WHEREAS, It is incumbent upon all citizens to recognize and applaud
the efforts of organizations such as the Orange County Land Trust that
work tirelessly on behalf of protecting our natural surroundings for the
benefit of present and future generations of New Yorkers; now, there-
fore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 20th Anniversary of the Orange County Land Trust; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Orange County Land Trust.