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  • Loomis Creek Preserve
    Conservation

    All lands are part of a watershed: The water that flows across and through our lands feeds our streams, rivers and lakes. Natural landscapes protect our waters by filtering stormwater and slowing the flow of runoff through our watersheds so it can replenish ground water rather than contributing sediment and pollutants to our lakes and streams. To protect Chautauqua County’s waters, the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy conserves lands that are essential to the health of the region’s watersheds and waterways. We currently own and steward 1,000 acres of nature preserves in Chautauqua County on 28 properties, all of which are open to the public for outdoor recreation. In addition to creating public nature preserves, we conserve Chautauqua’s natural landscapes by working with landowners to create conservation easements along sensitive streambanks, wetlands and shorelines.

  • Education

    Everyone within a watershed has an impact on water quality. The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy educates Chautauqua County’s property owners, government officials and school children on ways to reduce the flow of nutrients that lead to harmful algae blooms and nuisance plant growth in our lakes. We also share information on rain gardens, buffers, native plantings and other practices that can improve the health of Chautauqua’s watersheds, landscapes and waters. The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy provides public education through our award-winning newsletter, The ‘Shed Sheet, through public workshops, lectures and preserve tours, and by distributing literature on watershed stewardship.

  • Randy Allan Hendrickson Preserve
    Action

    The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy actively works to improve the health of our watershed. We work with landowners, local governments and partner organizations to restore failing streambanks to reduce erosion and pollution in our waterways, identify and address sources of pollution, and carry out landscaping and shoreline improvements. The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy constantly seeks projects to further our mission of preserving and enhancing the scenic beauty, ecological health and water quality of the Chautauqua region.

Our Latest News

  • Golfing for the Watershed!
    09/14/2020

    CWC was this year’s beneficiary of the 20th Annual WKZA 106.9 Kiss-FM, Media One Radio Group Tavern Charity Golf Tournament! The tournament was held on Sunday, August 30th at Maplehurst Country Club and was sponsored by RS Motors. Twenty-seven four-man …

  • Celebrating 30 Years of Local Conservation
    08/14/2020

    By John Jablonski III, CWC Executive Director & Becky Nystrom, CWC President Thirty years ago, a small group of lake lovers, naturalists, fishermen and other conservationists came together out of a profound concern for the ecological and economic health and …

  • A Homeowner’s Guide To Lake Friendly Living!
    07/31/2020

    By Carol Markham The dog days of summer are upon us, but landscaping and yard work is still in full swing! Most of us are enjoying COVID ‘stay-cations’ and spending quality time with our families, making home improvements and beautifying …

  • The Beauty of a Buffer
    06/19/2020

    By Whitney Gleason, CWC Water Quality Program Manager The Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy and volunteer residents, with financial support from the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance, were able to get out and plant three beautiful demonstration buffer gardens a couple …

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Our Preserves

CWC has conserved more than 1,000 acres of land and owns and manages 30 nature preserves throughout Chautauqua County, helping to provide clean and safe waters, healthy wildlife habitats and scenic beauty for the Chautauqua region!

Our Preverses

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