Advances New York’s ‘30 x 30’ Open Space Protection Goals and Helps Connect New Yorkers in Environmental Justice Communities to the Outdoors 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton today announced the permanent protection of more than 43 acres of globally rare pine barrens owned by the Sisters of St. Joseph in Brentwood, town of Islip. DEC acquired a conservation easement from the Sisters and will jointly manage the property with them for groundwater and habitat protection and public access to open space in an area historically underserved by parkland. 

“The Sisters of St. Joseph have long been known for their focus on environmental stewardship and their unwavering commitment to serving Brentwood and communities across the region,” Commissioner Lefton said. “DEC looks forward to building upon our existing long-term partnership with the Sisters as we manage this land together to protect habitat and water quality and help connect Long Islanders to the outdoors.” 

The newly protected land is located on the Sisters’ more than 200-acre Motherhouse campus in the community of Brentwood, designated as a disadvantaged community. The protected property will have a designated parking area for visitors to enjoy an existing network of marked foot trails for walking/hiking, birdwatching, nature study, and quiet enjoyment. 

The property contains species typical of a pine barrens ecosystem including a pine-oak-heath forest, scrub-oak, and blueberry understory, and an herbaceous layer of ferns, sedge, and wintergreen, all in well-drained sandy soils of glacial outwash plains and moraines. This forest type is rare, and even more so given its location in an urban environment as defined by the New York Natural Heritage Foundation. 

Upon first collaborating with the Sisters in 2017, DEC toured the site with former Assemblymember and now County Legislator Steve Englebright and the Peconic Land Trust, and immediately recognized the land’s conservation value. DEC and the Sisters entered into a contract for a $3.44 million conservation easement in late 2024. 

Today’s announcement is the most recent of DEC’s collaboration with the Sisters. In 2018, DEC awarded the Sisters a $40,000 grant through the Urban and Forestry Grant Program to develop an inventory and management plan. The urban forestry grant complements DEC's ongoing initiatives to address invasive species, climate change, environmental degradation, environmental justice, and urban sprawl. For more information about DEC's Urban and Community Forestry Program and other resources for managing community trees, visit DEC's website. In addition, DEC awarded the Sisters a $31,000 Regenerate New York grant in 2022 for reforestation, forest stand restoration, and invasive species control projects on the property. 

Sister Tesa Fitzgerald said, “This easement is a profound expression of our congregation’s mission to foster right relationships—with God, with one another, and with Earth. By permanently protecting these 43 acres, we are living out our call to be stewards of creation in a time of ecological crisis. This land is not only a sanctuary for wildlife, but a sacred trust we honor for the common good.” 

Sister Karen Burke, CSJ, Ed.D, said, “As Sisters of St. Joseph, our decision to protect these 43 acres of woodlands through a New York State Conservation Easement is a sacred act of love and responsibility. Rooted in our Land Ethic and our deep spiritual relationship with Earth, we recognize the land as a living presence, not a possession. Reforestation and preservation are part of our commitment to safeguard the land we hold in sacred trust for future generations.” 

Sisters of St. Joseph Director of Ecological Sustainability Heather Coste said, “We’re so excited to work with the DEC toward the long-term health and protection of this tract of woodlands. The ecological and community value of these woods are immeasurable, and we look forward to our next steps in shared stewardship together.” 

Town of Islip Councilman Jorge Guadrón said, “I am delighted to be supportive of the collaborative effort between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the Sisters of Saint Joseph to protect a 43-acre pine barrens forest to safeguard groundwater, habitat, and 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.” 

Peconic Land Trust Agricultural Programs Director Dan Heston said, “Peconic Land Trust has been honored to work with the Sisters of St. Joseph since 2015 to help them to realize their Land Ethic and amazing vision for the property. From reintroducing agriculture to the fields and helping to establish a vibrant farming community, to the replacement of lawn with a meadow, siting of solar and advanced septic water treatment, to the conservation of healthy woodlands with an understory that is thriving, the property is both protected and transformed. The Sisters of St. Joseph have made their campus a true community place that is ecologically diverse and healthy.” 

Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment Adrienne Esposito said, “This is reason to celebrate! The permanent protection of 43 acres of open space on our island is such a legacy gift and environmental treasure. This land will help recharge our aquifer with clean drinking water, provided important habitat for wildlife and provide a space for the public to seek solace to be with nature. Congratulations to the Sisters of Saint Joesphs and DEC for working together to preserve and care for our precious Pine Barrens lands.” 

Making Open Space Available for All 

New York continues to invest in sustainability, open space preservation, and conservation. The 2025-26 enacted State Budget increases the Environmental Protection Fund to a record $425 million, helping support New York’s 30x30 Initiative, which commits to conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030 to provide funding for critical environmental programs such as land acquisition, farmland protection, invasive species prevention and eradication, enhanced recreational access, water quality improvement, and an aggressive environmental justice agenda. 

In the 2025 State of the State, Governor Kathy Hochul further prioritized creating and protecting parks and green spaces to ensure more people can enjoy time outdoors. To expand these efforts, the Governor will provide funding for land conservation to protect open spaces, farmland, and increase availability. The Governor also championed several key initiatives including modernizing the use of title insurance to expedite land acquisitions, granting DEC the authority to independently acquire conservation easements, and reducing the financial hurdles faced by not-for-profit organizations in their land conservation efforts. These changes and investments will empower the State to more effectively protect our natural heritage for future generations. 

About Sisters of St. Joseph 

The Sisters’ practice strong environmental stewardship with a “commitment to protect valuable natural areas with a vision toward a healthy and sustainable natural environment that supports the viability of our community and neighbors.” Elsewhere on the 200+acre campus the Sisters previously sold 26-acre agricultural easements to Suffolk County. Their farming initiatives have increased access to and consumption of healthy, organic, and locally grown produce in Brentwood, an Environmental Justice Area, and surrounding communities. Sisters have also installed a solar array and on-site wastewater treatment facilities including a constructed wetland.