ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) has purchased property in Onondaga County.

The Ithaca-based conservation group has acquired 15 forested acres along the eastern shore of Skaneateles Lake in the Town of Spafford.

The land includes over 1100 feet of streambank on Barber Gulf and a portion of Staghorn Cliffs, the site of a fossilized coral reef. The newly added property will raise FLLT’s protected shoreline to 3,000 feet in this area, further preserving the reef and habitat for Bald Eagles and other wildlife. It will also help protect the water quality in the lake, which serves as the drinking water source for more than 200,000 people.

“The quality of our lake depends on the condition of the landscapes that surround them,” said FLLT President Andy Zepp. “This acquisition will secure steep slopes and sensitive shoreline areas that would lead to increased erosion and runoff if they were developed.”

Officials say the preserve will only be accessible by canoe or kayak due to the steep hillsides above the cliffs.

Learn more about the acquisition on FLLT’s website.