2023 Ellen Lea Paine Memorial Nature Fund Grant Awardees Announced

KEENE, N.Y.  — The Adirondack Garden Club has awarded grants to seven local non-profits to further our common goal of protecting the natural environment within the Adirondack Park. This year’s awardees, from Malone to Westport, are tackling everything from protecting habitats to educating our youth about the importance of conservation. These grants are made possible by the Ellen Lea Paine Memorial Nature Fund. The late Mrs. Paine was an avid gardener and leading member of the Adirondack Garden Club.  Grants ranging up to $1,500 have been awarded to the following organizations:

Adirondack Land Trust – Keene.  To maintain the Glenview Preserve as a habitat for the declining bird and insect population of the meadow. The biodiversity of this habitat has been boosted by the plantings of native wildflowers. Maintaining the meadow is vital to the life of this habitat.

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Franklin County – Malone.  To purchase native pollinator plants for Camp Akalaka. Campers will learn about gardening, native plants, and native pollinators in the Adirondacks, and then establish a native pollinator garden.

Creative Kitchen Garden – Westport.  To reconnect people with plants and experience the joy of growing food.  Children, adults, seniors, and low-income families will be able to choose their own food plus expand their agricultural and botanical literacy and appreciation for native plants. The project will help increase accessibility for multi-generational low-income families in Essex County.

Eagle Island Inc. – Upper Saranac Lake. To provide an environmentally responsible experience for a camper who will help preserve Eagle Island’s natural and historic character.  Among other things, the camper will learn about indigenous species and plants, respecting the lake, and overall trail maintenance on/around the island.

The Church of St. Luke the Beloved Physician – Saranac Lake.  To create a wildlife pond and adjacent sitting area on the church property. The pond will include some shallow edges accessible to many species of wildlife, a rocky beach for birds, pond plants to help with filtration, and native plantings. Chairs will be added to encourage the public to enjoy the pond.  Signage will also be provided to educate the public on the importance of water for pollinators.

Northern Lights School – Saranac Lake. To expand the present Learning Garde by purchasing child-sized shovels & hand tools so that the youngest gardeners are able to work within the garden as well as books about garden pollinators, gardening, and flowers to supplement their current library. Through these purchases the school community will have the ability to read about and practice gardening. 

Wells Memorial Library – Upper Jay.  To help create and fund a landscape plan to improve the design and use of outdoor spaces. This will allow the library to establish natural fauna landscaping that can withstand flooding and prevent invasive plants from flourishing. The plan includes wild scaping, pollinator-friendly plants and strengthening the riparian buffer.