History and Mission
By the 1980s, the wave of development engulfing Westchester’s open spaces energized many citizens to preserve and protect what remained. Some worked to enact ordinances to keep buildings off steep slopes and away from wetlands and watercourses crucial to public drinking water and to protect standing forests. Others focused on making beautiful spaces. Croton-on-Hudson was uniquely lucky in having 20 acres of woods donated by philanthropist Samuel Rubin with deed restrictions limiting future use to “wildlife habitat and conservation education”.
In 1994, the Arboretum’s founding mothers and fathers created a nonprofit organization to create a nature preserve on the Rubin land where visitors could relax and enjoy its woods and wetlands. We filed for tax-exempt, nonprofit status to make this possible. The tragic death in 1995 of one of our directors led to renaming the Jane E. Lytle Memorial Arboretum in her honor. In 2010 a two-acre parcel owned by the late Irwin Mann was added and rezoned PRE (Parks, Recreation and Education) to protect it from future sale or development.
When we launched in 1994, the entire 20 acres parcel was an impenetrable jungle of wild brush, briars, vines and dead trees. There was no way to enter and enjoy and appreciate this precious open space. So volunteers hacked hiking trails around the swamp in the center of the preserve. Next we built bridges across streams and wetlands. And then came an accessible boardwalk trail so that visitors with impaired mobility or limited eyesight could enjoy our beautiful woods and wetlands. Pullouts with benches provide seating and allow oncoming wheelchairs to pass safely. The boardwalk passes through a large gazebo for observing and photographing wetland wildlife.
The mission evolved from promoting and protecting open space to conservation education. Several specialty gardens are inspiring examples of what visitors can do at home, where they work, and in local parks and recreation areas. Our new watchword became “Bloom where you’re planted”. And the mission continues to evolve with programs and projects focused on science and conservation actions to combat climate change here at home. These include planting enhanced wildlife food forests, a sample test forest with programs to compute and monetize CO2 stored in trees to combat climate change, restoration of the Arboretum’s shrinking central wetland, and a forest re-planting experiment to identify tree species to replace Beeches succumbing to an untreatable fungus disease.
WHO WE ARE
The Croton Arboretum and Sanctuary, Inc. is a tax-exempt, volunteer nonprofit organization whose primary focus is the Jane E. Lytle Memorial Arboretum.
Our Board of Directors manages the preserve and develops and delivers on- and off-site programs and events. Our bylaws allow up to 11 directors who are elected by members for 3-year terms, The Board of Directors meets monthly by Zoom. A general membership meeting in January is held to report on the preceding year’s achievements, elect directors and officers, and report on finances. Officers are elected for one year terms by the directors at the annual meeting. In addition, Advisory Board members can be appointed when needed who apply their professional skills and talents to specific projects. Both the Village of Croton-on-Hudson and the Town of Cortlandt appoint liaisons to coordinate with our activities. Croton’s sitting mayor is an Honorary Board member. We have no paid staff.
We are not funded by government. Instead, we depend on the generosity and support of visitors, members, donors, business and corporate sponsors, community organizations like the Croton Lions Club and Croton Boy Scout Troop 28, and grants from NYS DEC and private foundations.
YOUR support is crucial to our success and to the future of the Arboretum. To contact us or to support our work by joining, donating, or volunteering your time and talents, click on the CONTACT and SUPPORT buttons below.