The Honeoye Valley Association’s nominees were chosen for the Center for Environmental Information’s 2004 Hugh E. Cumming Environmental Quality Award. This prestigious award was presented at their "30^th Anniversary Salute to the Environment" at the Hyatt Regency in Rochester on October 20^th with about 300 people in attendance.

In our nomination, the HVA recommended Florence Muller, the Central and Western New York Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Finger Lakes Community College (FLCC), and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) be recognized for their collaborative efforts to protect the southern Honeoye Lake watershed. We stated that they have ably demonstrated how an individual, private land conservation organization, educational institution, and state agency can successfully work together over several years to create one of the most unique environmental, educational, and recreational resources in the Rochester-Genesee-Finger Lakes region.

We presented the following timeline for the Honeoye Inlet Project describing how the donation, acquisition, and protection of these 2,300 acres occurred.

• In 1998, The Nature Conservancy purchased the Wild Rose Ranch – a 430-acre property at the southern end of Honeoye Lake from the Estate of Emil Muller. This property could have easily been subdivided and developed, but now will become part of a new state-owned wildlife conservation area.
• In 1999, Florence Muller donated her beautiful home in the Honeoye Valley to Finger Lakes Community College. It is now the Muller Conservation Field Station, enabling the College to continue to study and learn about the ecosystems of the Finger Lakes.
• In 2000, Mrs. Muller donated her 700 acres of wetlands at the south end of the lake to The Nature Conservancy. This was the largest ever donation of land to the Conservancy in Western New York.
• In 2001, Finger Lakes Community College donated a conservation easement on its nearly 50 acre Muller Conservation Field Station to The Nature Conservancy. The easement prevents subdivision and development of the property.
• In 2003, The Nature Conservancy helped the NYS Department of Conservation purchase the remaining 900 acres of steep ridges and farm fields owned by the Estate of Emil Muller.
• In 2004, The Nature Conservancy reached an agreement to purchase the 164 acre Camp Muller from the Boy Scouts of America. The Nature Conservancy intends to retain the property and manage it for wildlife, outdoor recreation, and water quality.

With the exception of the Muller Conservation Field Station and TNC/Camp Muller, all these lands – nearly 2,100 acres – are now held and managed by the NYSDEC. The state’s intention is to complete a management plan for the property, and then develop a kiosk and trails for better public access. The NYSDEC has already constructed three parking areas as a first step.

We then provided the following as examples of the contributions and achievements that have gone a long way toward preserving, improving, and educating about the environment in the Honeoye Valley.

• A fish culture center and fish rearing ponds have been developed at the Muller Conservation Field Station where walleye fingerlings are raised and then stocked in Conesus Lake
• The Finger Lakes Land Trust sponsors canoe tours through the Honeoye Inlet Creek with FLCC conservation professors as tour leaders to help participants observe and understand the unique environment
• As the black bear has migrated north into the Finger Lakes region, the DEC and FLCC have worked together to place radio transmitter collars on two of the bears and documenting their movements in and around the Honeoye Valley
• FLCC has utilized the Muller Conservation Field Station for many of their credit courses as well as a destination for elementary and high school classes from throughout the Rochester-Genesee-Finger Lakes region to further their environmental and educational experiences
• Camp Muller Boy Scout Camp has been used for decades for scout wilderness camping and The Nature Conservancy will continue this practice

The Center for Environmental Information (CEI) is a private, nonprofit, education organization founded in Rochester in 1974. CEI provides information and communication services, publications, and educational programs in order to advance public understanding of environmental issues and acts as a communication link among scientists, educators, decision makers, and the public.

Each year CEI invites nominations for the Hugh E. Cumming Environmental Quality Award. The purpose of this prestigious award is to publicly recognize individuals or organizations making substantial contributions to or achievements in preserving, improving, or educating about the environment in the Rochester-Genesee-Finger Lakes Region.

The Honeoye Valley Association is truly pleased to have been able to offer this nomination. Florence Muller, The Nature Conservancy, Finger Lakes Community College, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have made significant and everlasting contributions to the people and environment of the Honeoye Valley, as well as the entire Rochester-Genesee-Finger Lakes Region. The Hugh E. Cumming Environmental Quality Award is a well earned recognition of their efforts.