We recognize that we are occupying unceded and traditional lands of the Munsee Lenape peoples and the Wappinger peoples. We acknowledge the existence of these peoples, past, present, and future. We also acknowledge the continuing harm of centuries of settler colonialism. While we work to figure out more ways that we can be part of repairing that harm, we are committed to telling the truth about history and the present, and to being good stewards of the land while we are here.
The land we are on is within a Special Natural Areas District, and we are committed to the vision of such a district and what it requires of us in stewarding this land.
We have also embarked on a long-term project to remove many of the invasive plants on the property, often planted with an intention to add beauty but without recognizing the effect on the ecosystem of replacing native plants. And, with replacing those invasive plants, we are adding more plants that are of species native to this area, so that pollinators, butterflies, and other creatures important to the ecosystem will be welcome here. We are working with others with Plant Native NW Bronx to encourage homeowners, apartment management and dwellers, and others in this area to also participate in this restoration.
In 2022, the Board of the Society voted unanimously to support the Friends of Buttonhook project to save the environmentally-sensitive Buttonhook forest land, which also includes land sacred to Native Americans. The land is being sold by the Chappaqua school district. We shared our October 2022 Sunday collections with this project.