With your help CPF continues to celebrate our farmland, historic buildings and special places through protection and special events. 
Areas of volunteer interest include trail work, educational programs, special events, and much more. We need your help!
CPF works in partnership with landowners to protect natural areas, agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, historic sites, and more.Latest News
Stay informed on upcoming events and the latest CPF accomplishments with our E-News 1-2 times per month. To receive the Enews, send your email address to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
February 18, 2015
Evening adventures by starlight and snowlight! Join us for these two free programs.
Owl Prowl Saturday, Feb. 28 6:30 - 8 pm. From the New Woodstock Lumber parking area, Railroad Ave., New Woodstock, we will be guided by environmental educator Fred von Mechow in search of winter owls. Skis or snowshoes.
Full Moon Jaunt Thursday, March 5 7-8 pm. Ski or snowshoe on CPF trails through the woods and fields. Meet in CPF parking area on Burlingame Road one mile west of Route 13. Dress warmly and come even if cloudy. You'll be surprised how much we can see!
February 12, 2015
Parking for the Fairchild Hill trail is in jeopardy! It is important that trail users park in the back right corner of the plowed area behind the brown building at the south end of Cazenovia Lake. You should be behind the CPF Trail sign. Tractor trailers need to be able to turn around behind the building 24/7. If there are already 3 cars there, please use the State parking area across Route 20. The building owners have generously provided this parking space on their property - please respect the privelege. Contact CPF if you have any questions. Thanks.
February 3, 2015
This coming Saturday, February 7, join CPF for a Wagon Ride Into History. Hear stories of people and places in 18th and 19th century Cazenovia accompanied by the clip clop of your horse-drawn wagon. This guided tour will celebrate history as you stop to hang a plaque showing the original construction date and owner on several of the older houses. The wagon will load at Common Grounds at 1 pm.
Want to learn your house's history? Read more about CPF's Historic House Sign Initiative on this website under the Conserve/Preserve tab, above.
November 18, 2014
Tonight, 7 pm at the Cazenovia Library, Dr. Tony Ingraffea, Professor of Engineering at Cornell University, will present "The Science of Shale Gas / Oil Drilling". This is a great chance to update ourselves on recent information about hydrofracking and oil and gas extraction.
October 22, 2014 Historic Structures Committee
Information on the Historic Structures Committee that is forming and a copy of CPF's Letter to the Editor can be found on our Conserve/Preserve page, above.
Walk Among the Spirits
October 24, 25 and 28 in Evergreen Cemetery
Information on the Events tab, above.
See you there!
September 20, 2014 Bluebirds and Frisbees
Help the students from the Cazenovia Summer Recreation Program install the bluebird houses they made this summer to create a Bluebird Trail in the open meadows of Fairchild Hill. Then try your hand (um...your flying disc) in a field game version of frisbee golf in those same meadows. Fun for participants and spectators alike.
September 3, 2014 Creatures of the Night Walk
Do you ever sit outside at night, listen, and wonder what animals are moving about and communicating with each other? On Saturday, September 6, nature educator Amy Kochem will help us understand the night noises at the CPF Creatures of the Night walk. Kids,adults, families will all enjoy walking through the woods of the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park to listen to and perhaps see the night animals.
Walk starts at 6 pm at the Secret Garden in the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park, on Stone Qurry Rd. about 1/2 mile south of route 20 one mile east of Cazenovia Village. directions found at www.stonequarryhillartpark.org. Walk free and open to the public.
May 19, 2014
Older Homes and Summer Walks --- Andrea Rebeck, program speaker at the CPF 2014 Annual Meeting this thursday, will share her experience as an architect and a homeowner on the joys and challenges of fixing up an older home. Join us at 7 pm thursday, May 22 at St. Peter's Church.
Our final Walk in May is a chance to strengthen your bird identification skills. We will meet at 7:30 am saturday, May 24 at Fairchild Hill. Bring binoculars and wear footwear for wet conditions.
May 7, 2014
Fishermen and Bird Watcher's Take Note!
On Saturday, May 10,from 10 am to noon join the opening of the new public fishing area along 1/2 mile of Chittenango Creek at CPF's Kings Field on Route 13 2 miles soulth of the village of Cazenovia. Trout Unlimited will demonstrate casting technique and help new and experienced anglers learn how to catch 'the Big One'.
On saturday, May 24, John Pumilio, a birder who has led trips worldwide, willshare his knowledge and passion for birds on a walk at Fairchild Hill 7:30-9:30 am. Park behind the brown building at the south end of Cazenovia lake.
May 6, 2014
A Sense of Place: A Primer to Unlocking the History of your Home will be presented thursday, May 8 at 7 opm at the Cazenovia Library. Learn step-by-step how to research the history of your home and how to use the resources available to the public through the County and the Cazenovia Public Library. More details on this program and other Preservation Month programs can be found under the Conserve/Preserve tab, subcategory Historic Preservation, above.
February 14, 2014
Design work has begun on improvments to Carpenter's Pond and the Willow Patch to be made this summer. The work will include a dock for fishing access in the Pond as well as improved water flow, a kiosk, benches and an overlook structure in the Willow Patch. Funds for the project come from CPF supporters and from the Central New York Community Foundation. Great article in the Cazenovia Republican at: www.cazenoviarepublican.com/news/2014/feb/05/carpenters-pond-willow-patch-see-improvements-year
December 17, 2013
Thanks to all those community members who have doubled their impact with our Challenge Grant. Through a tax-deductible contribution they have joined CPF to:
- Keep farmland as active open space
- Maintain the historic character of our village
- Provide year-round public trails
- Protect critical ecosystems, and
- Continue careful planning of new development
We still have Challenge Grant money available to match your increased or new donation. Use the Support tab, above, to contact us via PayPal, snail mail, email or phone. You can make a difference.
November 27, 2013
The first snowstorm of the season gives us time to pause and reflect on all the activities completed this summer and fall with the help of volunteers and community members. In September a larger-than-life willow basket was moved into the Willow Patch off Mill St in the village of Cazenovia. Come find it along with a new boardwalk and trail completed by the Boy Scouts and interpretive signage placed by CPF's summer intern Molly Smith. The summer also brought significant drainage and signage work on the Fairchild Hill, Gorge and Burlingame Trails . Over 200 kids and central NY residents attended our summer walks to explore local nature and history in place and suggested topics for next year's offerings. And CPF continued to monitor the 2500 acres of open space, wetlands and farmland in the Cazenovia area that is protected forever through easements.
June 13, 2013
In conjunction with the Eurocar event to be held at the Lorenzo State Historic Site this coming weekend, CPF is pleased to offer a historic driving tour of the Cazenovia area. With 15 roadside locations highlighted over a scenic 37 mile ride, we hope that the tour is enjoyed both by Eurocar participants and attendees as well as by others visiting or living in the area. We wll be at Lorenzo with information on Sunday, June 16 form 9 am to 1 pm, or download a tour map and directions by going to the Education tab, above. Enjoy your drive!
May 28, 2013
The first two events of CPF's summer Walks 'N Talks series are this week! On wednesday, May 29, a presentation on the over 30 miles of trails available to the public in Cazenovia will take place at the Cazenovia Library Community Room at 7:30. CPF trails, the Link Trail and the Stone Quarry Hill Art Park trails will be highlighted. CACDA will also update us on the development of an electronic interactive database of all area trails.
Saturday, June 1, is National Trails Day. Spend part of your day on a scavenger hunt on local trails. Participants will look for letter clues to be found at 10 locations on trails around Cazenovia. The clues will lead all to the location where the first 50 participants can claim a prize donated by Eastern Mountain Sports. Start your search anytime between 9 and noon by picking up a map and scavenger hunt information at the St. Peter's Spirit Center (aka Carriage House) at 10 Mill St. There will be no electronic map available for the scavenger hunt. For more information, call 877-1742 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Spring at Hillcrest – A CPF Fundraiser
Over 100 attendees supported CPF’s work of protection of the historic, argricultural and natural resources of Cazenovia at a reception in the historic Hillcrest residence on the Jephson Estate. Hosts Linda and Brian Osborne generously shared their historic home with its intricate Queen Anne style interior and exterior details and its exquisite estate setting and view of Cazenovia Lake.
April 13, 2013
Cazenovia College Environmental Club and CPF volunteers had a full day of activity to benefit Cazenovia's natural beauty. In the morning, over 2 dozen volunteers picked up trash from the banks of Chittenango Creek. After a quick lunch, many ot the same volunteers were joined by new helpers to plant 200 tree and shrub seedlings along the trails and waterways or the Willow Patch off Mill Street in the Village.
February 14, 2013
The tally is in and over 5000 trail users signed in at CPF kiosks in 2012, a 66% growth in registered users in just two years! Thanks to all of you who stop to place your tic mark on the sign in sheets. Documentation of trail usage helps us in our search for funds for trail maintenance and emergency repairs.
November 30, 2012
The Village of Cazenovia was full of pedestrians for the Christmas Walk in Cazenovia last night. The CPF table in front of the Lincklaen House was a busy place where dozens of people learned more about CPF's mission and protection and education activities. CPF thanks and welcomes the thirty five new members who received trail maps and/or pins as they joined the organization last night. CPF relies on its members to provide critical support to maintain trails, purchase protective easements and offer its wide variety of educational programs.
October 25, 2012
CPF shared maps of historic, agricultural and natural resources in the Cazenovia area with the Cazenovia Planning Board. These maps delineate 20 different resources. The information will be valuable in identifying and prioritizing resource values on parcels being considered for development or protection. Public display of the maps will be in the Cazenovia Library for the months of February and March.
