Face to Watch

When John Halsey '74 says he has"very deep roots" on Long Island,he isn't kidding. Eastern Long Island is full of Halsey Streets,Halsey Avenues and Halsey Lanes.That's because John's ancestorThomas Halsey came to this country from England in 1637 andfounded the town of Southamptonthree years later. While the Hamptons may now be better known forthe rich and famous who summerthere, John is working to preservethe area's natural history. In 1983he founded the Peconic LandTrust, a non-profit that aims tosolve a serious local dilemma:Property values around the Hamptons have risen to such drasticheights—a 50-acre farm field cango for $20 million—that landowners not enticed by the riches offered by developers facemulti-million-dollar estate taxes."We want to help implement alternatives to development that willbenefit landowners and help thecommunity," says Halsey. His solution lets owners donate development rights to the trust, whichoffers them tax benefits and stopsthe bulldozers. To date the trusthas protected 5,000 acres, ensuring the area's tidal and freshwaterwetlands will remain untouchedfor generations to come.