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The Nature Conservancy Pays Tribute to the Legacy of the Late Elizabeth Kals Reilley 

Valued Friend was Hortoculturist, Conservationist

Cold Spring Harbor — June 12, 2008 — When Elizabeth Kals Reilley, noted horticultural librarian, scholar, collector of rare books on landscape design and gardener, passed away on March 29, 2007 at the age of 99, both The Nature Conservancy and Long Island lost a valued friend. She had a deep concern for the future of Long Island and left a great legacy for generations to come.

A resident of Muttontown, NY for more than 37 years, Mrs. Reilley had a passion for the natural world. In addition to her world class collection of rare books on garden design, she maintained an impressive garden that she designed and cultivated herself.

In 1997, Reilley donated her home to The Nature Conservancy on Long Island under the organization’s trade lands program. Mrs. Reilley retained a “life estate,” allowing her to live in her house during her lifetime and still receive substantial tax benefits. On her death, the property passed to The Nature Conservancy under the agreement that the property would be used as a trade land (i.e. be sold) with the proceeds supporting the Conservancy’s work to protect and restore Long Island’s vital wetlands, harbors and bays, forests and grasslands.

“We are grateful for Mrs. Reilley’s vision and foresight. Trade lands are a wonderful conservation tool,” said Nancy Kelley, director of The Nature Conservancy on Long Island. “In circumstances like Mrs. Reilley's, the Conservancy abides by the donor's wishes while being sensitive to the local community. Prior to the transfer of the property to the Conservancy, plants from the Reilley garden were shared with her friends. Once the property passed to the Conservancy, the organization alerted potential buyers that there was local interest for the garden to be documented for the Archive of American Gardens at the Smithsonian Institute.”

The former Reilley property has recently been sold by The Nature Conservancy. The proceeds will be used for the protection and restoration of Long Island’s vital wetlands, harbors and bays, forests and grasslands.

In a 1999 interview with The Nature Conservancy, Elizabeth Reilley noted that she “hoped the gift will provide some money to protect a little bit of Long Island from development.” Her wish is being fulfilled.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. On Long Island, The Nature Conservancy has helped to preserve more than 100,000 acres. Visit us on the web at nature.org/longisland.