Thursday, October 1, 2026
The North Shore Land Alliance has appointed longtime board member Hollis Russell as its new chair at a pivotal moment for the conservation nonprofit, as it works to complete a major expansion of the Red Cote Preserve in Oyster Bay Cove.
Russell, a Locust Valley resident who first joined the board in 2008, said his path to the position grew naturally from a lifelong interest in preservation and open space.
“We all love to see landmarks that we’ve known, vistas, open spaces that are iconic and emblematic to a community stay that way,” Russell said. “So that’s a very keen interest of mine.”
Russell succeeds former chair Hoyle Jones, who held the position for eight years following the tenure of founding chair Carter Bales. As only the third board chair in the organization’s 22 year history, Russell steps into a role that has traditionally involved long service and deep involvement in major land protection projects.
Lisa Ott, the Land Alliance’s president and CEO, said Russell’s leadership has been evident long before his appointment.
“For something to be successful, people have to own it. They have to love it. They have to have a great show-up factor,” Ott said. “And Hollis has, since he’s been a part of this board, he has stepped up. He’s actually been able to identify real needs that we have and step up even before we ask for them.”
One of Russell’s first major priorities as chair is helping advance the Land Alliance’s effort to acquire five acres adjacent to the Red Cote Preserve in Oyster Bay Cove, officially called the Campaign to Grow Red Cote Preserve. The property has long been under discussion with the land’s owners, the Pulling family.
Red Cote was one of the organization’s earliest major projects, created through a series of purchases funded by county and town environmental bonds in the mid-2000s. The new parcel scored high in the Land Alliance’s internal ranking of environmentally significant lands, Ott said, citing forest quality, groundwater protection value, scenic views and historical context.
The purchase price for the expansion is $1.52 million. The Land Alliance has raised a little more than $1 million so far, leaving about $500,000 still to be secured.
“We’ve had over 100 donors already,” Ott said. “Some people put a sign in the parking lot, and there have been some people who just went to the sign, looked at the QR code and sent money, which is people that you want to meet and applaud and give up. But we need the community’s help to finish this much. We rely on the community to be able to do these things for the community.”
The organization has applied for a New York state water quality improvement grant, although Ott cautioned that competition is stiff statewide. A decision is expected by the end of December. The Land Alliance is scheduled to close on the property in February.
In the meantime, outreach is underway, including direct mail and meetings with neighbors, foundations and longtime supporters.
Russell said the Land Alliance’s mission is more urgent than ever as development pressures on the North Shore intensify. The group now manages numerous preserves across the region, monitors conservation easements and works with landowners seeking to keep properties undeveloped.
“The land alliance is has now established itself with permanence as an institution,” Russell said, “that will continue to maintain the different preserves, continue to monitor the existing easements and accept new ones, and continue to try to preserve additional properties that are conservation worthy, ones that are emblematic in particular.”
As he begins his tenure, Russell said the Land Alliance remains his primary charitable focus, particularly ensuring that Long Island’s natural beauty remains preserved for collective use and appreciation.
“The land is something that really brings people together, from all different walks of life and all different political type persuasions,” he said. “It’s something that’s common ground.”
