About Us

Five decades of grassroots conservation in Boonville and beyond.

The Boonville Environmental Conservation Council (BECC) is a volunteer-led nonprofit dedicated to protecting, preserving, and celebrating the natural environment of Boonville and the surrounding Mohawk Valley, Tug Hill, and Black River Valley regions. For over five decades, we’ve been a hub for local conservation efforts, community engagement, and environmental education—working side by side with schools, families, and partners to ensure a cleaner, greener future. Founded in 1971, BECC is proud to be the second-oldest Environmental Conservation Council in New York State, carrying forward a legacy of grassroots stewardship and community leadership.

Our History

BECC was established in 1971 by a group of forward-thinking residents who believed that environmental protection had to begin at the local level. The founding members were Edward Schnabl, Irene Lansing, Cleveland Lansing, Martin Neary, Barbara Freeman (later Houghton), Mrs. Fred Ingersoll, and Mrs. David Jackson. Together, they set out to create a structure for community-based conservation before such efforts were common in rural towns.

The Council’s earliest officers oversaw areas that remain pressing today: sewage and water quality, air quality, recycling, and visual/noise pollution. Their holistic approach showed a clear understanding that environmental care touches every aspect of daily life.

By 1974, BECC opened the first recycling center in Oneida County, collecting newspapers, magazines, and glass—well before recycling programs were mainstream. Glass collected by BECC was even crushed and donated to Ethan Allen, proving that waste could be reinvested into local industry

Through the decades, BECC has continued to lead on pressing local issues—from waste management and landfill impacts in the 1990s to today’s initiatives in composting, food waste diversion, youth education, and community events.

What has remained constant is the founding vision: local people, working together, can make a lasting difference for the environment.