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Orange County Land Trust Closes on First Conservation Easement in Sullivan County
Middletown, NY —
April 11, 2008
The Orange County Land Trust has recently closed on the placement of its first conservation easement in Sullivan County, a 155-acre parcel in the Town of Mamakating along the Shawangunk Ridge, adjacent to New York State lands. This brings the total preserved acreage by the Land Trust to almost 3,200 acres.
"We are very excited about the placement of this conservation easement for many reasons", said Orange County Land Trust Executive Director Jim Delaune. "First and foremost for its size and ecological importance this parcel will remain forever untouched by development, and secondly," he continued "because it is an important day for the Orange County Land Trust to be able to help landowners in our neighboring county save valuable land."
"I am so very pleased that the Land Trust is able to extend its expertise into Sullivan County," said New York State Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther, whose district includes Sullivan County and parts of Orange County. "They've done such an excellent job preserving the beautiful ridgelines and wetlands as well as working farms in Orange County, we are so glad to have them able to provide these services to landowners in Sullivan County."
The 155-acre parcel has important conservation value as well as scenic beauty. In addition to being of sufficiently extensive contiguous acreage important for wildlife habitation, the parcel is located within the Shawangunk/Neversink/Catskill Plateau priority region as identified by the Land Trust's 2005 Land Conservation Plan. The property contains an 85% unfragmented forest tract and contains a chestnut oak forest, considered to have high ecological and conservation value by the New York State Natural Heritage Program. The property also is a documented habitat for the timber rattlesnake which is classified as a threatened species by New York State. The property has historical significance too, with a former 19th century two-room school house on the grounds. With views of the Shawangunk Mountains, the property is within a region experiencing significant development pressures.
A conservation easement is a legally binding agreement where the landowner agrees to a deed restriction prohibiting the land from being developed in perpetuity. This deed restriction remains intact with each successive property owner. A conservation easement is a valuable tool for landowners who want to ensure that their property remains undeveloped forever. Working farms can continue to be used for agricultural purposes. There is also significant tax benefits associated with the placement of a conservation easement.
The mission of the Orange County Land Trust is to preserve the fields, forests, wetlands, ridgelines and river corridors in and around Orange County through voluntary land conservation. The Land Trust is a nonprofit, charitable organization and can accept donations of cash, investments and land to fulfill this mission. Goals for the next three years include the preservation of an additional 3,000 acres of scenically and biologically important land in communities throughout the region. For more information on our public preserves open to the public, and for volunteer opportunities, please visit the website at oclt.org.
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