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Historic Minisink Farm to Receive County Open Space Plan Funds Orange County Land Trust to Hold Conservation Easement on Kezialain Farm Middletown, NY — May 3, 2008 The historic Kezialain Farm in the Town of Minisink will forever remain a working farm and valuable open space, as one of the latest farms earmarked to receive funds through the county's Open Space Plan. The Orange County Land Trust will be responsible for the placement of a conservation easement on the 166-acre organic beef and hay farm, and for the stewardship of the property in perpetuity. At a public hearing last week in Goshen, the county legislature voted to authorize the acquisition of the farm's development rights with funds from the county's 2008 Open Space Program. The legislature had recently voted to suspend the program for 2009, citing budgetary restraints, with hopes to resume it the following year. "Although the program is on hold for next year, land preservation continues to be an important issue valued by our county executive and legislature," said James Delaune, Executive Director of the Orange County Land Trust. "Eddie Diana's leadership in this arena has been truly visionary and we look forward to continuing to partner with the county on land preservation projects in the future." Kezialain Farm has been farmed since the 1700's. Owned by the Lain family, it is located along the Tunkamoose Creek and is within the Wallkill River Watershed. The property also abuts the Land Trust's Laurel Hill Preserve and Minisink Town Park, providing contiguous open space for wildlife habitat. The federally endangered Indiana bat makes its home on these properties. The Orange County Land Trust is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to preserve the fields, forests, wetlands, ridgelines and river corridors, as well as working farms, in and around Orange County through voluntary land conservation. For more information and for volunteer opportunities, please visit our website at oclt.org. |
