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Historic Wawayanda Farm Protected with County Open Space Funds Middletown, NY (OCLT) Orange County Land Trust to Hold Conservation Easement An historic farm in the Town of Wawayanda 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 110-acre natural grass-fed beef and crop farm and for the stewardship of the property in perpetuity. The Kirby Farm, owned and operated by Leslie and Tammy Kirby, is the 19th farm in Orange County to have its development rights purchased through the county's open space plan. The Kirby's will receive $483,625 from this fund and in accepting these funds, their farm will remain a working farm, restricted from future development. The land had been operated as a dairy farm for several generations, and as a grass-fed beef and crop farm for the last five years. "Orange County remains committed to help save these working farms that are such an integral part of both the economy and the natural and agricultural heritage of the county," said County Planning Commissioner David Church. Under the leadership of County Executive Edward Diana, the county embarked on its open space program in 2005 with $21.5 million earmarked over a five year period for the protection of working farmland and other important open space. To date, about $7 million in 22 projects has protected 2,894 acres in the county under this program, including nearly 2,700 acres of farmland. Due to fiscal constraints, applications for new projects will be not considered again until 2009. "Although the open space program is on hold until 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. "Orange County's leadership in this area has been truly visionary and is viewed as a model for other regions throughout the country. We at the Land Trust look forward to continuing to partner with County Executive Diana and the County on land preservation projects such as this one in the future." 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. The Land Trust has protected almost 4,000 acres of land in communities throughout the county and holds conservation easements on many properties and working farms whose development rights were purchased with county open space funds. For more information and for volunteer opportunities, please visit our website at oclt.org. |
