Lake George Land Conservancy launches campaign to conserve 1,200 acres

Project includes preserving 517 acres on Pilot Knob and around 700 acres in Bolton

By Mike Lynch

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is looking to preserve 517 acres on Pilot Knob Mountain on the eastern side of Lake George.

The project is one of several land conservation initiatives the nonprofit land trust is undertaking this year as part of a $9 million fundraising campaign to conserve more than 1,200 acres in the Lake George watershed. 

The Pilot Knob property is located just south of Buck Mountain and includes its 2,159-foot summit and 1.6 miles of streams. LGLC is under contract with a landowner for the purchase. 

The land is less than a mile north of LGLC’s Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob, a popular hiking destination, and connects to Adirondack Forest Preserve land on Buck Mountain. 

It is one of the largest privately-owned properties in the south basin and is zoned for development of up to 60 buildings, according to LGLC. 

The land trust plans to make it a preserve and will evaluate use of the property in the future. 

“We need to be extremely thoughtful and deliberate about anything we do here,” Executive Director Mike Horn said. 

Bolton property

LGLC is also attempting to preserve about 700 acres in the town of Bolton in the Northwest Bay and Indian Brook area through preserves and at least one conservation easement. The goal with these purchases is to “provide critical protection of stream corridors, wetlands, steep slopes, and forested lands that clean and filter water, reduce downstream sedimentation, and prevent pollution from entering Lake George’s Northwest Bay,” according to the land trust. 

The LGLC purchased one of the properties, named Sundew Pond, on April 22. This 207-acre parcel has a large wetland and pond that supports a healthy, diverse plant ecosystem, including carnivorous sundew and pitcher plants. Several of the other Bolton projects are under contract.

This year’s fundraising campaign is the largest effort in LGLC’s history. To date, the trust has secured more than $6 million in state grant funding, including grants that provide $2 for every $1 donated. They’ve also raised $600,000 in private donations. 

Another $2.4 million is needed by the end of the summer to complete all of the projects.

The LGLC is offering a live, public Zoom presentation June 11 at 7 p.m. to discuss the campaign and its projects. This presentation will also be recorded and shared for viewing. To register, visit LGLC.org/2025Campaign/register.