Adirondack Land Trust, Paul Smith’s College enter $4.1M easement agreement to protect 2,800 acres
By Tim Rowland
A $4.1 million easement will permanently preserve nearly 3,000 pristine acres surrounding Paul Smith’s College’s Visitor Interpretive Center (VIC). The Adirondack Land Trust and the college announced the agreement on July 1.
The lands are a trail-laced treasure chest of aesthetic, conservation and recreational bounty that has enchanted students and community members for 40 years. The easement will also bolster a large, 100,000-acre block of existing protections in the north-central Adirondacks.
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“We have long recognized these lands as being important from a conservation perspective, the way they fall into the larger protected landscape, and the variety of habitats that are there, from lowland boreal to the shoreline of Osgood Pond to the top of Jenkins Mountain,” said Connie Prickett, ALT’s director of communications. “It’s just such a special place and an important conservation property and the college’s leadership wanted to cement its legacy.”
The trust will be raising the $4.1 million needed to finalize the purchase of a conservation easement by December 31, 2025.
An outdoor classroom for students, visitors
Along with its ecological value, the VIC serves as an outdoor classroom for Paul Smith’s students, who conduct experiments and tend silviculture projects on the land, which is also home to such species as black-backed woodpecker, boreal chickadee, bobcat, and moose.
“It’s our go-to living laboratory, and we use it literally every day for our classes in forestry and natural resources, fish and wildlife management and environmental studies,” said Brett McLeod, dean of faculty and forestry professor at Paul Smith’s. “So it’s sort of our crown jewel, but it is also a crown jewel for the community.”
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Adirondack Land Trust Executive Director Mike Carr noted the meaningful impressions that the lands have made on college and community alike.
“The countless ‘firsts’ that happen on the VIC forestlands — a kid’s first diagonal stride on cross-country skis, a birder’s first scarlet tanager sighting, a student’s introduction to Adirondack ecosystems — tell a powerful story,” he said in a statement announcing the easement. “That’s the real magic of connecting with place. Now, thanks to the college’s foresight and deep commitment, everyone who loves this land can be a part of securing its lasting conservation.”
The VIC boasts 25 miles of trail available to the public for hiking, birdwatching, snowshoeing and Nordic skiing, including the western anchor of the 30-mile Paul Smiths-to-Keene Jackrabbit Ski Trail.
From a conservation standpoint, the property is rich in carbon-sponging peat that also supports orchids and carnivorous plant life, and includes 15 water bodies, including Long and Black ponds, which provide habitat for a self-sustaining population of heritage-strain brook trout used for New York state’s stocking program.
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It has also intersected with human activity for centuries.
“The property was one of the original Paul Smith’s hotel company holdings, so it goes all the way back to the beginning, and I think it’s also worth noting that it was home to the Haudenosaunee, so it’s got this long human history on the landscape.” McLeod said.
Additional protected acres
The state holds protective easements on another 7,700 acres of school land, bringing the total amount of protected forest to more than 10,000 of its 14,000 acres.
The state created the VIC in 1989 with the intention of introducing tourists and local residents to Adirondack ecosystems. It built a large educational center on lands owned by the school and provided funding for the program.
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But in 2010 the state abandoned the project, which Paul Smith’s agreed to take over in 2011. The state also withdrew its funding, placing financial obligations in the hands of the college.
“It would be fair to say that the money from this will be reinvested in the college’s conservation and educational mission,” said McLeod.
In a statement, Paul Smith’s College President Dan Kelting said the deal protects both the lands and public use of them.
“This partnership (with ALT) ensures that our students, faculty, visitors and neighbors will continue to explore, study and enjoy these forests and waters — now with the added assurance that they will be protected forever,” he said.
Those interested in learning more can attend a free event at the VIC on Thursday, July 10, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Photo at top: Aerial of Osgood Pond shoreline by Eric Adsit, courtesy Adirondack Land Trust.
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Great news – I hope the deal goes through!
Is this in perpetuity?
The title reads, partly: “permanent protection from development.”
Thank you for your beautiful work.