The Open Space Institute (OSI), a land conservation organization, has acquire more than 3,100 forested acres within the New York’s Catskill Park for $6.2 million.
The property, one of the largest parcels of privately-owned, contiguous forestland remaining within the Catskill Blue Line, had been the subject of a mixed-use development proposal encompassing housing, resort, and commercial uses. OSI intends to transfer the land to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as an addition to the Willowemoc Wild Forest, where it will become the largest addition to the Catskill Forest Preserve in nearly 25 years.
According to OSI, the newly protected land includes native hardwood forests, undisturbed wetlands, nearly 20 miles of streambanks, and a ridgeline of peaks – the highest peak is more than 2,700 feet in elevation. OSI purchased the property with financial support from its Delaware River Watershed Protection Fund and an anonymous foundation.
“OSI’s conservation of the Blue Hill property is a monumental win for clean water, habitat, and recreation in the Catskills,” said Erik Kulleseid, OSI’s president and CEO. “This new acquisition is a rare find, both for its sheer size and for the wealth of benefits it provides. Over the last four decades, OSI has protected more than 25,000 acres of land within the Catskill Park, and we’re proud to continue our commitment to conserving the landscapes most vital to the health and wellbeing of people and wildlife.”
