CHESTERFIELD — The Adirondack Land Trust purchased 2,390 acres in the Town of Chesterfield this month for permanent conservation.
The vast, forested parcel ranges in elevation from 580 to 1,615 feet above sea level and features Drake Mountain; 12 ponds; 6.5 miles of streams, including Little Trout Brook; and 126 acres of wetlands.
“Drake Mountain, with its prominent profile and rocky outcrops, is a well-known feature of the Town of Chesterfield’s landscape,” Adirondack Land Trust Executive Director Mike Carr said in a press release.
“Visible from the waters of Lake Champlain and across scenic farmlands, it stands like a vibrant island of forest.”
It harbors rare and uncommon plant species unique to the Champlain Valley and provides habitats for beaver, bobcat, white-tailed deer, black bear and other wildlife.
The largest pond on the parcel hosts an active great blue heron nesting area, known as a rookery.
“Our town values its natural, scenic, and recreational resources. Keeping Drake Mountain as a forest makes good sense,” Chesterfield Town Supervisor Clayton Barber said in the release.
“I look forward to the day when the public can access the land for outdoor activities like hiking and hunting,” said Chesterfield Town Supervisor Clayton Barber.
The land trust plans to hold this parcel for future transfer to New York state, eventually adding all 2,390 acres to the constitutionally protected Forest Preserve within the Adirondack Park.
Under state ownership, the land will become available to the public for outdoor recreation, including hunting, hiking and birdwatching.
The land trust paid $3.38 million to U.S. Forest Invest, a timber investment company, for the parcel, which was listed for sale on the open market.
The previous landowner managed three hunting leases on the Drake Mountain property and the land trust plans to extend the leases during its ownership.
“New York land trusts are critical partners in procuring and conserving land in New York state. The Adirondack Land Trust’s investment safeguards this land’s vital natural resources and ensures that future generations can enjoy the benefits of open space,” New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in the release.
“Conserving this area will protect natural landscapes, wildlife habitat, enhance outdoor recreation, build environmental resiliency and preserve the natural heritage that defines the Adirondacks and New York state.”