New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Joe Martens announced this week that New York state has purchased 518 acres of land in the Town of Forestport.
The acquisition will protect almost one mile of the Black River shoreline, expanding recreation and forest management opportunities on lands in this foothills area outside the Adirondack Park.
It will become the area’s newest state forest.
The state paid $385,400 for the land, owned by Dominic and Edna Carbone of Forestport, with monies from the Environmental Protection Fund.
The property will be its own named state forest, as it is not adjacent to other state forests and will remain on local property tax rolls.
The property is characterized by shady ravines with several springs that run year round, northern hardwood and coniferous forests, bogs with rare plants such as pitcher plants, and forested wetlands.
The area is adjacent to conservation easement lands that protect the Town of Forestport water wells and will provide added protection for the Town’s water supply.
“This is a good purchase that protects the unique springs and wetlands and provides for public recreation on the property. This land protection also aligns with the local comprehensive plan for protecting the rural character and integrity of the town,” said Robert Seager, a Forestport resident who represents Oneida County on the Open Space Advisory Committee.
“We applaud New York state and the Carbone family for expanding the protected lands within a critical wildlife linkage area between the Adirondacks and the Tug Hill Plateau.
“This important acquisition conserves forests and waters while also demonstrating how conservation and community values can overlap,” said Michael Carr, Executive Director of The Nature Conservancy’s Adirondack Chapter.
