Barry Kincaid, of KLC Property Enhancement, works to fill an eroded Lake George Land Conservancy trail.
Located in Bolton Landing, the Cat and Thomas Mountains Preserve, owned and managed by the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC), is a popular destination for those looking for clear views of Lake George for minimal effort. With over seven miles of varied trails it also demands year-round stewardship to keep the trails safe.
Most recently, storms have washed away small sediment, leaving rough, ankle-twisting footpaths that double as streams after a rain. Barry Kincaid, Bolton Landing resident and owner of KLC Property Enhancement, has come to the rescue, donating his services to improve trail drainage with swales, reset a culvert, and widen the trail where brush had become too overgrown.
Kincaid also donated his services to help clear trails and trim back growth at the Last Great Shoreline Preserve in Putnam, and to remove downed trees at Peggy’s Point in Hague.
“We’re happy to be able to offer access into some of Lake George’s most beautiful areas,” said LGLC Communications and Outreach Manager Sarah Hoffman. “But it’s also our responsibility to make sure these trails remain safe and provide an enjoyable experience for everyone who uses them. Barry Kincaid’s donation of time, equipment and expertise has been wonderful for these trails and a great help to us.”
Others have also stepped up to help LGLC’s preserves. A new door to the Thomas Mountain cabin has been built and installed by Bolton Landing resident David Cummings. Rich Larkin took down a dead tree that was dangerously hanging over a trail at Cat and Thomas. Another Bolton resident, Justin Warren, has volunteered to remove snow from the parking area of Amy’s Park and has removed two large tanks that were dumped over the bank on Trout Falls Road.
Numerous dedicated volunteers also take on the role of Volunteer Preserve Stewards, hiking the trails year-round, often performing needed maintenance themselves, and keeping the kiosks stocked with trail guides and log-in sheets. These dedicated volunteers include Nancy Hill, Bob Aspholm and Rosemary Pusateri at the Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob; Bob Whitaker and Dick Barney at Cook Mountain; the Chapman family at Gull Bay; Mary Lou Doulin at Peggy’s Point; Dresden resident, Richard Hayes Phillips at Cat and Thomas and the Schumann Preserve at Pilot Knob.
Yet many others join group work days to conduct litter cleanups or other special stewardship tasks on an as-needed basis. In total over 350 volunteer hours have been directed towards stewardship at LGLC parks and preserves over the past year.
“I would like to thank all the volunteers,” said LGLC Land Protection and Stewardship Specialist Warren Rosenthal, “who have assisted us this year in maintaining our preserves. With their dedication and hard work, our parks are cleaner and safer for all to enjoy.”
This fall LGLC is also benefitting from the additional help of Laura Kinkead, a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute student who is participating in their fall Semester of Study at the Darrin Fresh Water Institute (DFWI). The program requires that all students take an internship with one of more than a dozen local environmental organizations. Kinkead chose to work with LGLC and once a week spends a day assisting Rosenthal in the field.
“With our limited staff and resources, the amount of help we’ve received over the years from volunteers and partnering groups such as DFWI has been remarkable and vital to the health of these preserves,” said Hoffman.
If you would like to become a Volunteer Preserve Steward, contact Sarah Hoffman by email at: shoffman@lglc.org.
The Lake George Land Conservancy is a non-profit land trust dedicated to working with willing landowners to protect the world-renowned water quality of Lake George and to permanently preserve the natural, scenic, historic and recreational resources of the Lake George region. Since its inception in 1988, LGLC has helped to preserve more than 13,000 acres around the Lake George watershed and 9.2 miles of lake shoreline. www.lglc.org