Category: Lake George

Photo by Carl Heilman, II/Wild Visions, Inc.: The LGLC has purchased 93 acres of land in Glenburnie (north of Huletts Landing) that protects water quality and connects Anthony’s Nose (center) to the Sucker Brook Preserve (foreground). Click image to see larger version.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) purchased 86 acres of forested land in Glenburnie, Town of Putnam, on November 22, 2024. This conservation project permanently protects an additional 1,400 feet of Sucker Brook, one of the lake’s largest tributaries, providing critical water quality protection for Lake George while also extending a network of adjacent protected lands that support a diverse wildlife population.

This acquisition completes the LGLC’s Anthony’s Nose-to-Sucker Brook Connection project that includes three transactions in Glenburnie this year resulting in a total of 93 acres of newly protected land.

The 86-acre purchase was com­pleted in partnership with the Glen­burnie community that came together to act as a conservation buyer, securing the property and providing time for permanent protection by the LGLC.

President of the Glenburnie Cottagers Association Tom Badenoch said, “After years of combined efforts, the Glenburnie community was thrilled to be able to partner with the Lake George Land Conservancy to preserve this critical link in the Sucker Brook Preserve. The protection of this land will help enhance the water quality of Lake George, preserve the scenic and open space values of the region and provide a critical wildlife corridor connecting protected lands from Gull Bay to Anthony’s Nose.”

LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn said, “This is an incredible project that will forever benefit Lake George. We could not have accomplished this without the vision and generosity of the Glenburnie community. We are also grateful to others who provided financial support to make this project possible.”

For more than 25 years the LGLC has prioritized protecting land in this northeast region of Lake George that includes the iconic Anthony’s Nose and the lands surrounding Sucker Brook. Upon the completion of this 93-acre project, the LGLC will have permanently protected a total of 1,700 contiguous acres through 16 transactions, starting with Flat Rock in 1998.

The New York State (NYS) Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Resource Mapper identifies this area of the watershed as having significant natural communities and rare plant and animal species, including peregrine falcons. Its landscapes include grasslands that offer bird habitat, and sphagnum bogs that offer unique habitat for wetland species.

The NYS Wildlife Action Plan and the Staying Connected Initiative have also documented this area as an important wildlife corridor between the Adirondacks and the Green Mountains in Vermont. These corridors are especially important for wide-ranging species like bear, bobcat, fisher, and moose.

The 242-acre Flat Rock property mirrors Anthony’s Nose to the north, and was sold to New York State in 1999 to become part of the Lake George Wild Forest. The LGLC continues to own and manage the Anthony’s Nose Preserve, which has a 1-mile hiking trail to Record Hill and fantastic views of Lake George.

The Gull Bay and Last Great Shoreline Preserves were merged in 2021 to create the 1,078-acre Sucker Brook Preserve. This area incorporates 260 acres of wetlands, including beaver ponds and an active great blue heron rookery, more than 1.3 miles of streams, and 4,225 feet of lake shoreline.

The Sucker Brook Preserve also provides more than 6.5 miles of recreational trails with interpretive signage along the way to educate visitors about the wildlife and ecology of the lands they’re exploring.

A map of the area can be viewed here.

The new seasonal dock, now open to the public, at the Lake George Land Conservancy’s Sucker Brook Preserve.

A seasonal dock is now available on a first-come, first-served basis at the Lake George Land Conservancy’s Sucker Brook Preserve, in Putnam.

The Sucker Brook Preserve is made up of multiple protected properties, including those previously known as the Gull Bay Preserve (protected in 2003) and Last Great Shoreline Preserve (protected in 2009). In total, the Sucker Brook Preserve encompasses a total of 1,078 acres and more than 6 miles of trails. Now you can visit by boat.

Most trails at the Sucker Brook Preserve are considered moderate, with many relatively flat and easy stretches. There are also challenging, though short, sections, notably at the southern end of the Orange Trail, and the Red Trail-South. In addition, because these are active beaver ponds, water levels vary throughout the seasons and years, which may impact trail conditions.

You can download and/or print a copy of the LGLC’s Sucker Brook Preserve brochure here to reference when hiking.

This pond in the Town of Bolton will soon be permanently protected by the LGLC with support from the recently announced grants from NYS DEC.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded grants totaling $4.15 million for land acquisition for source water protection from the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant program administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

The LGLC will use $3.5 million of the grant funds to permanently protect over 700 acres in the Indian Brook sub-watershed region of the Town of Bolton. Maintaining forested buffers around the streams and wetlands of this area will prevent erosion, filter sediment and pollutants from stormwater, and aid with flood resiliency.

The remaining grant funds will be directed toward the purchase of a 73-acre forested property in the Town of Lake George. This property contains 1,545 feet of streams with a healthy vegetated buffer that will further safeguard the water quality of Lake George, a drinking water source, and the surrounding watershed.

LGLC Executive Director Michael Horn said, “We are grateful to New York State and Governor Hochul for supporting our work to protect Lake George by protecting the land around it. By keeping our forests healthy and whole, we’re allowing the land to do what it does best – filter water, reduce pollution, and prevent stormwater issues downstream.

“With these grants we will be able to advance a number of projects over the next few years, but there is still much work to be done, including raising the more than $1 million in required matching funds.”

Land conservation is an efficient, cost-effective tool for protecting water quality. By focusing efforts on the most sensitive wetlands, streams, slopes, and shoreline, it can prevent costly issues that may arise from poorly designed development, non-porous infrastructure, and severe weather events.

These grants are part of a $166 million total announcement by NYS DEC for 187 projects statewide that will help protect drinking water, update aging water infrastructure, combat contributors to harmful algal blooms, and improve aquatic habitat.