The Huletts Current

View from Truesdale Hill Uplands

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) has permanently protected 73 acres of forested land in the Town of Lake George. These scenic uplands contain 1,545 feet of streams, including the headwaters of a tributary that enters into Lake George by residences and businesses that rely on the lake as a source of drinking water.

“We are thrilled to protect this forested ridgeline property that protects Lake George in so many ways,” said LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn, “benefitting water quality, natural habitat, and the scenic backdrop that we all enjoy so much.”

The property is located on Truesdale Hill Road, in the southwest region of the Lake George watershed. The lake’s south basin is facing particularly high development pressure. This region is also especially important for the lake’s water quality. Because these headwaters persist in Lake George for so long, they can have the greatest impact on the water quality of the entire lake.

The protection of these waters, and the land that surrounds them, is therefore a very important conservation priority for the health of the entire Lake George watershed. In acquiring this 73-acre property, the LGLC will provide permanent protection of its steep slopes, healthy forests, and vegetated stream buffers, all of which will further safeguard the water quality of Lake George. This land also provides important wildlife habitat and preserves the scenic beauty of an undeveloped ridgeline that is visible throughout the south basin.

The purchase of these 73 acres was funded in part by The Makowski Trust, and a $641,424 grant received from the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant program administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. An additional $115,000 is needed to reach the total estimated purchase price and provide the required match for the grant.

The Wiawaka Uplands Conservation Easement protects more than 1,500 feet of streams that flow into Lake George.

On July 10, the Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) permanently protected 42 acres of forested land in the Town of Lake George through the purchase of a conservation easement from the Wiawaka Center for Women (Wiawaka).

Under this conservation easement (CE), the land continues to be privately owned by Wiawaka, and the LGLC will ensure the land’s permanent protection and assist with its stewardship. Though currently open for recreation only to Wiawaka’s guests, the conservation easement allows for sustainable public recreation in the future.

The upland property contains over 1,500 feet of stream corridor and five acres of forested wetland within the southern basin of Lake George. Town zoning would have allowed for residential and commercial development on the site, which would be visible from the lake and surrounding lands. In its natural and undeveloped state, the land will continue to slowly filter and clean rainwater and runoff from upland storm events, before the water reaches the lake, as well as protect precious wildlife habitat and scenic views.

LGLC Executive Director Michael Horn said, “The Wiawaka Center for Women is a gem within our Lake George community, carrying forward an important mission and incredibly rich history. I want to thank Doreen Kelly and the Wiawaka Board of Directors for allowing us the opportunity to permanently protect their forested uplands.”

Wiawaka Executive Director Doreen Kelly said, “We are incredibly proud to be closing on the easement with the LGLC. It is a historical moment in our 121st year of operation that protects the watershed and the land around Wiawaka for generations to come.”

The purchase of the Wiawaka Uplands Conservation Easement was supported by a $350,000 grant from the 2022 Forest Conservation Easements for Land Trusts Program (FCELT), and New York’s Environmental Protection Fund. FCELT is administered by the Land Trust Alliance, in coordination with the State department of Environmental Conservation. The LGLC is one of just four land trusts to have been awarded an FCELT grant in its inaugural year, and is the first to close on an FCELT-supported project.

Wiawaka is a nonprofit organization and the longest continually operating women’s retreat center in the country. The center was founded in 1903 as a destination for women working in the factories of Troy, NY, to escape the city and enjoy an affordable vacation. Today, Wiawaka continues to offer affordable accommodations and weekly programming, retreats, and evening lectures from mid-June to early September.