ELLENVILLE, NY - August 25, 2003 - The Open Space Institute welcomed friends and supporters to the annual “Shawangunk Mt. Wild Blueberry and Huckleberry Harvest Festival” in Ellenville, N.Y.
During the festival, the Open Space Institute announced the donation of additional land to the Lippman Memorial Park in the town of Wawarsing. The 19-acre parcel was acquired by OSI and its Joint Venture (JV) partner, the Trust for Public Land.
OSI's Shawangunk Ridge Land Protection Program has acquired and protected more than 18,000 acres in the Shawangunks through its land acquisition arm, the Open Space Conservancy. OSI has taken steps to protect a major regional corridor through its Joint Venture with the Trust for Public Land. Together, the two groups acquired the 5,405-acre Lundy estate in February, 2000. “The Lundy Estate forms a protected corridor between the Shawangunk Ridge and the Catskill Forest Preserve. The Trust for Public Land and OSI pooled resources to acquire the property and later convey it to the state of New York for management,” said Erik Kulleseid, director of TPL's New York State Program.
The Joint Venture conveyed the bulk of the Lundy property in 2002 to the State of New York. “The Lundy property is an exceptional resource that includes 6 miles of the Vernooy Kill, a major cold water trout stream. Thanks to the State of New York, the land we protected is now available to the public for hunting, camping and other outdoor pursuits,” said Joe Martens, President of the Open Space Institute. One last piece located on the southern tip of the Lundy estate still remains in the hands of the Joint Venture.
News