Located in the Southern Adirondack Foothills, the Hans Creek property
offers expansive seasonal vistas of Great Sacandaga Lake. The property
is within the watershed that provides drinking water for the city of
Amsterdam.
Altogether, the three properties total more than 9,300 acres of
privately-owned forested land in the Adirondacks that are now
permanently protected.
“The Open Space Institute is delighted to partner with the
Ketteler-Boeselager family in keeping these large, working forested
properties intact, while also opening up new recreational opportunities
that could lead to an economic boon for the local towns,” said Kim
Elliman, president and CEO of OSI. “I thank Ildikó and Franziskus von
Ketteler, Dr. Wolfhard Boeselager and their chief-forester Lars Schmidts
for their leadership in responsible land management and for the
commitment to making this complicated deal come together.”
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC)
Commissioner Basil Seggos said, “The Adirondacks are home to some of the
world’s most breathtaking and majestic natural resources. OSI’s
purchase of these forested lands ensures they will be protected from
development and eventually enhanced with new and exciting recreational
opportunities for visitors of all ages and abilities to enjoy. I thank
the Open Space Institute and the Ketteler-Boeselager family for
recognizing the potential of these lands for visitors to experience and
enjoy while providing habitats for a variety of plants and wildlife.”
“Our family is thrilled to have worked with the Open Space Institute
to expand the intact and healthy, working forest lands that we manage in
the Adirondacks. Our forest management plan focuses on the long-term
health of the land, balancing public recreational access with ecologic
and, last but not least, economic gains,” said Franziskus von Ketteler,
CEO of the Ketteler-Boeselager-Group. “Having successfully implemented a
sustainable forest management plan previously, we are thankful to
continue our legacy of responsible stewardship of the land.”
“The protection of these intact, working forest lands is a great
asset in Saratoga County and the Adirondacks. OSI’s partnership with the
Kettler-Boeselager Family to continue the tradition of responsible,
private forest management, while allowing a corridor for snowmobile
access, supports local plans for snowmobile trails that benefit local
communities and increase tourism,” said Jason Kemper, director of the
Saratoga County Planning Department.
“I'm thrilled that OSI is keeping this forest a private, working
landscape while opening land for snowmobile use, including the possible
development of an important snowmobile trail on the land,” said Jean
Raymond, Supervisor for the Town of Edinburg. “A snowmobile trail
established on this property would create a key connection to a larger
snowmobile corridor, serving as an economic boon to the town and
surrounding communities during the winter. This project is a fantastic
example of a public private partnership resulting in benefits to the
Town, and the local and regional forest products industry.”
The Ketteler-Boeselager family will continue to manage the properties
for long-term timber returns with a forward-thinking plan that calls
for multiple-age and species stands of timber and wildlife habitat
management.
The “Ketteler-Boeselager Working Forest” properties are both adjacent
to state forest preserve lands and are comprised of healthy timber
forests, waterways, ponds, and wetlands. One of the newly eased
“Ketteler-Boselager Working Forest” properties in the towns of Dannemora
and Saranac links two previously unconnected sections of the forest
preserve and includes the northern slope of Lyon Mountain, a popular
hiking mountain with an historic fire tower at the peak.
The conservation of these properties for public access was
specifically identified as a high priority in the New York State Open
Space Plan.
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) expects
to use the Environmental Protection Fund to obtain and manage the
conservation easements on the Boeselager Working Forest land and Hans
Creek property.
The Open Space Institute protects scenic, natural and historic
landscapes to provide public enjoyment, conserve habitat and working
lands and sustain communities. Founded in 1974 to protect significant
landscapes in New York State, OSI has been a partner in the protection
of nearly 2.3 million acres in North America. A leader in environmental
conservation, OSI leverages its knowledge and attracts resources for
strategic investments to make innovative land conservation happen.
OSI has protected more than 42,000 acres of land, including the
historic Tahawus property, the village of Adirondac, and Split Rock
Wildway wildlife corridor, and the addition of the Finch Pruyn Lands and
Mount Treambleau to the Adirondack Forest Preserve.
