Johnstown, N.Y (February 8, 2022)— The Open Space Institute (OSI) today announced that it has received a land donation of property located in Fulton County in the Southern Adirondack Foothills, adjacent to the 856-acre Rockwood State Forest and other publicly protected lands. Almost completely forested, the property includes existing foot trails. The donation supports OSI’s ongoing efforts to protect land in and around the Adirondacks and expand recreational access for residents and visitors in the region.
The 106-acre property was donated to OSI by James and Helen Hays in memory of their parents, D. Douglas Hays and Helen I. Hays, and James Hays' son, Alexander M. Hays.
The property was originally purchased in the early 1900s by David Alexander Hays when the area was abandoned farmland. David Alexander Hays reforested the land, planting white and scotch pine, and the land has been responsibly managed by the Hays family ever since. Now, after more than a century of careful stewardship, Helen and James Hays, the grandchildren of David Alexander Hays made the decision to permanently protect the land for public enjoyment.
OSI’s president and CEO, Kim Elliman, applauded the family’s long history of careful and loving stewardship of the land and the family’s decision to ensure the property remains undeveloped, “This forested property has been sustainably managed by the Hays family for decades, and the care and attention they have put into the land is part of the matchless beauty of the region. This generous donation provides another step toward protecting the Southern Adirondack Foothills for people, for wildlife, forever.”