Westchester Land Trust (WLT) recently announced the acquisition and conservation of 125 acres of land across three land preservation projects in the town of Cortlandt. The newly protected open space is a critical addition to an existing 2,700-acre conservation corridor within the Croton-to-Highlands Biodiversity Area, which includes the town”™s Hudson Highlands Gateway Park, the Hudson Highlands State Park and the Appalachian Trail.
“This is an extremely important landscape-scale conservation project because it preserves one of the largest remaining pieces of unprotected open space in Westchester County and is located near other large blocks of open space,” said Lori Ensinger, president of WLT. “We have been working on this project for six years and we are deeply grateful to all who contributed to its success. It is truly an investment in clean air and clean water for the residents of Cortlandt, Peekskill and the surrounding communities.”
The land will be protected in perpetuity as a nature preserve and open to the public as soon as practical for hiking and nature study. This is one of the largest acquisitions in the Land Trust”™s history made possible in part by annual supporters who donate gifts that range from $5 to $1,000 and more.
