New York State acquires 261 acres adjacent to Catskills’ Sundown Wild Forest

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has acquired 261 acres adjacent to the Catskill Forest Preserve’s Sundown Wild Forest.

The property consists of forested land along the east side of South Mountain in the Ulster County Town of Olive, including a portion of the mountain’s summit. The transaction was made possible through a partnership with the Open Space Institute (OSI) and $666,500 from New York’s Environmental Protection Fund; OSI initially purchased the property in 2019 from Dr. Sam and Delia Adams, whose family owned the land since the Hardenbergh Patent of the 1700s.

The property will be preserved to protect the drinking water sources for the New York City watershed and expand recreational opportunities that benefit the local economy. The new acquisition adds to the 30,100-acre Sundown Wild Forest, which covers a large swath of the southeast Catskills, including several ridges and 10 mountains over 2,000 feet.

“Continuing to build upon the progress made in protecting this important natural corridor will help ensure clean drinking water in the New York City watershed while also providing new opportunities for outdoor recreation in the Catskills,” DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “We are grateful to our partners at the Open Space Institute as well as Dr. Sam and Delia Adams for their outstanding and ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and dedication to preserving the beauty of the Catskills for all.”

Photo courtesy New York State Department of Environmental Conservation