March 3, 2017 Land Conservancy Protects 174 Acres in Bolton and Fort Ann
For Immediate Release: March 3, 2017
View of Lake George from the Wing Pond Property recently protected by the LGLC.
Bolton Landing, NY – The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) recently purchased a 159-acre property in Bolton that includes Wing Pond, and received a donation of 15 acres in the Town of Fort Ann.
The Wing Pond property includes 750 feet of a tributary that flows into Northwest Bay, and about 15 acres of wooded and open wetlands, including Wing Pond itself. The land also offers nice views of Lake George and the potential to create recreational trails connecting to the adjoining NYS Pole Hill Pond Forest Preserve.
The protection of stream corridors is significant, as it provides a safeguard against excess storm water runoff, erosion of the stream corridor, and nutrient loading from neighboring sources of fertilizers and road salt, further protecting the lake’s water quality.
According to the seller, Clarence Linder, the forest of the Wing Pond watershed has never been developed. After recovery from clear cutting long ago, the area has been maintained in a healthy state through selective logging. The 159 acres of the Wing Pond property are the last portion of the former Loins estate to be protected. The area is also along the western edge of the timber rattlesnake breeding range.
Wing Pond in Autumn
When asked about the motivation for selling the property to the LGLC for conservation, Linder listed some of his favorite things about the land that he wished to be preserved, including “dozens of snowmelt fed little streams rushing down surrounding hills in April, turtles sunning on the mud flats, great blue heron wading in the shallows, the leafless grey cedar still standing on that little rock island after 60 years.”
“The conservation of this land has been a priority for the LGLC for many years,” said LGLC Executive Director Jamie Brown. “It was a pleasure working with Mr. Linder on the conservation of this land that he so obviously loves and wanted to see protected.”
The LGLC expects to transfer the property to New York State to be added to the adjoining Pole Hill Pond Forest Preserve.
Donation in Fort Ann
The LGLC received a donation of 15 acres in the Town of Fort Ann from Susan Moody, who wanted to find a special use for the land other than logging or developing it, and felt that the LGLC would be good guardians of the property.
The land is located on the southeast shoulder of Sugar Loaf Mountain, at the south end of the Pilot Knob ridgeline. Mostly forested, the property also contains a portion of a small stream and some vernal pools.
Ms. Moody and husband Alan Brown own and run The Doctor’s Inn in Saranac Lake.
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