Photo Above: Trout Lake (in the foreground) and its surrounding lands in Bolton are further protected by the LGLC’s recent purchase and conservation of 26 acres. Credit: Carl Heilman, II/Wild Visions, Inc.

Lake George, NY – The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) purchased 26 acres in the Town of Bolton on December 23, 2025. The “Trout Lake Addition” has about 500 feet of stream corridor and one acre of wetlands, which are critical to protecting water quality. The stream and wetland flow into Trout Lake, which drains into Lake George via Huddle Brook.

The undeveloped forested property adjoins the 215-acre Trout Lake Uplands property, which LGLC acquired from Twin Pines, Inc. and permanently protected in 2019. The newest acquisition is also near the 2,765-acre Cat and Thomas Mountains Preserve, now owned by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC).

In addition to protecting water quality, this purchase provides an even greater expanse of contiguous habitat necessary for our native terrestrial and aquatic wildlife to thrive. Land connectivity is important for whole ecosystem health and vitality, allowing forests, streams, and other freshwater resources to interact uninterrupted for maximum water quality and habitat benefits.

LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn said, “This region of Bolton provides critical water quality protection for Lake George, and important wildlife habitat. I want to thank the landowners for working with the LGLC to permanently protect this land, ensuring that the forested terrain and streams will forever remain wild, protecting everything we love about Lake George.”

The land’s forest is dominated by eastern hemlock trees, which are currently threatened by the invasive pest, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). As owners of the land, the LGLC will be able to monitor for HWA and manage any infestations, as deemed necessary for the health of the forest.

The acquisition of the “Trout Lake Uplands Addition” was LGLC’s final land protection project of 2025 and closed out another impactful year. In total, LGLC closed seven land projects in 2025, resulting in permanent protection of 1,963 acres of land and permanent protection of 22 acres of wetlands and 2.8 miles of streams that feed into Lake George.

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