By Doug La Rocque
The environmental conservation organization completed the acquisition of the large tract of land off Stuffle St. in Grafton extending into Pittstown on December 22 2016 for the purchase price of $650,000. [private]The Alliance used bridge funding from The Conservation Fund, a non-profit land trust lender, to finance the deal. The land is located next to the Pittstown State Forest, and the Alliance plans to hold the property while it’s acquisition is negotiated with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation. This would mean the land would become part of the Pittstown State Forest, and the state would continue to pay school, town and fire district taxes on the parcel. The press release from the Alliance says sustainable timber harvesting would also continue.
“We look back at the foresight of our parents, Lois and Rynard Sr., and appreciate how the Gundrum business plan over the last 30 years included purchasing all the smaller parcels that together constitute the 927 acres and how that really laid the foundation to be able to offer this tract as a protected working forest.” That statement from Rynard Jr. and Ingrid Gundrum goes on to say “our commitment to sustaining harvesting and responsible forestry kept these individual parcels from being subject to use that may not have been in the best interest of the forest ecology as a whole.” Speaking with The Eastwick Press, Ingrid Gundrum commented about the lack of industry and other enterprises that add to the tax base, but says “what we do have is a lot of natural beauty, and this whole project just enhances the town motto, that beauty is all about us.” Together, the Gundrums say “one of the most gratifying aspects of being able to preserve this particular tract of our woodlands is the overwhelming support we have received from many of the landowners from whom we originally purchased some of the parcels and from neighboring landowners who are as pleased as we are that not only will the land be preserved in its natural state forever, it will remain on the Rensselaer County tax rolls.”
Map courtesy of RPA
Jim Bonesteel, Executive Director for the Rensselaer Plateau Alliance reported: “We are very excited to play a role in conserving this land. We are so thankful to the Gundrum family for their vision of conserving this land for future generations and for donating $50,000 of the land as part of a bargain sale to help make it happen. We appreciate our strong partnerships with NYS Department of Environmental Conservation and The Conservation Fund, without whom we would not have been able to do this.”
According to the Alliance, the land is within the largest intact forest on the plateau, and includes hundreds of acres of high quality forest ecosystems that are home to such wildlife as moose, deer, bobcat and black bear, as well as many species of amphibians, reptiles and birds. The streams on the land feed the Tomhannock Reservoir, which provides a clean drinking water source for more than 135,000 people in the county. The numerous rock outcroppings provide stunning views of the Adirondacks, Green Mountains and Hudson Valley.
“This is a big win for Rensselaer County,” says County Executive Kathy Jimino who points out the conservation of this important land will benefit future generations by protecting the quality of our water, expanding recreational activities and supporting the local economy as timber harvesting will continue to benefit local sawmills.”
The Alliance says the land will be open to the public providing new recreational activities. The many miles of logging roads will form the basis of a trail network, and all forms of recreation now allowed in the Pittstown State Forest, such as hiking, mountain biking, snowmobiling and hunting will continue. The Alliance states outdoor recreation draws 300,000 visitors to the plateau annually, adding $2.8 million to the local economy and supporting 84 jobs.
DEC Region 4 Director Keith Goertz said: “The Rensselaer Plateau has been a priority in the state’s open space plan since 1998 because of its large, working forests, unique wetlands, forest bird diversity, and its potential to connect with other protected lands. If this tract were to become part of the Pittstown state forest as envisioned, it would nearly double the size of the forest.” [/private]