Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy Receives New York State Conservation Partnership Grants
Published:
Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy Saving Special Places
PO Box 567 Slingerlands, NY 12159
www.mohawkhudson.org
phone: 518-436-6346
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
March 15, 2011
Contact Information:
Jill Knapp, Executive Director
518-436-6346
Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy Receives New York State Conservation Partnership Grants
The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, a local land trust serving Albany, Schenectady, and Montgomery counties, has received two grants of approximately $14,000 from the New York State Conservation Partnership Program. The awards, funded by the NYS Environmental Protection Fund, were announced March 14th by members of the Department of Environmental Conservation and leaders of the Land Trust Alliance.
“We are extremely pleased to have received both of these grants,” said MHLC Executive Director Jill Knapp. “ These funds will allow the Conservancy to connect members of the community to the area’s woodlands in a unique way as well as open nearly 285 acres of prime open space to the public.”
One of the grants will help MHLC establish the state’s first ever “Adopt a Forest Lot”, an innovative program designed to encourage youth groups and families from urban areas to explore the woods. This program will provide these groups who have no acreage of their own the opportunity to use and enjoy a small parcel of land they will “adopt” and help manage. MHLC will use its Normans Kill and Schiffendecker preserves in Bethlehem for this program as these lands are very close to the city of Albany.
In addition, MHLC received a transaction grant which will allow the Conservancy to provide public access to the 287-acre parcel it received in 2010 on Wolf Hill in New Scotland. The funds will be used to create a management plan for the preserve, trails and bridges, a kiosk and signage. MHLC hopes to open this preserve to the public some time in late 2011.
The Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy is a private, not-for-profit organization, dedicated to preserving the distinct natural, scenic, agricultural, and cultural landscapes of the Mohawk and Hudson valleys. Since its founding in 1992, the Conservancy has preserved over 2500 acres. It accomplishes these goals by owning and managing land, and by working with landowners to develop preservation agreements that assure their lands are protected for future generations. Of particular importance are areas protecting wildlife habitat, watersheds, scenic vistas, hiking trails, working farms, and cultural lands.
