“These lands, thanks to the good management of their owners, offer an opportunity to pursue an agricultural landscape and economy while providing both residents and tourists exceptional vistas from the Shawangunk Ridge, the Wallkill River and the Town of New Paltz,” said Kim Elliman, OSI’s president and CEO. “This transaction is a win for both local and New York State residents in terms of preserved farmland, protected vistas and continued employment and economic activity. We at OSI have been delighted to work with such enlightened landowners as the Smiley family and the Valley Farms Corporation.”
The two acquisitions also continue OSI’s conservation initiative along the 50-mile Shawangunk Ridge stretching from Rosendale south to Port Jervis in Orange County. Over the past quarter-century, OSI has protected important ridgetop lands that are now part of the Mohonk Preserve, the Minnewaska State Park and the Sam’s Point Preserve. OSI has also protected 27 active farms, totaling more than 4500 acres, in the two valleys — the Rondout and the Wallkill — that straddle the Shawangunk Ridge.
In New Paltz, OSI has worked in partnership with municipal and private entities to acquire and protect 1289 acres since 2006 including the Smiley property, the Jehovah Witnesses land along the flats, and the “Two-Farms,” hundreds of acres of historic farmland along Huguenot Street.
CWOSP (Clean Water and Open Space Commission) is the group of town-appointed volunteers that helps to review potential properties for acquisition and/or conservation easements. According to Lynn Bowdery of CWOSP, the recent acquisitions by OSI are now part of the approximately 3384 acres of protected land in New Paltz.
“As a resident of the town of New Paltz and chair of the New Paltz Clean Water and Open Space Protection Commission, I am pleased to see the finalization of the sale of the 874 acres of Smiley Brothers land to the Open Space Institute. This is without a doubt one of the most important land acquisition transactions occurring in the Hudson Valley in many years and I applaud OSI for their foresight and generosity,” said James Delaune, chairman of CWOSP. “This acquisition is a legacy for future generations of New Paltz residents that will ensure that the pristine lands surrounding us remain protected. In addition, the impact of OSI’s hard work is to protect our clean water sources and strengthens the economic development engine which is the Mohonk Preserve.”
Delaune added that the additional 144 acres of farmland acquired “represents not only the preservation of our iconic gateway but in addition makes a strong statement regarding the importance of the protection of agriculture as an important component to the New Paltz and the Hudson Valley’s economy …. When you have a healthy mix of land conservation and support your agricultural community, economic benefits will follow.”
According to its annual report, OSI acquired or gained easements on six parcels including 918 acres of Ulster County land during 2010. The non-profit organization, whose mission is “to protect landscapes,” has $243 million in assets. Originally largely funded by money from the Reader’s Digest’s Acheson family, OSI has expanded its operations from the Hudson Valley and the Catskills to an area from Canada to Georgia. It has a staff of 35 and a $25-million budget.
OSI’s board is headed by chairman John H. Adams, who has long ties to the Beaverkill Valley, and vice-chair Peter Bienstock, once a developer of land in New Paltz. Its general counsel, Robert Anderberg, also has local roots. ++
