Coldbrook Preserve

New Saratoga P.L.A.N. Preserve Offers Protection to Turtles,
Recreation to Residents

NORTHUMBERLAND -- Turtles and outdoor enthusiasts alike received a gift this past holiday season as Saratoga P.L.A.N. finalized the purchase of its newest public nature preserve on December 29. Located off Homestead Road in the town of Northumberland, the 63-acre Coldbrook Preserve will provide a critical buffer to wetland habitat for the Blanding’s turtle, a New York State-threatened species, and the spotted turtle, as well as research opportunities for scientists to study the species. The Blanding’s turtle population was discovered in the area in 2003. Prior to that time, the only locales in New York State known to harbor the threatened species were in Dutchess County and the St. Lawrence River Valley.

“Many people worked for many years to make this preserve a reality,” said Saratoga P.L.A.N. Executive Director Maria Trabka. “We are grateful to all who have played a role along the way in helping us protect this forestland and wetland for the sake of the rare wildlife there, and we are proud to be able to provide the residents of Saratoga County a ninth public preserve for outdoor recreation.”
 
The land was purchased from Jim and Christine McKnight, who obtained it 30 years ago with the long term goal of conserving it in some manner. Over the past three decades, they considered farming it, but it was a Saratoga P.L.A.N. seminar several years ago about conservation options for landowners that really got them thinking about selling it to the conservation agency as a public preserve.
More…
 
“That seminar really showed us all the possibilities for our land without selling it for development,” said Christine McKnight. “This has really been a dream 30 years in the making. Jim and I are particularly excited to be able to play a role in protecting the Blanding’s turtle, and we salute the leadership at Saratoga P.L.A.N. for helping us see our vision for the property through,” she added.

In addition to wildlife protection, the preserve will provide opportunities for walking, hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing for area residents and connects land owned by The Nature Conservancy, Saratoga County Forest, and Wilton Wildlife Preserve. A devoted trail runner, McKnight is especially pleased that residents will soon be able to access trails connected to Nature Conservancy and Kalbus-Perry County Forest through the Coldbrook trails. Leadership Saratoga’s class of 2010-2011, volunteering through a leadership training program of the Chamber of Commerce, is currently hard at work laying the groundwork for those trails and recruiting neighborhood volunteers. In addition to hosting work days to plan and design the trails system, Leadership Saratoga will host public meetings to give residents the opportunity to ask questions and provide input. The first meeting is tentatively scheduled for the evening of February 9th at the Bacon Hill Reformed Church.

The Coldbrook Preserve has thus far been made possible by grants from Saratoga County, the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Land Trust Alliance’s Conservation Partnership Program with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.  The latter two grants were made possible by the state’s Environmental Protection Fund.

"This project is a great example of how a modest investment of the state’s Environmental Protection Fund can leverage numerous public and private partners around the common goal of preserving environmentally sensitive land for public benefit,” said Alane Ball

Chinian, Regional Director, Saratoga/Capital District Region, New York State Parks and Recreation.

“By bridging the current network of recreational trails and protected areas of the Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Saratoga County Forest, this new preserve will provide both critical habitat protection for wildlife and healthy outdoor recreation for Saratoga County families and residents,” said Bill Peck, Saratoga County Supervisor for the town of Northumberland.

Saratoga P.L.A.N. is currently about midway through the process of raising an additional $25,000 in private donations required to match those grants, complete the project, and perform the maintenance and upkeep necessary to keep this property available for walking, hiking, snowshoeing, skiing, education and research for generations to come.

The new Cold Brook Preserve is the ninth public preserve in Saratoga County to be made possible by P.L.A.N. With preserves in all corners of the county, along with six additional trails open to the public, no county resident lives more than a few miles away from outdoor recreational opportunities, thanks to Saratoga P.L.A.N. Individual maps for each preserve and trail are available on their website at www.saratogaplan.org.

Saratoga P.L.A.N. will hold a “grand opening” celebration at the new preserve this spring on a date to be determined. Anyone interested in directly supporting the Cold Brook Preserve through a financial gift, volunteering to help build the trail system, or in attending any of the upcoming public meetings on the project, should contact the Saratoga P.L.A.N. office at 587-5554.