Saratoga PLAN accepts title to 614 acres!

Saratoga P.L.A.N

Accepts title to 614 acres of the

Hennig Preserve in the Town of Providence!

On August 23rd, Saratoga P.L.A.N. accepted a gift of a six hundred and fourteen acre property in the Town of Providence.  The property is entirely forested and is located on Centerline Road.  Bob Hennig and Penny Steffen and Barbara Hennig lovingly cared for this property for over 50 years, and have now entrusted its care to Saratoga PLAN.

 “We are pleased that Saratoga PLAN has agreed to accept the donation of our land and will care for its stewardship in coming years.  This will ensure that a large tract of land in the town of Providence will be preserved” said Bob Hennig.

Saratoga P.L.A.N. will manage the property as a natural area for native forest and wetland flora and fauna. Eventually, this property will be open to the public for passive recreation such as hiking and walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and nature study.  A very restrictive conservation easement placed earlier on the property, as well as on 140 additional adjacent acres, prevents all other uses.

Over the next year, P.L.A.N. Stewardship Director Andy Fyfe and volunteers will be scouting out the best trail locations and trailheads, integrating 476 acres of contiguous county forest land into the trail network.

“PLAN is honored that the Hennigs have asked us to become stewards of their land. This is the largest preserve that PLAN has ever managed and is a milestone for land conservation in Saratoga County. It is exciting to think that a 1,100-acre block of unfragmented forest will eventually be open for the public’s enjoyment. And the land has been so well cared for – the Hennigs were active stewards who walked the land regularly and knew every special patch of native flora. Their caretaking will be missed but PLAN will try and live up to their standards” said Maria Trabka, Executive Director.

When asked about the Preserve Barbara Hennig said “During the years that we were adding to the Preserve, I kept telling people that I was saving land for "the little people of the forest."  Today, if you're a good hiker, you can experience the same solitude deep back on the property (which is less than 20 miles from downtown Saratoga Springs) that a drive up into the Adirondacks gives you.  And, yes, you can get lost.”

Saratoga P.L.A.N. acknowledges the generosity and conservation ethic of Bob Hennig and Penny Steffen and Barbara Hennig, who are voluntarily protecting their land. Such land conservation is a lasting legacy, a testament to their commitment to the land, and an outstanding gift to the community. They will be honored along with two other property owners who protected their land this year as Conservation Heroes at P.L.A.N.’s annual benefit Feast of the Fields to be held September 23rd at Saratoga National Golf Club.

A grant from the Dockstader Charitable Trust covered the transaction and initial stewardship start-up costs associated with accepting the property. “We were delighted to be involved in such a worthy project” said Dusty Rhodes of the Dockstader Charitable Trust. Stewardship endowment funding of $45,000 was raised privately to ensure that Saratoga P.L.A.N. will be able to care for the land in perpetuity.

Saratoga PLAN helps protect the exceptional quality of life in our region by conserving open spaces and special places for present and future generations. Saratoga P.L.A.N. is a not-for-profit land trust offering comprehensive land conservation services to landowners, developers, organizations, and government partners, while striving to achieve regional coordination and cooperation on land use, open space and recreational trail planning.  It has protected over 3,2,47 acres of farmland, natural habitats, and water resources in Saratoga County.  For more information on land protection or conservation easements, contact Saratoga P.L.A.N. at 518-587-5554 or go to their website at www.saratogaplan.org.