DEC, Land Trust Announce Protection of Appalachian Trail in the HV

The new Grape Hollow State Forest provides wildlife protection and a larger buffer zone for the Dutchess County trail system.

Jul 30, 2024 2:57pm EDT | Updated Jul 30, 2024 3:11pm EDT

DUTCHESS COUNTY, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Trust for Public Land has announced the permanent protection of 505 acres in Dutchess County, an event marked with a ceremony Monday.

The state’s acquisition of lands creates the new Grape Hollow State Forest, which will provide greater protection for wildlife habitat and a larger buffer zone for the adjacent Appalachian Trail corridor as the nature preserve protecting the iconic trail prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary.

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“Grape Hollow State Forest provides enhanced public access to 505 acres of pristine forest in rapidly growing Dutchess County, preserving critical habitat and wildlife migration corridors. Additionally, this acquisition supports Governor Hochul’s efforts to conserve 30 percent of New York’s lands and waters by 2030,” DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said in the announcement. “DEC thanks the Trust for Public Land for their partnership in helping fulfill DEC’s commitment to protecting the natural resources of the Hudson Valley.”

TPL acquired two properties in the towns of Beekman and Pawling in 2023: a 405-acre property previously at risk for development known as Depot Hill; and a 100-acre parcel of the Girl Scouts’ Heart of the Hudson Chapter’s Camp Ludington property. TPL recently deeded the land to the DEC to manage as a State Forest, which guarantees public access and the continued protection of wildlife habitat.

“Trust for Public Land is committed to protecting and enhancing the Appalachian Trail experience. With more than 26,000 acres designated for protection, including incredible properties like Depot Hill and Camp Ludington, we aim to ensure the integrity of the trail, preserve surrounding landscapes, protect critical climate habitats, and support local economies while connecting more people to nature,” said Francis O’Shea, Project Manager at TPL New York. “Without the support and expertise of our partners at DEC and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, this incredible conservation success for New Yorkers and everyone who loves nature, including the nationally significant Appalachian Trail, would not be possible.”

TPL received funding from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s Wild East Action Fund and private donors including the Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, Leonardo Locascio, and the law firm Cleary Gottleib Steen and Hamilton LLP.

The new Grape Hollow State Forest provides an extensive natural buffer and view protection for the adjacent Appalachian Trail Corridor, which runs through the city of Beekman. The Appalachian Trail stretches 2,194 miles through 14 states from Georgia to Maine.

DEC purchased the parcel with $1.3 million from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund and $1.3 million from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Highlands Conservation Act.

The 2024-25 state budget maintains a historically high level of $400 million in EPF funding. The EPF supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, enhances agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protects water resources, advances conservation efforts, and provides recreational opportunities for New Yorkers.

“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is pleased to protect these lands in perpetuity through the Highlands Conservation Act program, a unique public-private partnership that protects threatened and endangered species, provides clean drinking water, creates outdoor recreation areas, and preserves working forests and farms in the 3.4 million-acre Highlands region of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut,” said Colleen Sculley, assistant regional director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Northeast Office of Conservation Investment. “These properties contain habitat for many native wildlife species, including woodland songbirds, vernal pool-nesting amphibians and the New England cottontail, a rare native rabbit at risk for protection under the Endangered Species Act.”

This announcement comes as partners celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Highlands Conservation Act, which provides grants to state, county and municipal conservation organizations in the Highlands region to protect open spaces for the benefit of both people and wildlife.

“With both properties adjacent to the Appalachian Trail, this land conservation effort demonstrates what it takes to successfully protect the trail and the world-renowned hiking experience it provides — private and public partners working to protect the AT’s many endangered landscapes from development pressures,” Rachel Lettre, Mid-Atlantic Regional Director for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. “We are grateful to TPL and the DEC for their perseverance and dedication that has ensured that the views from the trail remain undeveloped and can be enjoyed by hikers.”

The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit dedicated to connecting everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of public lands; created more than 5,364 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor spaces; raised $93 billion in state funding for parks and public lands; and connected nearly 9.4 million people to the outdoors. In New York, TPL has preserved more than 123,891 acres of open lands and completed more than 578 projects, including the transformation of more than 225 community schoolyards since 1996.

For more information, visit tpl.org.

For more information about New York’s landscapes and forests, visit the DEC website.