25 years of land conservation

By Jeremy Schneider
MOUNTAINVILLE — The Orange County Land Trust is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary as an organization this year. The Land Trust was officially incorporated in March 1993.
OCLT was founded by the late Louis Mills, Orange County’s first executive, who had a vision for protecting Orange County’s farms, natural habitats and iconic landscapes in the light of growing development pressure.
Mills was joined by several of the County’s leading business, farming and conservation leaders to form a Board of Directors, which included: Marty Borko, Elmire Conklin, F. Edward Devitt, Robert “Bob” Augello, Ann Botshon, Seymour Gordon, Milton Arthur Lain III and Jacques Levine.
The Land Trust’s constitution and bylaws were drawn up by Augello, a Middletown-based attorney and conservationist who tirelessly provided years of invaluable pro bono legal service to establish the organization.
First Sterling Forest, then the Hunter Farm PreserveSome of the group’s earliest activities focused on the protection of Sterling Forest from a massive development project that would have otherwise fragmented the ecologically rich forest and threatened drinking water sources.
Thanks to a coalition of organizations and agencies, in partnership with the states of New Jersey and New York, the forest had finally been protected. After Sterling Forest State Park was established, the Land Trust began setting their sights on other lands of natural and agricultural importance.
Thus in 1995, the Land Trust accepted the donation of a 60-acre property in Slate Hill, now known as Hunter Farm Preserve.
As the potential for new land conservation projects began growing, the all-volunteer Land Trust came to the realization that they could no longer handle the volume of land transactions, bookkeeping and communications by themselves.
As a result, the board of directors made the decision to hire their first paid staff member, John Gebhards, who accepted the offer to work part-time as executive director.
Shortly thereafter, the Land Trust moved into an office in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church in Middletown and hired their second employee.
Nearly 20 years later, the Land Trust, now based out of Mountainville at the base of Schunnemunk Mountain, employs a professional staff of six led by Executive Director James Delaune. Their successes and accomplishments are highlighted across farmland, wetlands, streams, and forests spanning the Hudson River to the Delaware River.
To date, the Land Trust has helped protect 6,000 acres of land by partnering with willing landowners on conservation easements, which are permanent conservation agreements that help protect the natural and/or agricultural resources of a particular property.
The Land Trust also owns and manages 13 nature preserves and helps monitor more than 11,000 acres of protected land annually, including lands that were protected through partnerships with the Town of Warwick, Open Space Institute and county government among others.
Supporters Delaune attributes the growth and success of the organization to its founders and all of their supporters through the years:
“Orange County Land Trust was established to be the voice of, and a catalyst for, voluntary conservation of land in the county," Delaune said, "and I think we’ve mastered that role, in large part because of our board of directors, donors, and volunteers.
“I also want to recognize," he adeded, "County Executive Steven Neuhaus, former County Executive Edward Diana, Planning Commissioner David Church, Palisades Interstate Park Commission, N.Y.S. Department of Environmental Conservation, N.Y.S. Department of Agriculture and Markets, Peter and Carmen Lucia Buck Foundation, Ralph E. Ogden Foundation, the Harriman Family, Open Space Institute, Scenic Hudson, and Land Trust Alliance. We are here today because they all share in the belief that our most important natural and agricultural lands are worth protecting now and for the future, and most importantly, that the Orange County Land Trust can be trusted to get the job done."
Come celebrateThe Land Trust will celebrate this special milestone with past and present board members at a Founder’s Day luncheon at its office in April and at its annual Benefit Reception on Friday, June 8, from 6 to 9 p.m. at Cedar Lakes Estate in Port Jervis.
Janet Crawshaw and Jerry Novesky of Valley Table Magazine are the event’s honorees.
Tickets will go on sale in April- all proceeds will benefit the Land Trust’s mission.
The Orange County Land Trust is dedicated to protecting Orange County's diverse habitats, watersheds, wildlife corridors, and working farmland through conservation agreements with private landowners.
To make a tax-deductible donation or for more information, please visit www.oclt.org or call 845 534-3690.

Jeremy Schneider is the Outreach and Programs Coordinator for the Orange County Land Trust.