SALISBURY, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Oct. 22 announced the acquisition of 3,387 acres of forest and wetlands located in the towns of Salisbury and Norway in Herkimer County. The parcel, purchased from the Open Space Institute (OSI), will be managed for forest products, expanded recreational access, protection […]
SALISBURY, N.Y. — The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on Oct. 22 announced the acquisition of 3,387 acres of forest and wetlands located in the towns of Salisbury and Norway in Herkimer County.
The parcel, purchased from the Open Space Institute (OSI), will be managed for forest products, expanded recreational access, protection of critical drinking water sources, and enhancement of ecosystem resilience, per the announcement.
The property includes hardwood and softwood forests, nearly 900 acres of wetlands, and several miles of Spruce Creek, a tributary of the East Canada Creek which eventually flows into the Mohawk River. The property sits just outside the southwestern boundary of the Adirondack Forest Preserve and connects to more than 150,000 acres of DEC’s Ferris Lake Wild Forest, the DEC said.
The wetlands and forests on the parcel provide habitat for a wide range of species including black bear, white-tailed deer, bobcat, river otter, and fisher. These features also play a vital role in filtering rainwater that serves as part of the drinking water supply for the city of Little Falls, the department stated.
Ten acres of the property will be added to the Adirondack Forest Preserve, while the remaining acreage located just outside of the Adirondack Park boundary will be state forest.
Although the purchase and transfer of the Spruce Creek property are now complete, public access is currently limited to one location off Dairy Hill Road just south of the junction with Guideboard Road. DEC staff are working to establish additional safe and sustainable access points that will support future recreational use while protecting natural resources. The public is asked to respect the limited access during development of these additional points. The DEC said it will provide updates and announce when these improvements are completed.
The acquisition was made possible by OSI’s $3 million land purchase from Datum 9 Forestry LLC. DEC subsequently acquired the 3,387-acre parcel using $3 million from the state’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). The EPF supports climate-change mitigation and adaptation efforts, improves agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protects water sources, advances conservation efforts, and provides recreational opportunities for New Yorkers, the DEC said. The EPF also supports New York’s 30x30 initiative, which commits to conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.
