Follensby Pond Sold to The Nature Conservancy

Follensby Pond Sold to The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy has purchased Follensby Pond for $16 million. The announcement was made Thursday by its Keene Valley-based Adirondack Chapter.

The 14,600-acre property is southeast of Tupper Lake and contains the 920-acre Follensby Pond, reportedly the largest privately held lake in the Northeastern United States.

State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis applauded the sale in a joint announcement with the conservation group.

Follensby Pond is listed in the state Open Space Conservation Plan. Last updated in 2006, the plan identifies priority lands to add to the Forest Preserve, said Mike Carr, executive director of the Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy.

John McCormick, who bought the land in 1952, said in a statement that he envisions the land eventually becoming a part of the Forest Preserve.

"I have every confidence that The Nature Conservancy and New York State will work together over the next few years to make that happen," he said. The property contains five hunting camps whose leases will be extended for "several" years, said Nature Conservancy spokeswoman Connie Prickett. Details on the future of those camps, she said.

Follensby Pond also has historical value. Ralph Waldo Emerson and other 19th century writers visited it 150 years ago.

Again, Mike Carr of The Nature Conservancy.

The land will not be immediately opened to the public and the conservation group will continue to pay taxes on the property, the announcement said.

Thursday's news comes more than a year since the conservancy announced a $110 million deal in which it bought 161,000 acres of timberland from Finch, Pruyn Paper Company in Glens Falls.

Negotiations with the state are continuing over how much will be purchased for Forest Preserve.

Last month, the conservancy put 90,500 acres up for sale for timber harvesting. The lands are protected by easement and are off-limits to developers.

-Jacob Resneck, 9-19-08 Crossposted from 46r List