The towns of Newcomb, Long Lake, and Indian Lake are all developing plans to purchase parts of the Nature Conservancy’s Finch Pruyn lands according to the just-released annual report of the conservation organization’s Adirondack Chapter & Adirondack Land Trust.

Newcomb plans to purchase about 970 acres of the Finch Pruyn lands within its hamlet to expand the High Peaks Golf Course and provide housing for student teachers. Long Lake is planning the purchase of about 50 acres for a municipal well and Indian Lake is looking at the purchase of approximately 75 acres near its downtown for “community purposes,” according to the Conservancy’s annual report.

The report also updates the status of the Conservancy’s “Heart of the Adirondacks Campaign,” considered the largest conservation fundraising effort in the history of the Adirondack Park. With $16.2 million raised toward the overall goal of $35 million, the fund is about 46 percent complete. There are currently two opportunities to have your major gift to the Heart of the Adirondacks Campaign doubled. Those interested should contact Nancy Van Wie, Director of Philanthropy, at nvanwie@tnc.org or 1.800.266.2082 ext. 139.

The full annual report is available as a pdf here; this year’s report is also augmented by a online component with several short videos including The Adirondack Paper Chase, a video that features a scientist, a forester and a logger talking about sustainable forestry practices and the chain-of-custody component of certification.

Further reading about the Finch lands:

I asked TNC’s Connie Prickett several questions about the sale of 90,000 acres of the 161,000 acre Finch lands back in the fall of 2008here

There was analysis of the sales by the Adirondack Council’s John Sheehan posted in April of this year here.

Mary Thill asked Northern Logger magazine editor Eric Johnson of Old Forge about the state of the local logging industry back in March here.

The Almanack posted a map of the Finch purchase here.