The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) recently purchased a 159-acre property in Bolton that includes Wing Pond, and received a donation of 15 acres in the Town of Fort Ann.

The Wing Pond property includes 750 feet of a tributary that flows into Northwest Bay, and about 15 acres of wooded and open wetlands, including Wing Pond itself. The land also offers nice views of Lake George and the potential to create recreational trails connecting to the adjoining Pole Hill Pond parcel of NYS Forest Preserve. The LGLC expects to transfer the property to New York State.

The protection of stream corridors is considered significant to safeguard against excess storm water runoff, erosion of the stream corridor, and nutrient loading from neighboring sources of fertilizers and road salt, further protecting the lake’s water quality.

According to the seller, Clarence Linder, the forest of the Wing Pond watershed has never been developed. After recovery from clear cutting long ago, the area has been selectively logged. The 159 acres of the Wing Pond property are the last portion of the former Loins estate to be protected. The area is also along the western edge of the timber rattlesnake breeding range.

The LGLC received a donation of 15 acres in the Town of Fort Ann from Susan Moody, who wanted to find a special use for the land other than logging or developing it, and felt that the LGLC would be good guardians of the property.

The land is located on the southeast shoulder of Sugar Loaf Mountain, at the south end of the Pilot Knob ridgeline. Mostly forested, the property also contains a portion of a small stream and some vernal pools.

Ms. Moody and husband Alan Brown own and run The Doctor’s Inn in Saranac Lake.

For more information on the Lake George Land Conservancy, visit their website.

Photos from above: Wing Pond in Autumn, courtesy of seller Clarence Linder; View from Wing Pond property, provided.