The Open Space Institute (OSI) recently awarded Lake Placid Land Conservancy (LPLC) a capital grant in the amount of $50,000 to support LPLC’s acquisition of a community forest preserve in Wilmington. LPLC acquired approximately 100 acres in Wilmington between Hardy Road and Quaker Mountain Lane on April 19, 2017, and plans to create a community forest preserve that will include approximately two miles of scenic, recreational trails. The new trails are expected to create a connection between the Hamlet of Wilmington and existing public lands and trails on the Beaver Brook tract of the Wilmington Wild Forest located on Hardy Road.

The OSI grant funding will be applied toward land that was purchased by LPLC. The purchased land will be combined with adjacent land that was donated by Wilmington resident Scott Avery to create the preserve. In addition to the OSI grant and land donation from Avery, LPLC also received a $25,000 donation from an anonymous donor who wished to support LPLC’s efforts to conserve lowland forest habitat and enhance recreational opportunities in the Wilmington area.

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Photo: Members of the Board of Trustees of the Lake Placid Land Conservancy, the Barkeater Trails Alliance, and LPLC staff gather to celebrate the closing of Wilmington’s community forest preserve. Featured (Left to right): Matt McNamara, Georgia Jones, John Rosenthal, Jeffrey Graff, Scott Avery, Liz Clarke, and Gregory Fetters.