Conservation Easement on International Paper Lands in the Adirondacks
On Earth Day 2004, the largest land conservation agreement in state history - an agreement between the State and the International Paper Company to preserve nearly 260,000 acres encompassing 9 counties and 34 towns within the Adirondack Park - was announced. The State will purchase working forest conservation easements on more than 255,000 acres and will purchase an additional 2,000 acres in fee to provide new recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to the Adirondack Park, while supporting the local economy through the continuation of sustainable forestry. The lands consist of 21 separate tracts, spanning nine counties within the Adirondack Park, including Warren, Washington, Franklin, Clinton, Hamilton, St. Lawrence, Essex, Saratoga and Herkimer. The properties represent nearly all of IP's Adirondack Park holdings, covering about 9 percent of the Park's privately-owned forest land. They include productive forest land, miles of rivers and stream corridors and a wealth of recreational opportunities, including more than 250 miles of existing or potential hiking and snowmobile trails.
The easements restrict subdivision and further development on the property, provide public recreation rights and require sustainable forestry operations that protect water quality and wildlife habitat to ensure the long term maintenance of the forest resource. The State will pay its proportionate share of local taxes on the easements it holds within the Park. Also as part of the agreement, the State will acquire full public recreation rights on about 84,000 acres and partial public rights, including the ability to maintain and build hiking and snowmobile trails, on about 171,000 acres. The agreement was structured to preserve the rights of various private recreation club organizations that currently lease large portions of the property for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreational activities, while expanding public recreational opportunities. The State will fund the acquisition through the Environmental Protection Fund.
In 2005 International Paper announced that it was selling all of its land holdings in the United States, including those in New York State. The Lyme Timber Company is under contract to purchase International Paper's Adirondack land holdings. The easements placed on those lands in the agreement between International Paper and New York State are perpetual and will follow the land as it changes hands to Lyme Timber.
