At the end of 2007, THTLT completed an easement with John P. Constable, III that permanently protects 248 acres of forests and wetlands in the Town of Osceola in Lewis County. The easement secures traditional Tug Hill camp, hunting and forestry uses by limiting development to one additional camp and continuing sustainable forestry, harvesting done within the guidelines of best management practices, and hunting uses. The property is located in THTLT’s Tug Hill core forest focus area, and is one of the many private holdings that are nestled in the area where, in 2005, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and The Nature Conservancy protected 45,000 acres of the core of Tug Hill called the East Branch of Fish Creek Project. Linda Garrett, executive director of THTLT said of the project, “I feel like this is a milestone for our organization. We have been working on this particular easement for many years.
The current owner is John P. Constable III, his dad, John P. Constable, Jr., who passed away last summer, was one of our founding board members. John, Jr. was passionate about securing the traditional uses of Tug Hill, and I know he would be happy that his son completed this project with us.” Securing the traditional uses of Tug Hill was a passion of John, Jr. and I know he would be happy that his son completed this project with us.” The Constable family has a rich history in the North Country. They are the same family associated with Constable Hall and their ancestors were part of the Macomb Purchase. In 1791, William Constable, Alexander Macomb, and Daniel McCormick purchased four million acres of land that became known as the "Macomb Purchase." This tract included some parts of Herkimer and Oswego Counties as well as all the lands that are now included in Lewis, Jefferson, St. Lawrence, and Franklin Counties.
