In December 2004, the THTLT worked with the Services to secure a conservation easement on 454 acres of forests, wetlands and meadows in the Towns of Lewis and West Turin in Lewis County. The easement protects a nearly 2/3-mile stretch of the East Branch of Fish Creek. This is a significant project for the land trust. Not only is it in one of the land trusts priority conservation areas, but it is also in a priority project area for New York State, the Tug Hill Core Forest and Headwaters Streams, as identified in the 2002 NYS Open Space Plan.” Given that the property has substantial road frontage, and that the general area has seen an increase in seasonal camp and second home development in recent years, the protections put in place by the Services contribute significantly to retaining the remote character and ecological health of Tug Hill’s core forest. The property is also bounded to the north by the Weiman Easement property, a 400 acre property that was protected by an easement by THTLT in 2002 in a similar deal, and to the south by the 45,000 acre East Branch of Fish Creek Project.
The Service Easement property contains portions of three DEC regulated wetlands, protected by this conservation easement agreement, and is bounded by an important stretch of the East Branch of Fish Creek. A state fishing easement, held by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, exists along this section of the East Branch which allows public fishing access along the banks of the stream. The original homestead, which contained a little over 250 acres has been in the Service family since at least the late 1800’s. Remainders of the old homestead and farm buildings still exist. The additional 200 acres have been acquired through the years. The easement limits future development on the property to three additional residential structures along Weiler Road.
The property has been part of the NYS Stewardship Incentive Program and the Real Property Tax Law 480-a, and has current forest and wildlife management plans in place. These are designed to protect the forest, water, wildlife and wetland resources of the property. The Services generously agreed to a “bargain sale”, which paid them a nominal amount for the easement and allows them to take the remainder of the value of the easement as a charitable deduction. Funds for the deal were made available through a grant from the Iroquois Pipeline’s Land Enhancement and Acquisition Fund (LEAF). LEAF was established in 1995 to help pipeline communities preserve open space, establish and improve parklands and enhance community-based recreational facilities. LEAF provides funding for the enhancement or acquisition of important open space or park properties which represents unique environmental and recreational opportunities, as well as for projects which are beneficial to the environment.
