A 174-acre expanse of wetlands and forest beneath the Shawangunk Ridge has been permanently protected through an agreement involving Mohonk Preserve, the Open Space Institute, the Wallkill Valley Land Trust, and the Town of New Paltz.
Mohonk Preserve purchased the Humpo Marshlands and Forest property from OSI on August 14, while the Wallkill Valley Land Trust will hold a conservation easement over a portion of the land. The acquisition protects wildlife habitat, water resources, and familiar views of the Shawangunks from New Paltz and Gardiner.
The project also marks the first major use of the New Paltz Community Preservation Fund, which voters approved by referendum in 2020. Supported by a local real estate transfer tax, the fund is dedicated to protecting farms, forests, wetlands, and other natural and historic resources.
“Thanks to New Paltz voters who approved the creation of a fund to protect our community’s open space, farms, forests, and clean water, the town was able to help bring this preservation project about,” says Town Supervisor Tim Rogers. “This project does ‘all of the above’ and is a great example of what is possible using the CPF.”
The agreement culminates years of conservation planning. OSI purchased the property in January from the Jenkins-Nichols family, which had cared for it for nearly two centuries. Private donors, the two land trusts, Mohonk Preserve, and the towns of New Paltz and Gardiner subsequently worked together to establish its permanent protections and arrange for long-term stewardship.
“After generations of stewardship by the Jenkins-Nichols family, the permanent protection of Humpo Marshlands and Forest will help ensure that its wetlands, forests, wildlife habitat, and scenic character are conserved for future generations,” says Ed Pestone, Mohonk Preserve’s associate director of land protection and GIS.
The property’s wetlands absorb stormwater, reduce downstream flooding, filter water, and help replenish groundwater supplies. Its marshes and forests provide habitat for birds, amphibians, pollinators, and other wildlife. Along with neighboring protected properties, the parcel strengthens a larger conservation corridor along the northern Shawangunk Ridge.
Its preservation also complements Mohonk Preserve’s ongoing work in the Humpo and Kleine Kill watersheds, where land protection and management projects are intended to improve water quality and increase the landscape’s resilience amid changing weather patterns.
OSI’s Matt Decker placed the deal within the organization’s broader work along the ridge, where it has now helped conserve 40,000 acres. “We are thrilled to see this property move into the long-term care of Mohonk Preserve and the Wallkill Valley Land Trust,” he says, “ensuring that this important place will endure and thrive for generations to come.”
The Nature Conservancy supported Mohonk Preserve’s acquisition with a $30,000 grant through its New York Climate Resilience Program. Mohonk Preserve will manage the property as a conservation and climate-resilience site, with the possibility of sustainable public access in the future.
“The permanent protection of Humpo Marshlands and Forest is an investment in the future of our region,” says Ellen M. Sticker, acting president of Mohonk Preserve, “delivering lasting benefits for wildlife, water resources, climate resilience, and our community.”
