The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced the acquisition today from the Adirondack Land Trust of five acres of forest lands along the southeastern shore of Upper Saranac Lake. The parcel includes 570 feet of undeveloped shoreline, ensuring that a mile-long stretch of shoreline between Indian Carry and Indian Point remains forever wild.

“Working with the Adirondack Land Trust and other partners demonstrates New York’s sustained commitment to protecting forest preserve lands, habitat, and the environment,” DEC Region 5 Director Joe Zalewski said. “This small but significant parcel will protect this Upper Saranac shoreline and keep it forever wild.”

The 75,000-acre Saranac Lake Wild Forest features the Adirondacks’ most prominent lakes, ponds, and rivers including portions of the 740-mile Northern Forest Canoe Trail from the Adirondacks to northern Maine. This new addition to the Saranac Lake Wild Forest features rugged lakeshore edged by boulders and northern white cedars. Protecting wild shoreline improves water quality, promotes flood resilience, and provides fish habitat.

“We are proud to partner with New York State on this project and honored to have helped the previous landowners fulfill their wish to see this parcel become a public resource,” said Mike Carr, Executive Director of the Adirondack Land Trust.

The Adirondack Land Trust purchased the land in January 2020 before selling the parcel to DEC in May 2023. DEC was able to acquire the $225,000 property using the Environmental Protection Fund. Among the many environmental victories in the enacted 2023-24 State Budget, Governor Kathy Hochul and legislative leaders maintained the historically high level of $400 million in EPF funding. The EPF supports climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, improves agricultural resources to promote sustainable agriculture, protects water sources, advances conservation efforts, and provides recreational opportunities for New Yorkers.