Complements Recent and Future Easement Purchases and Supports State’s 30x30 Initiative

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar today announced the acquisition of a 29.8-acre conservation easement at the Harold A. Reese Preserve from the Peconic Land Trust in Suffolk County. The wooded preserve is located in the town of Southold in a locally designated groundwater recharge area. The property will be managed jointly by DEC and the Trust for habitat protection and passive public recreation such as hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, birding watching, nature study, and quiet enjoyment.

“Conservation easements are a valuable tool to ensure the protection of New York’s open space for future generations,” DEC Interim Commissioner Sean Mahar said. “The Harold A. Reese Preserve is a unique and environmentally significant property, with both statewide and nationally rare ecosystems. DEC is excited to partner with the Peconic Land Trust to conserve this woodland habitat and safeguard recreational access for residents and visitors of Southold.” 

Working closely with DEC, the Trust acquired full title to the property in November 2020 from the family of Harold A. Reese with loan assistance provided by an anonymous donor to the Trust.

This preserve had been owned by the Reese family since the mid-1960s and is named after the family's father. It is located on North Bayview Road on the Great Hog Neck Peninsula in Southold. The property is a predominantly wooded coastal oak-hickory forest, rare in New York State with fewer than 10 occurrences, with one acre of freshwater wetlands, and is on the Peconic Estuary Program’s Critical Land Protection list. The property supports native populations of white-tailed deer, red fox, rabbit, waterfowl, songbirds, and herptiles (amphibians and turtles), providing habitat and migratory stopovers.

DEC’s agreement with the Trust called for them to hold the property until such time as State funding became available for the purchase and the State’s acquisition process could be completed. The State’s conservation easement prohibits development while assuring public access in perpetuity. Title to the underlying land will remain in the Trust’s ownership and the forest will be managed to reduce or eradicate invasive and non-native species and to promote growth of native species.

John v.H. Halsey, President of the Peconic Land Trust, said, “We are thankful to Governor Hochul and the NYS DEC for working with us to conserve land here on Long Island. The Reese Preserve is a beautiful addition to the Trust’s Wolf Preserve, and extends public access to 50 acres of woodland. The State continues to be an important partner for land conservation organizations and supporting access to public trails. We look forward to continued partnership.”

Southold Town Supervisor Albert (Al) Krupski, said, “I applaud Governor Hochul for making land preservation a priority for New York State, and I want to thank the NYS Department of Conservation and the Peconic Land Trust for their efforts to see the preservation project to completion. Preservation of the Harold A. Reese Preserve is consistent with the Town of Southold’s long-standing ethic of preserving both threatened ecosystems and open space, as well as productive farmland. The hard work of the those who assisted with this project will benefit many generations to come.”

The preserve lies within the federally designated Peconic Estuary Preserve, an Estuary of National Significance, and the State-legislative boundaries of the Peconic Pinelands Maritime Reserve. The property is also near town-, county-, and privately protected lands.

The Trust, since the time of its acquisition and with input from DEC, has developed a three-to-four car parking area on North Bayview Road and a one-half-mile long foot trail system with accessibility features that links to trails on the Trust’s adjoining Wolf Preserve property. Together the Reese and Wolf preserves form a 50-acre block of contiguously protected land. The Harold A. Reese Preserve and Conservation Easement is open to the public for passive recreational use all year from dawn until dusk.

DEC purchased a conservation easement on the 29.8-acre parcel with $2,325,000 from the State's Environmental Protection Fund (EPF). Among the many environmental highlights in the 2025-26 Executive Budget, Governor Kathy Hochul proposed to maintain 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. The EPF also supports New York’s 30x30 Initiative, which commits to conserving 30 percent of lands and waters by 2030.

Making Open Space Available for All

In the 2025 State of the State, Governor Hochul further prioritized creating and protecting parks and green spaces to ensure more people can enjoy time outdoors. To expand these efforts, the Governor will provide funding for land conservation to protect open spaces, farmland, and increase availability. The Governor also championed several key initiatives including modernizing the use of title insurance to expedite land acquisitions, granting DEC the authority to independently acquire conservation easements, and reducing the financial hurdles faced by not-for-profit organizations in their land conservation efforts. These changes and investments will empower the State to more effectively protect our natural heritage for future generations. 

About the Peconic Land Trust

Founded in 1983, the Peconic Land Trust conserves Long Island’s working farms, natural lands, and heritage. Since its inception, the nonprofit Trust has worked conscientiously with landowners, communities, all levels of government, partner organizations, and donors, to conserve over 14,000 acres of land on Long Island. The Trust’s professional staff carries out the necessary research and planning to identify and implement alternatives to outright development. While working to conserve the productive farms, watersheds, woodlands, and beachfront of Long Island, the Trust is also protecting the unique rural heritage and natural resources of the region. For more information about the Peconic Land Trust, visit peconiclandtrust.org.

For more information on New York’s lands and forests, visit DEC’s website.