Orange County Land Trust Protects 421 Acres in the Lower Neversink River Watershed

NEW WINDSOR—The Orange County Land Trust has finalized two conservation easements with private landowners that resulted in the protection of 421 acres of land within the Lower Neversink River Watershed in the Towns of Deerpark and Forestburgh.

The properties contain a contiguous expanse of forest, wetlands, and streams, as well as 1,150 feet of frontage on the Neversink River. A portion of the conserved land also abuts the Neversink River Unique Area, the Orange County Land Trust announced on Dec. 17.

“The permanent protection of these forested parcels further safeguards water quality in the Neversink River and supports a host of wildlife, especially forest interior bird species,” stated Kyle Sanduski, OCLT’s Director of Conservation.”

Since the Save Orange County’s Last Wilderness initiative was launched in 2024 by OCLT, over 1,500 acres of land in the Town of Deerpark have been protected. The initiative focuses on the protection of land surrounding the Port Jervis Watershed, Neversink River, Mongaup River, Basher Kill, and Delaware River for water quality, flood mitigation, outdoor recreation, and other benefits.

OCLT’s Executive Director, Jim Delaune said, “This work would not be possible without willing conservation-minded landowners, so we applaud the families involved in protecting these important properties. We also thank the Open Space Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and Orange County Government for supporting these efforts.”

Orange County Executive Steven M. Neuhaus said, “Protecting the natural resources that define Orange County is one of our highest priorities. These easements not only preserve critical forests and waterways, but they also strengthen the long-term health, resilience, and quality of life of our communities. We’re proud to support the Land Trust’s continued leadership in safeguarding the Neversink River Watershed for future generations.”

The project was supported through the OSI’s Delaware River Watershed Protection Fund, made possible with funding from the William Penn Foundation for its Delaware River Watershed Initiative, which seeks to protect water quality in the Delaware River Basin. Launched in 2014 with funding from the William Penn Foundation’s Delaware River Watershed Initiative, OSI’s DRWPF has protected more than 30,000 acres of forested land to safeguard water quality in the Delaware River Watershed, a source of drinking water for approximately 15 million people — including residents of northeastern Pennsylvania as well as Trenton, Philadelphia, Wilmington and New York City.