Nature preserve opens along Esopus Creek in Saugerties

by William Kemble Jr., Correspondent
06/19/2005
©Daily Freeman 2005

SAUGERTIES - The Esopus Creek Conservancy on Saturday celebrated the opening of the 156-acre Esopus Bend Nature Preserve on land where, at one time, luxury condominiums were to be built.

A dedication ceremony on Shady Lane, along the border of the town and village of Saugerties, drew about 80 people and included scenic walking tours along a 1.2-mile path in the preserve. The preserve ultimately is to have 6-10 miles of trails.

"It's nice to see a project that we've worked on come to fruition," said Kelley Meyers, vice president of the conservancy. "There are people on stewardship committees, people on outright committees, there are community partners that we've worked with. There are hundreds of people."

The Catskill Center for Conservation and Development, a non-profit environmental group based in Arkville, purchased the property in 2003 on behalf of the conservancy from housing developer William S. Keyser. According to Keyser's attorney, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, created a financial hardship for Keyser, and the condo plan was dropped in 2002.

Using proceeds from a $250,000 fine the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers charged Horse Shows in the Sun for disturbing wetlands during the construction of HITS' Washington Avenue equestrian facility, the conservancy then acquired the property from the Catskill Center.

"An arrangement was made to provide the mitigation not by building another wetland, which is a kind of activity that really doesn't work that well, but by purchasing this land (for use) as a nature preserve that would be here forever benefiting untold future generations," said U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley, said on Saturday.

The nature preserve is bounded on the west and north by the Esopus Creek, with a residential development to the south and east.

Town of Saugerties Supervisor Greg Helsmoortel said while the wetlands error wound up benefiting the community, a review will be conducted to determine how projects like HITS could have been approved without knowledge of the wetland.

"The directive should be sent to the Planning Board to double check wetland maps in the future," Helsmoortel said.

Conservancy member Lee Anne Thornton said trash along the nature preserve's trails still must be cleaned up but a rusted Volkswagen Beetle will be left alone because its has become a home for wildlife and is considered a sentimental feature of the property.

"It has wonderful little critters living in it," Thornton said. "My Girl Scout troop just thought 'They can't take that away. It's part of the heritage.'"