Brooks Parcel
Situated at the summit of the Rock Hill Preserve, and visible from Copes Lookout near the Mohonk Mountain House, this stunning parcel was long on the target list of the Shawangunk Parcel. This precious parcel was purchased in 2020 and is now protected from future development. The story is told in The Shawangunk Watch, Summer, 2019, Spring/Summer, 2020 Shawangunk_Watch_Summer_2019.pdf Shawangunk_Watch_Summer_2020_compressed_1-1.pdf
Gardiner Development Issues.
FOS has been hard at work in the Town of Gardiner! As development and encroachment on the Ridge has increased dramatically over the last few years, FOS has partnered with the Town of Gardiner Environmental Conservation Commission to hold in check the Gardiner Town Board and Planning Board to be sure they are enforcing the town codes regarding SP2 and SP3 development restrictions. These and other issues regarding what is going on in Gardiner are addressed in articles that appears in the current issue of our newsletter, Fall/Winter, 2022 SW_Fall-Winter22_FINAL-copy.pdf and in Spring 2022 SW_Spring22_FINAL1-copy.pdf and in Fall, 2021 SW_Fall-Winter21_354.pdf
Dragon Springs
FOS partnered with the Deerpark Rural Alliance in the Southern Shawangunks as the DRA battled with the Deerpark Planning Board regarding the growing development known as Dragon Springs. FOS participated in a number of ways in combatting what is clearly a severe environmental threat to the Shawangunk Ridge. This issue is discussed in depth in our newsletter, The Shawangunk Watch – August, 2017, Summer,2018, Spring and Summer issues, 2019. The Shawangunk Watch is archived on this website. Shawangunk-Watch-August-2017.pdf Shawangunk_Watch_Summer_2018_compressed.pdf Shawangunk-Watch-Spring-2019.pdf Shawangunk_Watch_Summer_2019.pdf
The Shawangunk Conglomerate
Our most recent project, this enchanting 71 acre parcel located in the northern Shawangunks became available in 2021. The Shawangunk Conservancy started fundraising immediately and our membership came through! The Mohonk Preserve contributed greatly and has taken possession (50% of the project cost!). You can read all about in the Shawangunk Watch, Fall/Winter, 2020 and Fall/Winter, 2021 Shawangunk-Watch-Fall_Winter-2020.pdf
Alder Lane
A small but absolutely critical “gateway” parcel of land on Alder lane was acquired by The Shawangunk Conservancy. This acquisition is one of the keys to the permanent protection of a large area around Stony kill Falls on the northern border of Minnewaska State Park. See article in Shawangunk Watch, August 2017 Shawangunk-Watch-August-2017.pdf
Restoration of Carriage Roads
Recently, FOS provided funds to the Pew Charitable to support the campaign to restore the badly damaged Hamilton Point Carriage Road in Minnewaska State Park Preserve