The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) acquired 108 wooded acres from the estate of David Connolly in the town of Virgil, Cortland County. The “inholding” property is bordered on all sides by James Kennedy State Forest and serves as a buffer to the Finger Lakes Trail which traverses its southern boundary.

The FLLT intends to transfer the parcel to New York State as an addition to the state forest, adding to a block of protected lands in this area. This newly acquired property is also located near Greek Peak Mountain Resort and 250 privately owned acres protected with perpetual conservation easements held by the FLLT.

Photo: Chris Ray

For many years before his passing, David made numerous trails on this land where he would take friends and family for rides on his ATV. The landscape here features steep slopes, stands of hardwood trees, a small pond, and 1,400 feet of frontage along a tributary to the East Branch of Owego Creek—located within the Susquehanna River watershed.

Protection of this property will safeguard wildlife habitat, create new public recreational opportunities, and protect water quality in Owego Creek. The parcel has over 3,000 feet of frontage on Baldwin Road and over 1,000 feet on a public forest access road, providing additional public access points to the state land.

Conservation easements are voluntary legal agreements that permanently limit future land use in order to protect the land’s conservation value. Lands subject to conservation easements remain in private ownership, on local tax rolls, and available for traditional uses such as farming and hunting.