A quiet stretch of forest near Ithaca will soon open the door to more public land and protected water.
The Finger Lakes Land Trust has purchased 108 acres in the town of Dryden that border Yellow Barn State Forest, strengthening a growing ring of conserved land around the city.
The mostly wooded parcel sits near Hammond Hill State Forest and the Land Trust’s Roy H. Park Preserve. The organization plans to transfer the land to New York State as an addition to Yellow Barn State Forest.
Yellow Barn State Forest is a popular destination for hiking, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor activities. The Land Trust said partnerships with the state help expand public recreation while protecting water quality and wildlife habitat.
The newly acquired property includes a large pond and seasonal tributaries of Six Mile Creek, which serves as the drinking water source for the city of Ithaca. The land also plays a key role in the Emerald Necklace, a growing network of protected lands surrounding the city.
The property was purchased from the adult children of Peter Van Soest, a professor emeritus of animal science at Cornell University who died in 2021.
“Our father Peter Van Soest bought the ‘Hilltop’ land with friends in the early 1970s,” said John Van Soest. “It was their getaway for picnics and family swims.”
He said the land later became a place where his father wrote books and hosted student retreats.
“It was a special place for him,” Van Soest said.
The Emerald Necklace aims to link roughly 50,000 acres of existing conservation land in an arc around Ithaca, stretching from the Finger Lakes National Forest to Hammond Hill State Forest. The area includes miles of the Finger Lakes Trail, state forests and parks, and designated wildlife and natural areas. New York State’s Open Space Plan lists the project as a priority.
Funding for the purchase came from the Land Trust’s Opportunity Fund, which supports time-sensitive land acquisitions. The organization replenishes the fund through fundraising or the sale of land to public conservation agencies.
The Finger Lakes Land Trust has protected more than 35,000 acres across the region and manages more than 45 public nature preserves.
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