On May 20th, 2020, Long Pond Conservancy (LPC) achieved our incredible goal of forever protecting the 48 acres along the western shoreline. With a stroke of the pen, a dream has come true. When the 1812 Homestead and Champlain Area Trails (CATS, which is our parent organization) signed the deed and the land became ours, untold future generations will benefit from preserving this beautiful piece of land.
Congratulations to all who gave their time, energy and generous support to saving this critically important Long Pond property.
Photo courtesy of Caryl Bahner-Guhin
Still there is a need to be ready…
While we are all tremendously excited at our successful effort in preserving this land, we cannot rest on our laurels. We need to build the Stewardship Reserve to support the long-term management of this and our other properties. We cannot move forward until the Stewardship Reserve is established.
We must also be ready for any future shoreline or ridgeline properties that require protection. The 48 acres is just the beginning of our efforts to save as much of Long Pond’s watershed as possible.
What can you do to help?
Your financial support is imperative to our ongoing work, and more importantly, the future of Long Pond. Please give generously.
Your donations and pledges are the key to success.
To date, we have more than fifty Legacy Donors that have contributed at least $1,000 towards saving the western shoreline of Long Pond. All Legacy Donors will have their names presented on a bronze plaque that will forever be displayed on the land.
Legacy Donors
Adirondack History Museum Board Rob and Christine Babson Bahner, Harriff, Bahner-Guhin Family – In memory of David S. Bahner Bahner, Harriff, Bahner-Guhin Family – In memory of Colonel David MacCready Tom and Betsy Balderston Bullpen – Singer, Herz, Bornt, C. Balderston, Moscato, G. Livsey, and Potel CATS Board Davis Camalier Cloudsplitter Carpentry Cloudsplitter Foundation Thomas and Ellen Davis Conroy DBWW – Durlacher, Balderston, Wright, and White Families with Chris Durlacher Sarah Disney and David Henderson Bruce and Kate Dodd The Durant Family Alan and Susan Eddy Essex Community – Duca, Barrett and Goldstein Elizabeth Grant Stephen Grant
Photo courtesy of Caryl Banner-Guhin
Jeb and Peggy Hart Susan Hobson and Michael Putziger Sharon and David Joelson Steven and Helen Kellogg Kelsey Trust Irene and Chuck Krotz Ladies of MacCready – Beck, Fetterman, Stauffer, Debusk, C. Disney, Abel-Sherwood, Chapman-Kohlbecker, A. Wright, K. Durlacher-McCann, Sanders and A. Comeau
Dwight, Jack, Margaret Lansing and Caroline Noble – In memory of John Faulkner Peter Levine Joan and Alan Lutz Tom Marshall Lauren Murphy and Sharp Swan Nicky and Jim Murphy Richard C. Obiol Sally and Mark O’Neil Patty and Peter Paine Reinckens Family Ripman Family Evelyn and Joe Rinella Mary Ann Schneible – In memory of Philip Chris Stokes Heather and Glenn Sweeney – In honor of Cale and Ryan Diane Marie Temple Marie and Harry Tobiassen Water Lilies – McDonough, Philion, Swan-Wilson, Backus, and Starkey David White Sr. Family T.S. White Jr. Family Ann and Fredric Wright Gerald Zahavi and Deborah Maxwell One Anonymous Friend
Recent News
Long Pond Conservancy receives its first land donation!
25 acres was given this year to the conservancy by two anonymous families. This land will be forever protected from development and the beauty of Tamarack Bay will be enjoyed by future generations.
This shows the 25 acres of land given to the LPC.
Our Mission
Our mission is to preserve the wild nature of Long Pond and its watershed by protecting the clean water and forest that surround it. Working with landowners, we seek to balance use with the conservation of scenic vistas, natural areas, and forest and lake ecologies. Please see our Legacy Campaign Brochure for more information!
About the Long Pond Conservancy
The Long Pond Conservancy had its beginnings in 2011 when, at the wedding of Sharp Swan and Lauren Murphy, they asked their guests to make donations to conserving Long Pond rather than bring a wedding gift. From those modest first donations of $3,000, more than 50 people have contributed toward saving Long Pond for future generations. Long Pond is one of those rare gems in the Adirondacks that is entirely owned by private individuals and yet has pristine shoreline, mountains and forest. With the pressures of civilization it is only a question of time before houses, like around Augur Lake only 4 miles away, are dotting the skyline and encroaching upon the shores of Long Pond. We are in the preliminary stages now of that development with several parcels of land almost ready to be available to the public along the beautiful western shoreline and a home being permitted for the summit of Little Huckleberry.
The threat is so real, and the need to act so imminent, that a few concerned citizens came together to form the Long Pond Conservancy, organized as a program of Champlain Area Trails(CATS), the local non-profit trails and conservation organization. By forming an alliance with CATS, LPC can focus on conserving Long Pond and the precious resources of the watershed surrounding it without having to go through the costly and time-consuming process of becoming a separate 501(c)3 non-profit organization.
We recognize that our stated purpose is a particularly ambitious endeavor, and we are asking for your help. As we develop our website we will outline our plans for protecting and conserving the land around Long Pond as well as providing some history and facts about the area.
Long Pond Conservancy Project Area
WHERE IS THE LONG POND CONSERVANCY? The Long Pond Conservancy Watershed is incredible in that it has a varying degree of terrain with mountains, forest, wetlands and lakes. While the Pond itself lies entirely in the town of Willsboro, in the Northwest corner of that township, it also has lands that belong to the towns of Chestertown and Lewis. And the Conservancy lies entirely within Essex County and the Adirondack Park.
FACTS ABOUT THE WATERSHED The highest mountain in our Conservancy is 1609 feet in elevation. Sometimes called Champlain because, coincidentally, its height happens to be the same as the year that Samuel De Champlain named the Lake after himself in 1609. Long Pond itself is 588 feet above sea level, though the lowest point in the Conservancy is about 225 ft along our Southeast border, which parallels the Fish and Games road in Willsboro.
The threat is so real, and the need to act so imminent, that a few concerned citizens came together to form the Long Pond Conservancy, organized as a program of Champlain Area Trails(CATS), the local non-profit trails and conservation organization. By forming an alliance with CATS, LPC can focus on conserving Long Pond and the precious resources of the watershed surrounding it without having to go through the costly and time-consuming process of becoming a separate 501(c)3 non-profit organization.