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Columbia Land Conservancy opens 8th public conservation area
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| Peter Paden, right, executive director of the Columbia Land Conservancy, speaks during the opening of the conservancy's newest public area, the Siegel-Kline Kill Public Conservation Area in Ghent. Joining Paden are Ghent Town Supervisor Larry Andrews, second from right, and Bob Siegel, who donated the land for the conservation area. The trailhead and parking area is off Garage Place Road, about a half mile from the Ghent Town Hall. |
By Bob Green
For Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
GHENT - Officials from the Town of Ghent and the Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) met on Nov. 20 for a ribbon-cutting at the Siegel-Kline Kill Conservation Area, a 55-acre property along the trout-rich Kline Kill which is now open to the public year round for hiking and fishing, free of charge.
Several dozen residents and supporters gathered as Peter Paden, Executive Director of CLC, described his feelings at adding another public conservation area to the seven that his organization already operates. “It’s always as exciting as the first time,” he said.
The property was acquired by CLC in a “bargain sale” from the Siegel family, who bought it at auction along with another parcel. Bob Siegel told the gathering that the property was much improved on CLC’s watch. “When we first bought it, it didn’t look like this.” he said, surveying once-overgrown fields that now produce around 25 acres of hay.
Paden praised the work of several local farmers, who, under a lease arrangement, “restored and rejuvenated” the prime agricultural soil. He called it a “tremendous reinvestment in the agricultural resources of the county.” He acknowledged many donors, large and small, with contributions for the project received from over ninety sources.
The site offers close-ups of the stream and also commanding views from the top of a hill, but some found the entrance sign equally inspiring. “I love it,” said one. “It’s beautiful,” said another, to no one in particular. Supervisor Larry Andrews unveiled the almost-living image of a gleaming trout, ready to ingest a dragonfly.
The airborne fish is the work of Ghent resident Roberta Wilson, a noted wildlife illustrator whose work with animals spans her entire career.
In his remarks, Andrews said the property was “going to be a great resource for the town of Ghent.” Also attending the ceremony was Town Board member Linda Schlegel-Hess, who oversees many recreation matters in town.
At the previous evening’s monthly meeting, Schlegel-Hess reacted positively to a presentation by Tony Colyer-Pendas, CLC’s Director of Conservation Programs, in which he said that sledding on the property’s sizeable hill was a possibility. A hike up that hill reveals very long slopes, some steep, spilling onto even longer runways in nearly every direction.
Colyer-Pendas described to the board a variety of future possibilities, or wishes, for the property. A kiosk and improvements in the driveway are already in the works, but uncertainty about future funding means other changes could be “years out.”
The property’s main hiking trail is a large loop through both woods and pasture. Because the stream bed is “constantly changing,” putting trails closer to the Kline Kill is tricky. Instead, trail spurs lead to prime fishing spots along the sycamore-lined banks.
A “fitness trail” at Crellin Park in Chatham gets “good use,” Colyer-Pendas said, so one could be considered in the future for the Ghent site.
He added that while current plans are to grow hay for several years while the soil is managed back to full health, CLC will be “working with the farming folks” to identify additional farming uses in the future. He said he hopes that the property can one day be used to bring children into closer contact with agriculture.
As on other CLC properties, Colyer-Pendas said CLC “will work with” area hunters to ensure access.
When the ribbon was finally cut, Paden, whose organization is 23-years-old, said the day was years in coming. “This was a dream in a lot of people’s minds,” he told the assembled crowd.
According to its mission statement, The Columbia Land Conservancy “works with the community to conserve the farmland, forests, wildlife habitat and rural character of Columbia County, strengthening connections between people and the land.” It’s Web site is clctrust.org.
Several dozen residents and supporters gathered as Peter Paden, Executive Director of CLC, described his feelings at adding another public conservation area to the seven that his organization already operates. “It’s always as exciting as the first time,” he said.
The property was acquired by CLC in a “bargain sale” from the Siegel family, who bought it at auction along with another parcel. Bob Siegel told the gathering that the property was much improved on CLC’s watch. “When we first bought it, it didn’t look like this.” he said, surveying once-overgrown fields that now produce around 25 acres of hay.
Paden praised the work of several local farmers, who, under a lease arrangement, “restored and rejuvenated” the prime agricultural soil. He called it a “tremendous reinvestment in the agricultural resources of the county.” He acknowledged many donors, large and small, with contributions for the project received from over ninety sources.
The site offers close-ups of the stream and also commanding views from the top of a hill, but some found the entrance sign equally inspiring. “I love it,” said one. “It’s beautiful,” said another, to no one in particular. Supervisor Larry Andrews unveiled the almost-living image of a gleaming trout, ready to ingest a dragonfly.
The airborne fish is the work of Ghent resident Roberta Wilson, a noted wildlife illustrator whose work with animals spans her entire career.
In his remarks, Andrews said the property was “going to be a great resource for the town of Ghent.” Also attending the ceremony was Town Board member Linda Schlegel-Hess, who oversees many recreation matters in town.
At the previous evening’s monthly meeting, Schlegel-Hess reacted positively to a presentation by Tony Colyer-Pendas, CLC’s Director of Conservation Programs, in which he said that sledding on the property’s sizeable hill was a possibility. A hike up that hill reveals very long slopes, some steep, spilling onto even longer runways in nearly every direction.
Colyer-Pendas described to the board a variety of future possibilities, or wishes, for the property. A kiosk and improvements in the driveway are already in the works, but uncertainty about future funding means other changes could be “years out.”
The property’s main hiking trail is a large loop through both woods and pasture. Because the stream bed is “constantly changing,” putting trails closer to the Kline Kill is tricky. Instead, trail spurs lead to prime fishing spots along the sycamore-lined banks.
A “fitness trail” at Crellin Park in Chatham gets “good use,” Colyer-Pendas said, so one could be considered in the future for the Ghent site.
He added that while current plans are to grow hay for several years while the soil is managed back to full health, CLC will be “working with the farming folks” to identify additional farming uses in the future. He said he hopes that the property can one day be used to bring children into closer contact with agriculture.
As on other CLC properties, Colyer-Pendas said CLC “will work with” area hunters to ensure access.
When the ribbon was finally cut, Paden, whose organization is 23-years-old, said the day was years in coming. “This was a dream in a lot of people’s minds,” he told the assembled crowd.
According to its mission statement, The Columbia Land Conservancy “works with the community to conserve the farmland, forests, wildlife habitat and rural character of Columbia County, strengthening connections between people and the land.” It’s Web site is clctrust.org.
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