Town: Poestenkill
Number of acres: 62 acres
Protected since 2015
The donated 62 acre Colehamer Conservation Easement property is privately owned and is not open to the public. The property abuts another conservation easement property (Sluyter Conservation Easement), creating a 167acre regional conserved area. The property contains a wetland zone and a working forest zone. Each zone permits and restricts different activities. The property is a heavily wooded hillside with springs and intermittent streams flowing down to the Newfoundland Creek, a Class C(T) trout stream and a tributary of the Poesten Kill. There are a carriage trail and several walking trails on the property.
The property is located in a nationally designated Forest Legacy area. Its conservation values include
- an extensive forest with many kinds of trees of different age classes and canopy levels. This structural variety in the forest provides habitats for many animals, plants and fungi. The forest also serves as a wildlife corridor.
- a stream that flows into Newfoundland Creek, a Class C(T) trout stream that is part of the Poesten Kill watershed. Protecting the stream and its surrounding woods helps protect the water quality of Newfoundland Creek.
The public benefits of this conservation easement include protecting the scenic beauty and natural resources of the property and surrounding woodlands. Additionally the easement helps protect the water quality and quantity of the Newfoundland Creek, the Poesten Kill, and the Hudson River watersheds, sources of fresh water for numerous towns and cities, including New York City.
