December 23,2002
Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy 
E-BULLETIN!

News Release October 23,2002
STATE TO ACQUIRE STOW FARM PROPERTY

STATE TO ACQUIRE STOW FARM PROPERTY ON CHAUTAUQUA LAKE. The purchase Will Protect Important Fish and Bird Habitats Along the Lakeshore.

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Erin M. Crotty today announced the State has reached an agreement to acquire the 18.6-acre Stow Farm Lakeshore in he Town of North Harmony, Chautauqua County. This will enhance fisheries and protect the natural resources and habitat of Chautauqua Lake.

New York is blessed with magnificent natural resources that provide great opportunities for recreational activities like fishing and hiking, Commissioner Crotty said. Governor Pataki is strongly committed to protecting undeveloped lands across the State, which provide habitats for fish and wildlife and offer exceptional outdoor experiences for New Yorkers of all ages.

The acquisition of the Stow Farm property is another example of a successful public-private partnership that is helping us achieve our environmental goals.Senator Pat McGee said, Preserving this type of property for future generations is the essence of sound public policy. We in government have a duty to protect our States natural habitats for the enjoyment of our childrens children.

I applaud Governor Patakis continuing stewardship of the environment.Assemblyman William Parment said, This culminates several years of work by the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy and the State Department of Environmental Conservation to preserve an ecological sensitive portion of Chautauqua Lake shoreline and Im pleased the effort has been successful.Under an agreement between the State DEC and the Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy, Inc., the State will provide $800,000 from the Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) toward the purchase of the Stow Farm Lakeshore property, one of the few remaining undeveloped parcels on Chautauqua Lake.

The Conservancy will contribute $115,000 toward the acquisition and will purchase the property from the Stow family and then turn it over to the State. Other groups involved in preserving this parcel include the Ralph C. Sheldon Foundation, Johnson Foundation, Arnold Holmberg Foundation of Jamestown and more than 300 individuals, businesses and organizations.

The Conservancy is excited that New York State has been a willing partner in our efforts to protect the last remaining undeveloped areas on Chautauqua Lake, Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy Director John Jablonski III said. We are grateful to the Stow family for fulfilling their intent to preserve this important parcel. Thanks to the efforts and foresight of Governor Pataki and the dedication of various groups and hundreds of
local individuals and organizations, this property will be forever protected.

The property, which was owned by the Stow family since the 1860s, includes 1,150 feet of lake frontage and some of the last wild habitats on Chautauqua Lake. The waterfront includes the second longest band of water lilies on the lake, providing excellent habitat for largemouth bass and other fish.

In addition to its fish and plant habitats, the Stow Farm property includes nesting and feeding habitat for a variety of woodpeckers, warblers, ducks and other water birds. Chautauqua Lake is designated as a Statewide Important Bird Area and the protection of this farm is vital to maintaining critical bird habitats. The Stow Farm property is listed in the 2002 New York State Open Space Conservation Plan, which guides the States preservation efforts. The plan calls for securing adequate public access to Chautauqua Lake and protecting open space to maintain the superb warmwater fishery and other recreational opportunities in the region.

The lake outlet also contains extensive wetlands, making it an ecological oasis, with magnificent views from surrounding hillsides.Upon completion of the land acquisition, New York State will pay local taxes on the property and DEC will develop a long-term management plan for the parcel. Since 1995, the State has invested more than $378 million to preserve more than 394,000 acres across New York.