CORINTH, N.Y., Oct. 30, 2025 – Saratoga PLAN is thrilled to announce the opening of the new 127-acre Curtis Preserve in the Town of Corinth, whose northern boundary follows the historic “Blue Line” that defines the Adirondack Park.
The property’s mixed forest and flowing brook provide critical wildlife habitat and serve as an important link for regional wildlife connectivity.
The Preserve was made possible through the generosity of Patricia LeClair and her family. Patricia and her neighbor Mary Curtis shared a love of the woods that connected their properties and often walked together. After the Curtises passed, Patricia inherited their land and later chose to donate 127 acres to Saratoga PLAN to ensure its permanent protection.
“I walked those woods for many years, and I hope that people will enjoy them as much as I did,” said Patricia LeClair.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony with the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce was held on Oct. 23 to celebrate Patricia’s gift to the community. More than 30 people attended, including her daughters Pam and Tari, Senator James Tedisco, Assemblyman Matt Simpson, Town of Corinth Supervisor Eric Butler, as well as PLAN staff, supporters, and community members.
Patricia’s daughter Tari shared at the ceremony, “My mother’s gift of land is not surprising considering how she raised my sister and me. We grew up exploring farms, fields and woods, and learning to love nature…We want to thank Saratoga PLAN staff and supporters for their conservation efforts across the region.”
Community involvement played an important role in shaping the Curtis Preserve. Locals provided feedback through surveys that helped guide decisions about public access, and volunteers, including employees from Regeneron during the company’s Day for Doing Good, helped build and mark trails.
Support for this project came from the Saratoga County Trails & Open Space Committee through the Farmland Protection and Open Space Grant Program which funded $32,900 to cover transactional costs, as well as the Nature Conservancy’s Climate Resilience Grant Program which contributed $25,000 toward future stewardship needs of the property.
“The Curtis Preserve is a great example of how we can come together to protect land that connects people to nature,” shared Rob Davies, Executive Director of Saratoga PLAN. “We are deeply grateful to the LeClair family and to our partners for making this lasting gift possible.”
Learn more and download a trail map at: www.saratogaplan.org/curtispreserve
About Saratoga PLAN
Saratoga PLAN stewards and protects farms, forests, and waters of the Saratoga region and the southern Adirondack foothills – now and forever.
Saratoga PLAN (Preserving Land and Nature) has helped conserve over 14,000 acres of land in Saratoga County. PLAN helps landowners conserve farmland, woodlands, and natural habitats, and connects people to nature through an extensive trail network, including 13 public nature preserves open for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and nature study. Saratoga PLAN helps communities create plans that balance growth with conservation to sustain the Saratoga Region as a great place to live, work, visit, play and farm. PLAN facilitates community-based conservation by partnering with municipalities to help them accomplish their community’s conservation goals.
For more information, call 518-587-5554, or visit www.saratogaplan.org.
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