1,000 Acres Near the St. Lawrence River Protected Against Development

By Emily Russell. NCPR Adirondack Reporter.

The Grand Lake Reserve, about 10 miles east of the St. Lawrence River in Jefferson County, is now protected against future development.

The reserve is a 1,072-acre tract of land near Alexandria Bay. It's part of a network of nature preserves owned by the Indian River Lakes Conservancy.

The IRLC protected the Grand Lake Reserve through a forever-wild conservation easement held by the Northeast Wilderness Trust.

"Access to this program and the forever-wild easement protection at the Grand Lake Reserve supports our conservation goals and gives us a chance to educate visitors on the importance of wild places and permanency," said James "Wylie" Huffman, Executive Director of the Indian River Lakes Conservancy.

The Grand Lake Reserve is considered to be part of a wildlife corridor connecting the US and Canada, known as the Algonquin to Adirondacks Corridor.

"Being at the center of the A2A, protection of special places like the Grand Lake Reserve is critical to ensuring the potential for wildlife movement across the St. Lawrence," said Caitlin Mather, Land Protection Manager, at Northeast Wilderness Trust.

The property is open to the public for boating, hiking, and hunting.

Reprinted with permission from NCPR.