The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation has completed the purchase of land contiguous to the state's High Tor Wildlife Management Area in the Yates County Town of Italy.
The acquisition is in addition to the 70-acre Conklin Gully parcel purchased in March of this year. Both parcels were bought from the Finger Lakes Land Trust.
Officials say the High Tor land is a popular recreational site attracting visitors from a wide area. Regional DEC Director Paul D'Amato says the land adjacent to the High Tor Wildlife Management Area was identified in the state's Open Space plan, and he says the purchase ensures the lands remain as open space in an area that is under increasing pressure for development.
The land transfer was paid for with federal Wildlife Restoration Funds. The DEC paid $105,000 to the Finger Lakes Land Trust that acquired the land on behalf of the state and the Trust will roll over the money into a special land protection account that allows the organization to move quickly to acquire at-risk properties.
