SOUTHEAST – The Westchester Land Trust’s closing of a 200-acre forested watershed property in the Town of Southeast, marks the largest land protection acquisition in the organization’s 37-year history.
Named Lodestone Preserve, the $2.2 million project ensures the permanent protection of the critically important landscape while safeguarding drinking water, wildlife habitat, and climate-resilient forests for generations to come.
Bordered by the Croton Falls Reservoir, the Diverting Canal, and the East Branch of the Croton River, Lodestone Preserve plays a vital role in protecting drinking water quality for more than nine million people across Westchester County and New York City.
The land will also support hiking, bird watching, photography, and other outdoor recreational experiences.
Land Trust President Kara Whelan said the preserve represents “a defining moment in our history and sets the stage for what conservation must look like moving forward.”
Southeast Supervisor Nick Durante identified the property as a “potential Critical Environmental Area,” citing its historic, scenic, drinking water, and habitat value.
“The land advances New York’s 30×30 conservation goals, adding approximately one percent to the Town’s protected land and water resources,” he said.
Lodestone Preserve takes its name from the magnetite mines that once operated on the property in the late 19th century. Lodestone, a naturally magnetized mineral, was historically used to guide navigation, a fitting reference for a landscape that will serve as a hub of conservation programming in the future, drawing people to each other and the land.
The preserve contains a diverse northern hardwood forest with rocky outcroppings, floodplains, and a vernal pool. The preserve’s varied topography and intact forest make it especially important for climate resilience. Wildlife documented on the property includes amphibians, migratory songbirds, barred owls, and multiple bat species, including the federally and state-endangered northern long-eared bat.
In the years ahead, WLT will focus on proactive stewardship, including forest health management and research to support bat conservation. WLT will also reuse the former mining roads as trails, including opportunities for accessible trail experiences.
The acquisition was made possible by The PCLB Foundation with support from Scenic Hudson Land Trust and WLT supporters.
Westchester Land Trust has conserved 9,523 acres since its founding and continues to rely on community support to advance its mission of protecting open space, clean water, and local landscapes across Westchester and Putnam counties.
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