Governor George E. Pataki today announced that the State has agreed to acquire one of the largest remaining privately held parcels of land in the Catskill Mountains, nearly 5,000 acres of the Lundy Estate in the towns of Rochester and Wawarsing, Ulster County.

"This magnificent new addition to our public land in the Catskills will permanently protect more than six miles of the Vernooy Kill, a quality cold water trout stream, and provide miles of new hiking trails for the enjoyment of visitors to this exceptional forest river valley," Governor Pataki said. "As we usher in the new century, we are ensuring that we protect the best of our outdoor heritage for the public to use, which in turn helps to build a sustainable economy for the Catskill Region.

"I am particularly grateful for the hard work that the Trust For Public Land and the Open Space Institute performed to enable the State to acquire this Catskill gem," the Governor said.

The State has agreed to acquire the bulk of the 5,400-acre Lundy Estate. The Lundys were well known New York City restauranteurs who assembled the estate in the 1920's and 30's. In the 1980's the land was sold to land speculators, who ultimately went bankrupt. Last year, the estate was sold at auction to its creditors, who began negotiations with the Open Space Institute (OSI) and the Trust For Public Land (TPL), two non-profit land conservation organizations that work together as a joint venture in New York State.

"Protection of the Lundy tract is a milestone in the conservation history of the Catskills," said OSI President Joe Martens. "The acquisition of this magnificent parcel for public recreation would not have been possible without strong support from Governor Pataki and Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner John Cahill."

Under the deal announced today by Governor Pataki, TPL\OSI have acquired the entire estate and later this year will sell 4,930 acres to the State. The State will acquire the property for approximately $4 million using Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and Clean Air/Clean Water Bond Act resources. A 470-acre parcel, which contains two estate houses, will be sold by OSI/TPL separately to a private buyer, subject to a stringent conservation easement restricting future development on the site. TPL/OSI will clear abandoned buildings and prepare the property for public ownership.

The State will revise the unit management plan for the adjacent Sundown Wild Forest to include the Lundy tract. The revised plan will guide the long term stewardship of the property. The State will pay taxes on the property, while the private buyer will continue to pay taxes on the improved portions of the private property excluded from the State purchase.

State Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner John P. Cahill said, "Today's announcement is another example of Governor Pataki's strong commitment to open space conservation in New York. DEC is eager to assume the management of this spectacular property to protect its outstanding natural resources and promote compatible outdoor recreational activities, including fishing, hiking, hunting and camping. We will actively solicit public participation in the development of the revised unit management plan when we assume ownership."

The Lundy estate has long been considered one of the most outstanding private parcels of land within the Catskill region and is included as a priority in the State's Open Space Conservation Plan. The Lundy Estate was one of several projects from the Plan listed in the Governor's proposed Environmental Protection Fund budget for State fiscal year 2000-2001.

Erik Kulleseid, New York State director for the Trust for Public Land, said, "This property has been on top of the agenda of the Catskill conservation community for decades. We are pleased that we were ready and able to act when the opportunity to acquire the land presented itself. Important for wildlife habitat and recreation, this property is also the linchpin for the long hoped-for connection between the public land of the Shawangunk Ridge and Catskill State Park."

In addition to thousands of acres of undeveloped woodlands, the property encompasses six miles of the Vernooy Kill, the largest un- dammed tributary of Rondout Creek and the only major undeveloped stream in the region. Protecting the land as a public resource ensures fishing access along the length of the creek. The land is primarily forested and mountainous and provides habitat for protected species, including several dens of timber rattlesnakes.

Bob Anderberg, general counsel of the Open Space Institute, said, "This is one of the largest acquisitions of open space in the Catskills since the creation of the Catskill Forest Preserve in the 1880's. This is a rare opportunity to preserve an entire river valley in one transaction."

The property also abuts a portion of the 328-mile regional hiking trail known as the Long Path. Stretching from the New Jersey side of the George Washington Bridge through Harriman State Park, up to John Boyd Thacher State Park near Albany, the trail offers excellent recreational opportunities and spectacular views of the Shawangunk and Catskill mountains. More than ten miles of the trail also run along the crest of the Shawangunk Ridge. With the acquisition of the Lundy estate, the Long Path, currently running along Cherrytown Road, can be rerouted along the Vernooy Kill to eliminate miles of road hiking.

Jan Hesbon, Executive Director of the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, said, "We are delighted with the Lundy purchase. This will enable us to relocate the celebrated Long Path hiking trail off of a highway and put it in a beautiful forest where it belongs."

Neil F. Woodworth, counsel for the Adirondack Mountain Club, said, "Today's purchase of the Lundy Estate enables New York to link the magnificent Shawangunk Mountains hiking trail to the Catskill Forest Preserve, providing miles of outstanding recreational opportunities for outdoor enthusiasts and the general public."

Since 1995, the State has invested more than $200 million to preserve more than 260,000 acres of land across New York that have been identified in the State Open Space Conservation Plan.