Hennig Opening - 08/19/2011

Come celebrate the opening of the Hennig Preserve

On August 20th 2011, Saratoga P.L.A.N. will officially open the 606-acre Hennig Preserve in the Town of Providence. P.L.A.N. will host a ribbon cutting ceremony at 10am followed by refreshments and a hike along the trail. The public is invited to join representatives to get a first hand look at the Preserve. Bob Hennig and Penny Steffen, Barbara Hennig and the late Mally Sue Bleikamp Hennig lovingly cared for this property for over 50 years. They donated the property to Saratoga P.L.A.N. last fall. “We are pleased that Saratoga P.L.A.N. has agreed to accept the donation of our land and will care for its stewardship in coming years. This will ensure that a large tract of land in the town of Providence will be preserved” said Bob Hennig. Saratoga P.L.A.N. will manage the property as a natural area for native forest and wetland flora and fauna. It will be open to the public for passive recreation such as hiking and walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and nature study. A conservation easement placed earlier on the property, as well as on 140 additional adjacent acres, prevents all other uses. P.L.A.N. Stewardship Director Andy Fyfe and volunteers have scouted out the best trail locations and trailheads and are working with Saratoga County to integrate 476 acres of contiguous county forest land into the trail network. One trail has been cut, staff and volunteers are planning the others. “P.L.A.N. is honored that the Hennigs asked us to become stewards of their land. This is the largest preserve that P.L.A.N. has ever managed and a milestone for land conservation in Saratoga County. The land has been so well cared for – the Hennigs were active stewards who walked the land regularly and knew every special patch of native flora. Their caretaking will be missed but P.L.A.N. will try and live up to their standards” said Maria Trabka, Executive Director. A grant from the Dockstader Charitable Trust covered the transaction and initial Stewardship start-up costs associated with accepting the property. “We were delighted to be involved in such a worthy project” said Dusty Rhodes of the Dockstader Charitable Trust. Stewardship endowment funding of $45,000 was raised privately to ensure that Saratoga P.L.A.N. will be able to care for the land in perpetuity. However, such long term care requires the generous support of the public. Donations are being accepted for the Hennig Preserve signage, informational kiosk, map, parking area, tail maintenance and trail markers. Town Supervisor, John Collyer, and Saratoga P.L.A.N.’s Board of Directors Chairperson Katie Stone will speak at the event. Saratoga P.L.A.N. is a not-for-profit land trust offering comprehensive land conservation services to landowners, developers, organizations, and government partners, while striving to achieve regional coordination and cooperation on land use, open space and recreational trail planning. It has protected over 3,385 acres of farmland, natural habitats, and water resources in Saratoga County. For more information on land conservation easements or directions to all P.L.A.N. public preserves contact Saratoga P.L.A.N. at 518-587-5554 or at www.saratogaplan.org.