The Western New York Land Conservancy and the Friends of the College Lodge Forest held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday at the College Lodge Forest in the Town of Portland to announce the Land Conservancy's formal purchase of the property.
The College Lodge Forest, which has long been a cherished community gathering place, will remain open year-round as a publicly accessible nature sanctuary with miles of existing hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country ski trails. The Faculty Student Association (FSA), a non-profit auxiliary of SUNY Fredonia, from which the Land Conservancy purchased the forest, will continue to own the historic lodge and the 33 acres surrounding it.
Western New York Land Conservancy Executive Director Nancy Smith says, "We are extraordinarily grateful to the entire community for accomplishing this goal. Time and time again, we are reminded just how much our community values nature. It came together during a trying period to protect one of Western New York's most incredible forests. We owe a special thank you to Jon and Priscilla Titus and the incredible men and women of the Friends of the College Lodge, who first introduced us to this amazing place and who were instrumental in protecting it. Without them, we would not be here today. We are also grateful to the Faculty Student Association for ensuring this forest could be protected forever."
As part of the ceremony, the College Lodge Forest was formally inducted into the national Old-Growth Forest Network (OGFN). To celebrate the dedication of this protected forest, the Old-Growth Forest Network's Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Joan Maloof, presented a plaque to Smith.
Dr. Maloof says, "We are thrilled to welcome this beautiful forest into the Network as the forest representative for Chautauqua County. We honor and celebrate the Faculty Student Association of SUNY Fredonia and the Western New York Land Conservancy for their vision and work in preserving this special forest for generations to come. OGFN depends on volunteers in each U.S. county to help identify and induct forests into the Network. Christopher Merchant of Jamestown was instrumental in the dedication process."
In addition to being a sanctuary for people, the College Lodge Forest is home to an incredible diversity of wildlife, a pristine wetland with carnivorous plants, old-growth trees, and unique native orchids. It is also part of a significant migratory bird corridor.
Photo by Jude Merchant
