The Shawangunk Conglomerate LTD 108-acre Conservation Easement Completed 

December 31, 2025

Important land conservation projects are often the result of long-term vision, collaboration, and phased efforts. The newly completed Shawangunk Conglomerate LTD Conservation Easement, now held by the Wallkill Valley Land Trust (WVLT), is a powerful example of this approach in action.

A Stewardship Tale Nearly 70 Years in the Making

We start this story in 1958, when a group of friends met through the City College of New York Outdoor Club. United by a love of the outdoors and rock climbing—and a shared desire to protect wilderness for future generations—they began searching for land where they could live, recreate, and steward the landscape.

In 1979, the group lead by Peter Geiser and Elanie Matthews- discovered a 200-acre parcel in Ulster County characterized by dramatic Shawangunk cliffs, wetlands, and forest. To purchase and manage the land collectively, they formed Shawangunk Conglomerate LTD (SCL), named for the distinctive geology that defines the region.

At a time when conservation easements were not yet common locally—WVLT itself was not founded until 1987—the members of SCL made forward-thinking land-use decisions. Each family established a small, clustered homesite of approximately 1.5–2 acres, carefully designed to minimize environmental impact and leave the vast majority of the land undeveloped. For more than four decades, the families have stewarded the 200-acres of open space, preserving wildlife habitat, scenic views, and the natural character of the ridge.

Phase One: Expanding Mohonk Preserve

The SCL property represents a significant “missing piece” within the Shawangunk Ridge landscape. The western portion of the rectangular parcel—bordered on three sides by Mohonk Preserve lands—includes approximately 72-acres of cliffs and forest located one-mile north of Bonticou Crag. The cliffs are visible from Route 32 and Springtown Road between New Paltz and Tillson.

Recognizing the ecological and recreational importance of this land, Mohonk Preserve and Bob Anderberg, Senior Vice President and Strategic Conservation Advisor at the Open Space Institute, kept the property on their collective radar for many years, with hopes of eventual acquisition and future trail connections. Momentum increased in 2020, when the Shawangunk Conservancy joined the effort and launched a fundraising campaign to help secure the land before an option agreement expired in 2022.

Shawangunk Conservancy successfully raised $92,000 toward the project, and Mohonk Preserve raised and paid the balance in order to complete the transaction. This collaboration resulted in the protection of the 70-acre tract, now permanently conserved as part of Mohonk Preserve’s more than 8,000 acres of protected land.

Phase Two: Permanent Protection of the Remaining 108 Acres

As part of the 2022 agreement, all parties shared a common goal: ensuring that the remaining 108-acres surrounding the SCL homes would also be permanently protected. While the existing homes are carefully clustered and minimally visible, there was strong consensus that future development could compromise the views, ecological integrity, and visitor experience along the ridge.

This is where Wallkill Valley Land Trust became involved. Beginning in mid-2020, WVLT Executive Director Christie DeBoer worked with SCL members to explore conservation options. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, early meetings took place virtually, with detailed discussions of maps, aerial imagery, and the long stewardship history of the land. WVLT stewardship staff later conducted site visits, confirming the property’s ecological richness and conservation values.

After several years of collaboration and negotiation, a carefully crafted permanent conservation easement was finalized in December 2025. The easement reflects both strong conservation protections and respect for the long-standing stewardship carried out by SCL.

The easement establishes multiple “use areas,” ranging from highly restrictive forest conservation zones—covering the majority of the acreage—to limited reserved rights near the existing homes. These include a managed pond, an open field that provides important wildlife habitat, and limited agricultural use near the residential cluster. The Wallkill Valley Rail Trail also passes through the eastern portion of the protected land and is further safeguarded by this easement.

 

A Lasting Conservation Legacy

The 108-acre Shawangunk Conglomerate LTD Conservation Easement brings WVLT’s total permanently protected lands to over 3,000 acres. Together with the adjacent Mohonk Preserve acquisition, this project ensures that a critical section of the Shawangunk Ridge—and the views, habitats, and trail corridors it supports—will remain protected forever.

“This project demonstrates what is possible when private landowners, conservation organizations, and community supporters share a long-term vision,” said Christie DeBoer, Executive Director of Wallkill Valley Land Trust. “We are honored to hold this easement and to help ensure that these lands remain wild, scenic, and cared for in perpetuity.”

“Over 40 years ago the SCL founders originally came upon this beautiful parcel when undeveloped land was easily available. We used 15-acres at its center for a cluster of residential lots, donated 5-acres to the DEC for a public boat launch and kept the remaining 180-acres undisturbed for the vast array of life forms residing there that accepted us as frequent guests.  We have held to this plan ever since, raising our families here while protecting the natural environment surrounding us.  More recently we turned to finding a way to continue to protect these 180-acres into the future.  Working with the Shawangunk Conservancy, we passed the 72-acres to the west of the cliffs to Mohonk Preserve.  We then began working with the Wallkill Valley Land Trust to craft a conservation easement on the remaining 108-acres that they would hold.  That agreement is now in place and we are most grateful to Mohonk Preserve and the Wallkill Valley Land Trust for seeing that our vision for this land will continue in perpetuity” from David M. Clark, SCL President. 

John Hayes, president of The Shawangunk Conservancy shared “With the combined total of 200 acres, this project preserves a key area of the ridge, a unique and fragile ecosystem as well as provides habitat for wildlife. Efforts to protect land on and adjacent to the Shawangunk Ridge are especially important in today’s climate of threats of development of private land along the ridge that would profoundly disturb the pristine beauty of the Shawangunks we all cherish and enjoy.”

Kevin Case, Mohonk Preserve stated: “This project represents the very best of long-term conservation—where patient stewardship, shared values, and strong partnerships come together to protect a critical piece of the Shawangunk Ridge forever. We are proud to work alongside Shawangunk Conglomerate LTD, Wallkill Valley Land Trust, and the Shawangunk Conservancy to ensure these lands remain wild, scenic, and resilient for generations to come.”

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