Humpo Marshlands and Forests ~ protected forever

September 28, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Humpo Marsh Conservation Project Secures Critical Wetlands, Wildlife Habitat and Iconic Shawangunk Views for Future Generations

New Paltz, NY – September 9, 2026: After years of conservation planning and partnership, the south Humpo Marshlands and surrounding forest are now permanently protected. On August 14, 2026, Mohonk Preserve purchased the 174-acre Humpo Marshlands and Forest property from the Open Space Institute (OSI), with the Wallkill Valley Land Trust holding a conservation easement over a portion of the property. The deal was made possible by the New Paltz Community Preservation Fund – a vital source of funding that helped permanently preserve the property’s wetlands, forests, wildlife habitat, and iconic Shawangunk Ridge views.

“The permanent protection of Humpo Marshlands and Forest is an investment in the future of our region, delivering lasting benefits for wildlife, water resources, climate resilience, and our community,” said Ellen M. Sticker, Acting President of Mohonk Preserve. “This project reflects the strength of partnership and a shared commitment to conservation, and we thank the Town of New Paltz for collaborating with the Preserve and partners on its first Community Preservation Fund project.  We are deeply grateful to everyone who helped make this achievement possible, and are honored to ensure its wetlands, forests, wildlife habitat, and scenic beauty are protected for future generations.”

“Few conservation successes are possible without landowners who care deeply for the places entrusted to them,” noted Ed Pestone, Associate Director of Land Protection & GIS at Mohonk Preserve. “After generations of stewardship by the Jenkins-Nichols family, the permanent protection of Humpo Marshlands and Forest will help ensure that its wetlands, forests, wildlife habitat, and scenic character are conserved for future generations. This project reflects what can be accomplished when landowners, conservation organizations, and community partners come together to secure the permanent protection of a landscape that is important to wildlife, water resources, and the community.”

The property was initially acquired by OSI in January 2026 from the Jenkins-Nichols family, whose stewardship of the land spanned nearly two centuries. Through a collaborative effort involving private funders, OSI, Mohonk Preserve, the Town of New Paltz, and the Wallkill Valley Land Trust (WVLT), the landscape has been protected through a combination of acquisition, conservation easements, and long-term stewardship. Each organization played a crucial and irreplaceable role in this project.

“OSI is proud to have permanently protected the Humpo Marshlands property with our partners, conserving a vital local landscape,” said Matt Decker, OSI Northeast Senior Land Project Manager. “As OSI marks 40,000 acres protected along the Shawangunk Ridge, we applaud New Paltz’s use of Community Preservation Funds to advance locally-led conservation projects with lasting benefits, including the Humpo Marsh project. We are thrilled to see this property move into the long-term care of Mohonk Preserve and the Wallkill Valley Land Trust —ensuring that this important place will endure and thrive for generations to come.”

“At WVLT, our work is ultimately about keeping promises to the land and to the communities that care about it,” said Christie DeBoer, Executive Director of the Wallkill Valley Land Trust. “By holding the conservation easement on Humpo Marshlands and Forest, we are making a permanent commitment to steward and defend the protections put in place today, for generations to come. We are especially grateful that New Paltz’s Community Preservation Fund helped make this possible as this highlights what can happen when a community decides that protecting the places it loves is worth investing in.”

The Humpo Marshlands and Forest project also represents the first major use of the Town of New Paltz Community Preservation Fund (CPF), a voter-approved funding program dedicated to protecting important natural, agricultural, and historic resources. As the first Community Preservation Fund established in Ulster County, the CPF has created a new model for conservation investment in the region. The Humpo Marshlands and Forest project stands as an early example of the CPF at work, bringing together local government, conservation organizations, funders, and community supporters around a shared vision to protect what communities value most.

“Thanks to New Paltz voters who approved the creation of a fund to protect our community’s open space, farms, forests and clean water, the Town was able to help bring this preservation project about. This project does ‘all of the above’ and is a great example of what is possible using the CPF,” said Tim Rogers, New Paltz Town Supervisor.

“The CPF Board is proud and very happy to have worked so successfully with our outstanding conservation partners to protect this important part of the New Paltz landscape, and meeting preservation goals the community has set for itself,” added Cara Lee, Chair of the New Paltz Community Preservation Advisory Board.

“Community Preservation Funds give towns the tools to safeguard unique natural, historic, agricultural, and scenic resources for the benefit of current and future generations,” said Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger. “Congratulations to the Town of New Paltz and all of the project partners for bringing their resources and expertise together to protect the Humpo Marshlands and Forests. The benefits these lands provide, particularly as our climate changes, are irreplaceable. I applaud everyone involved for not only protecting this remarkable property, but also for making a commitment to its long-term stewardship.”

Together with neighboring protected lands, this property strengthens a regional conservation corridor along the Shawangunk Ridge while preserving the scenic character of New Paltz, Gardiner, and the surrounding area. Its extensive wetlands help reduce downstream flooding, improve water quality, and recharge groundwater resources, while providing critical habitat for birds, amphibians, pollinators, and other wildlife.

Under Mohonk Preserve’s ownership, the property will serve as an important site for conservation and climate resilience, with the opportunity for sustainable public access in the future. The Preserve prioritizes the use of ecological knowledge to drive land conservation and management decisions and is currently undertaking multiple land protection projects in the Humpo and Kleine Kill watersheds to improve water quality and quantity that align with the protection of this property.

Mohonk Preserve extends its gratitude to OSI, Wallkill Valley Land Trust, the Town of New Paltz, the Town of Gardiner, the Jenkins-Nichols family, and the many supporters whose commitment helped bring this project to fruition. Special thanks are extended to The Nature Conservancy for its financial support. Mohonk Preserve’s acquisition was supported by a $30,000 grant from The Nature Conservancy’s New York Climate Resilience Program, recognizing the important role landscapes like Humpo Marshlands and Forest play in supporting biodiversity, improving water quality, reducing flood risk, and strengthening climate resilience.

Project partners, elected officials, donors, and supporters will gather to celebrate the successful protection of Humpo Marshlands and Forest and the collective effort that ensures this remarkable landscape will remain cared for and protected for generations to come.

 

Open space protection is forever, please consider donating to help the Wallkill Valley Land Trust with this permanent obligation. 

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