Land deal connects protected areas in Lake George’s north basin

Land conservancy preserves 93 acres near Anthony’s Nose, major tributary

By Zachary Matson

The Lake George Land Conservancy last month closed on an 86-acre purchase of undeveloped land in Glenburnie, rounding out a trio of deals this year that connect the land trust’s Anthony’s Nose and Sucker Brook preserves in the lake’s north basin.  

The three Adirondack Park purchases total a combined $1.6 million. They move 93 acres to the conservancy’s control, protecting undeveloped parcels in a corridor of preserved land that includes falcon and heron nests, wetlands, one of Lake George’s major tributaries and over 4,000 feet of lake shoreline.  

The conservancy for more than 25 years has protected land in this northeastern corner of the lake, where Anthony’s Nose, a prominent rocky mound, shelters Blairs Bay and Sucker Brook feeds the lake.   

The recent purchase includes 1,400 feet of Sucker Brook and adds to the conservancy’s 1,400 acres in the area, around one-fourth of its overall holdings in the Lake George watershed. 

“It really illustrates the power of sustained efforts of land conservation over time,” said Mike Horn, executive director of the land conservancy. The organization’s 1,078-acre Sucker Brook Preserve and 207-acre Anthony’s Nose Preserve are now linked with only a road corridor breaking the connection. 

The conservancy worked with the Glenburnie Cottagers Association to acquire the property while enabling the association to retain some private roads and common spaces.

 “After years of combined efforts, the Glenburnie community was thrilled to partner with the Lake George Land Conservancy to preserve this critical link,” Tom Badenoch, president of the cottagers association, said in a statement.  

The conservancy maintains trails on both of its preserves, including the steep but short hike to an overlook on Record Hill near Anthony’s Nose. Another 6.5 miles of trails wind through Sucker Brook Preserve. The purchase helps secure trail and parking access at Anthony’s Nose and could enable more sustainable trail design in the future, Horn said. 

Horn also emphasized the ecological benefits of the area’s protected lands. Peregrine falcons nest on the steep cliffs of Anthony’s Nose, and a network of wetlands and bogs cover around 250 acres of Sucker Brook Preserve. A state wildlife action plan identified the area as a wildlife corridor connecting Lake George and Lake Champlain as well as the Adirondacks and Green Mountains. 

The nonprofit worked with private landowners to add deed restrictions that limit future development and the land acquisition included a handful of building lots.  

“Absolutely there was development potential and that was part of the threat,” Horn said.