CATS, Town of Lewis invite community to Twin Valleys

LEWIS | On July 16, Champlain Area Trails (CATS) and the Town of Lewis invited locals of all ages to experience the natural wonders of Twin Valleys. During the event, residents and visitors had the chance to explore the 675.5-acre property, which includes 12 sleeper cabins, a maintenance workshop, and a lodge with a great room, a commercial kitchen, and a bunkhouse with bathrooms. There's also an observatory that sits in front of a man-made pond, and a 15-mile trail system that fell into disrepair after the Moriah Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility in Mineville, responsible for maintaining the trails, officially closed in March 2022. Last October, College Auxiliary Services (CAS) at SUNY Plattsburgh reached an agreement with the community-supported non-profit and accredited land trust to sell its property that has long served as a hub for environmental education, hosting college programs, workshops, and events since 1944, when then-President Charles Ward first arranged to purchase the property from Mason's Lumber Company at $2 an acre. As partners, CATS and the Town of Lewis are now working together to ensure the property becomes a welcoming destination that benefits both local residents and visitors. "When I was elected in November, we met with CATS. We sat down, and they brought their vision," said Town of Lewis Supervisor Tim Pierce during the open house. "Now, we're working together to try to make that vision a reality." Now that the trails are fully accessible to residents and visitors, plans are underway to determine the future use of the buildings to enhance and expand their use in alignment with CATS' mission, which is to save land throughout the Champlain Valley, make/maintain trails for people of all ages, promote economic vitality, and connect people with nature. "With those four main pillars of our mission, we're taking a look at how we can use the buildings on site to support Champlain Area Trails' mission and to make a really nice resource for the community," said CATS Executive Director Arin Burdo. "We want to attract tourism, and we want to be part of good things happening in the local economy." Regardless of the outcome, a "forever-wild" conservation easement will keep Twin Valleys permanently undeveloped. CATS received assistance from Northeast Wilderness Trust, a regional land trust focused on wilderness conservation, in purchasing the property. This support came through the Wilderness Trust's Wildlands Partnership program, which offers guidance and funding to local land trusts to help protect their lands as forever wild. Through the partnership, the Northeast Wilderness Trust will hold a conservation easement on Twin Valleys, adding an extra layer of legal protection in addition to Champlain Area Trails' ownership of the land. This project continues the long-standing relationship between the non-profit and Northeast Wilderness Trust. "The forever-wild protection of Twin Valleys is a win for wildlife and people, and a testament to the longstanding relationship between CATS and Northeast Wilderness Trust," said Peter Mandych, land conservation director at the Northeast Wilderness Trust, in a press release. "This project embodies what the Wildlands Partnership is all about: collaboration between land trusts to deliver tangible results for local communities, biodiversity, and the climate." Since its founding in 2009, CATS has created and maintained over 100 miles of trails; conserved 3,000 acres of land through direct action and partnerships; and offered hundreds of hikes, outdoor education experiences, and volunteer opportunities that bring people outdoors and draw visitors to the region. "Our job is to save land, make trails, connect the community, and promote economic vitality in this area," said CATS Board of Directors Chair Hannah Provost during the open house, "and we see that Twin Valleys is really a keystone way that we might be able to do that and fulfill our mission." For more information, call 518-962-2287, email info@champlainareatrails.com, or visit champlainareatrails.com.

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CATS, Town of Lewis invite community to Twin Valleys

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