GREENPORT--Views north from Olana State Historic Site will be safeguarded permanently in their natural state, thanks to Scenic Hudson's purchase of a 102-acre plot of woodlands on the summit and along the ridge of Mt. Merino.

 

The plot is the largest remaining undeveloped parcel on the mountain, according to Scenic Hudson land conservation director Seth McKee. "The owner was prepared to sell, and we got wind of it," said Mr. McKee. "We got the property appraised and made him an offer, and it was acceptable."
      Mr. McKee said title to the land was in the name of Wall Street Brokerage Corporation. "The individual, the principal of that corporation purchased it in the 1980s, and he has talked about subdivision over the years into as many as 12 home sites with river views," said Mr. McKee. "We knew that we needed to act to save the land."
      He declined to name the individual whose corporation owns the property.
      The purchase adds to the 122 acres previously protected on Mt. Merino through conservation easements arranged by the Columbia Land Conservancy, and it brings to 1,248 acres the total lands Scenic Hudson has protected around Olana since 1992.
      "We are delighted," said Sara Griffen, president of The Olana Partnership. "This has been one of the most important views that we've always been concerned about."
      Some of the views have been re-opened recently, according to Ms. Griffen, during Olana's efforts to restore the original landscape designed by painter Frederic Church around his 19th century mansion. In addition to Church's work, the view was "painted endlessly," she said, by other artists of the Hudson River School.
      While her organization was not involved in negotiations to purchase the land on Mt. Merino, Ms. Griffen said representatives from Olana talk regularly with land conservation staff at Scenic Hudson.
      "A couple of years ago we got funding from [the state Department of Environmental Conservation] to do a computer model that would show us what views were most important for us to try to protect," said Ms. Griffen. "Mt. Merino was one of the top priorities, and we communicated that to Scenic Hudson."
      Ms. Griffen said Olana wants to be careful not to give the impression it wants to protect "every square inch of view within 10 miles" of the historic site, and that computer models were generated accordingly. "We very carefully chose a four-mile radius," said Ms. Griffen. "Then within that we chose to find very particular views that were the most important."
      Scenic Hudson has previously purchased scenic easements at Cherry Ridge Farms, which maintains an apple orchard across Route 9G from Olana, and a 90-acre vineyard directly to the south of the orchard.
      Mr. McKee says protecting the views from Olana has an importance that goes beyond aesthetics. "We're trying to save critical land with scenic, ecological and agricultural significance," he said. "It flies below the radar in economic development, but open and agricultural land play a significant role in bringing in money and tourism. If we can keep the surrounding area intact, it ensures that Olana remains a draw in the future."
      Scenic Hudson is currently collaborating on a campaign to Save the Land that Matters Most with other land trusts, governments, individuals and businesses. The goal is to protect 65,000 acres of land throughout the Hudson Valley with special attention to "iconic views" from parks, historic sites, and other prominent locations.
      "The property on Mt. Merino is emblematic of what we're trying to do," said Mr. McKee.
      "In my mind, this is a wonderful example of the kind of collaboration that Scenic Hudson and Olana have engaged in," said Ms. Griffen. "And we're incredibly grateful to Scenic Hudson for their commitment to preserving these key views from Olana."