Baltimore Woods’ land buy is phase 1 of expansion campaign

MARCELLUS, N.Y. — Baltimore Woods Nature Center is looking ahead to the next phases of its multi-year expansion campaign after its purchase of 90 additional acres of land adjacent to the existing preserve, expanding to 272 acres. 

Baltimore Woods three years ago launched the multi-year, $1 million “Expanding Boundaries Campaign,” which is focused on creating new opportunities for outdoor recreation, environmental education, and research for the Central New York region. 

The acquisition of the additional land represents the “first milestone,” or phase one in the campaign, “serving as a foundation for continued growth of the organization as well as the opportunities for people of all ages to connect to nature in every season.” 

Baltimore Woods Nature Center bought the additional land from Bishop Hill Ventures in a deal that closed on March 30, Stacy Drake, marketing coordinator at Baltimore Woods, tells CNYBJ in an email. The nonprofit declined to disclose how much it paid for the additional land.

The 90 added acres aren’t yet open to the public, but the nature center expects to unveil the first hiking trail on the new land sometime in June, Baltimore Woods said in its April 4 announcement.

The deal means the extension of more than six miles of trails that are open to the community year-round and “increases the diversity of conserved ecosystems and habitats” including forests, fields, streams, ponds, and wetlands, Baltimore Woods contends.

The second phase of the ongoing campaign includes establishment of an endowment for stewardship of this new property, an expansion of the John A. Weeks Interpretive Center at Baltimore Woods, and development of new trails and amenities on the expanded acreage.

“One of the most amazing things about this acquisition process has been getting to partner with so many organizations and individuals who believed in this project,” Whitney Lash-Marshall, executive director of Baltimore Woods, said in a statement. “We have heard stories from people who have been a part of Baltimore Woods since it began and have shared the preserve with multiple generations of family members and friends. As we integrate this new land into the current preserve, we hope that long into the future it will continue to serve as a special place for everyone to experience the many benefits of time spent out in nature.”

Baltimore Woods Nature Center, founded in 1966, is located at 4007 Bishop Hill Road in Marcellus. The organization’s mission is to foster lasting stewardship of the natural world by offering immersive programs and a place in Central New York for everyone to cultivate appreciation and personal connections to nature through environmental education, recreation, play, and research.