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Protectors of Pine Oak Woods • Message from the
President |
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Pouch Camp—Good News by Dominick Durso The Greater New York Councils, Boy Scouts of America announced that it
has entered into an agreement through negotiations with the Trust for Public
Land, a national conservation organization, to permanently protect 94.8 acres
of Pouch Camp. The protection of Pouch Camp is crucial to the preservation of
Staten Island’s Greenbelt. The conservation of Pouch Camp will come in two phases
(see the map at siprotectors.org).The first phase will protect the 43.9 acre
core of the camp, including Berlin Lodge and the majority of the shoreline
surrounding Orbach Lake. This will be protected
with a conservation easement which will allow the Boy Scouts perpetual use of
the core. This phase is expected to be completed in the summer of 2012
contingent upon TPL’s securing the necessary funding. The second phase will be the outright purchase of an
additional 50.9 acres of woodlands abutting High Rock Park, and portions of
the blue and yellow Greenbelt trails that overlook the Richmond County
Country Club Golf Course. Contingent again upon TPL’s securing the funds, this phase is expected to be completed by the
summer of 2013. In addition, there will be a management plan for this phase
which would allow the Boy Scouts to maintain use of the existing cabins and
trails, while also allowing for public access to this 50.9 acre parcel. TPL will work with private donors, federal, state and
local agencies to secure the necessary funds for Phases I and II. The
purchase prices agreed upon are $5 million for the 43.9 acre Phase I and
$12.5 million for
the 50.9 acre Phase II parcel. The 25 acre Camporee field will remain the
property of the Greater New York Council, and be used as it currently is for
scouting events. It is not, however, protected from development. The
Committee to Save Pouch Camp, including the Greenbelt Conservancy and
Protectors of Pine Oak Woods, will also seek ways to raise funds. The Committee will also continue to keep a spotlight on
Pouch Camp until all the funds are committed and available and Pouch Camp is
fully preserved. On September 24, the Committee enlisted the help of Time
Warner’s Cable TV to host a second clean up of
Pouch, to be aired on its Outdoor channel. Members of Protectors board led
groups of volunteers, on behalf of the Committee, in the clean
up of the trails throughout Pouch, as well as the removal of invasive
species. The restoration and clean up had the added
benefit of showing the volunteers the magnificent woodlands and wetlands of
Pouch Camp. —Dominick Durso |
©2011 PPOW