Rose Valley Forest: Extending a Conservation Legacy
Brothers Henry and Gordon MacAdam first worked with the Conservancy in 2012 to place a conservation easement on 25.6 acres of their historic family homestead, originally acquired by their maternal great-grandmother in 1874. Their positive experience partnering with the Conservancy and stewarding the land over the past twelve years motivated them to extend their conservation legacy and protect another 18.4 adjacent acres in 2024.
Known as Rose Valley Forest, the land has been owned by the MacAdam family for 150 years. The brothers grew up on the property, and, now octogenarians, they recognized that no other family members would return to live there. By working with the Conservancy, they wanted to ensure it would remain protected for future generations, regardless of ownership.
The conservation easement that protects this Sullivan County, NY property ensures that their cherished family lands will continue to provide healthy habitat for wildlife and support the unique rural character of the region while protecting the property from development and subdivision.
“We are proud to work with local landowners like the MacAdam family to help them reach their conservation goals for their property,” stated Conservancy Executive Director Diane Rosencrance. “Protected lands are key to the resiliency and sustainability of our region, now and for future generations.”
The property is privately owned and is not open to the public. A conservation easement is a voluntary, legally binding agreement between a landowner and a land trust that permanently protects a property’s natural values while the landowner continues to own and manage the land, subject to the permitted uses detailed in the easement.
This project was supported with grant funding from the Delaware River Watershed Initiative of the William Penn Foundation.