Governor Pataki Announces Agreement to Protect More than 104,000 Acres of Adirondack Forestland
State to Acquire Conservation Easements on Former Domtar Industries Land
Third Largest Land Agreement in State History

Partnership with the Nature Conservancy and Lyme Timber to Preserve Working Forests Will Create New Public Recreational Opportunities and Support Local Economy Governor George E. Pataki today announced that the State has reached agreement with The Nature Conservancy and Lyme Timber Company to ensure the protection of 104,000 acres of Adirondack forestland formerly owned by Domtar Industries, Inc. in the "Sable Highlands" region of Clinton and Franklin counties. The State will acquire working forest easements on more than 84,000 acres and will eventually acquire an additional 20,000 acres purchased from Domtar by The Nature Conservancy.

"During the past ten years, New York has led the nation in land conservation efforts, successfully protecting nearly 800,000 acres of open space for future generations," Governor Pataki said. "Today's agreement marks another milestone in our protection of the Adirondack Park that will preserve more than one hundred thousand acres of prime forestland and open up new public recreational access, while continuing to sustain a critical aspect of the North Country's economy. "With today's announcement, we are well on our way to fulfilling the ambitious goal I set in 2002 to protect more than one million acres within ten years. Our success has been made possible through innovative partnerships with the private sector and numerous land conservation organizations. I'd like to thank our partners at the Nature Conservancy, Domtar and Lyme Timber for making this landmark agreement a reality," the Governor added.

The agreement represents the third largest land acquisition in State history. With today's announcement, the Governor has committed to the protection of more than 900,000 acres of land across New York since 1995. The State's unprecedented open space conservation program has resulted in nearly a 20 percent increase in State protected open space during this time period and an enduring outdoor legacy for all New Yorkers.

Senator Betty Little said, "I'm sure many people will be excited by the vast new recreational opportunities this land deal will create for area residents and tourists. "It's a balanced plan that also will help sustain a critical component of our North Country economy, timber harvesting, while ensuring property taxes critical to local governments continue to be paid." Assemblyman Chris Ortloff said, "This agreement marks major progress on two important recreational-use issues, namely the future of hunting clubs and the future development of All-Terrain Vehicle trails. I am pleased that all the hunting club leases will be retained, which will automatically enlist hundreds of hunters in the stewardship of the land. I am even more pleased that the state has secured the rights for all motorized uses, including possible ATV use, putting the future of an ATV trail system on these lands entirely within public decision-making rather than leaving it at the whim of the timber land owners."

The Lyme Timber Company, a private timber investment company headquartered in Hanover, New Hampshire, has purchased 84,448 acres of forestland from Domtar Industries and will continue harvesting timber on the property. Under the agreement announced today, New York State will acquire a working forest conservation easement on more than 84,000 acres of these lands that will require sustainable forest management and timber harvesting, prohibit residential development and restrict subdivision, and create a balance of public recreational access and continued traditional private recreational leasing on the property.

Also as part of the agreement, The Nature Conservancy has purchased 19,960 acres of the remaining Domtar property, which it will hold for ultimate transfer to the State. Of these lands, 16,918 acres will be added to the State Forest Preserve including Lyon Mountain and its State fire tower, the highest peak in the northern region of the Park, and a portion of Ellenberg Mountain. The remaining 3,042 acres, located in the Town of Dannemora, will become State Forest land. The State will pay up to fair market value for the property, with the price to be determined by a State-administered appraisal process. Local property taxes will continue to be paid on all of the properties.
Tom Morrow, The Lyme Timber Company's Director of Forestland Investment, said, "The Lyme Timber Company is pleased to be the new owner of this substantial timberland holding. We expect the transition to be seamless to the local communities. Lyme will continue sustainable forestry operations and regular timber harvests, which are important to the local economy. We also have a great deal of experience managing conservation easement lands and look forward to working with The Nature Conservancy and New York State to ensure public access to a portion of the lands, while also keeping intact the long tradition of leasing to hunt clubs."

Raymond Royer, Domtar President and Chief Executive Officer said, "Domtar acquired these lands in 1962 and we have been good stewards of the property. We are extremely pleased with the partnership between Domtar, The Nature Conservancy, Lyme Timber and the State of New York to continue this stewardship. At the same time, this land will remain productive forestland, supporting local jobs and the important forest products economy. With this in mind, Domtar and Lyme have entered into a 20-year fiber supply agreement that guarantees continued timber harvests and the jobs associated with them. In addition, new recreational access will make these lands available for outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy. We are especially pleased that Lyme will continue to maintain certification under the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)."

Henry Tepper, Director of the Nature Conservancy of New York, said, "In the last five years alone, Governor Pataki and New York State have secured a tremendous natural legacy of protected lands for current and future generations. The Conservancy is honored to work with them on the Sable Highlands Project, adding to other successful collaborations in the region that include protecting 26,500 acres in the western/central Adirondacks, 5,000 acres at Camp Cedarlands, and 45,000 acres on the Tug Hill Plateau." Brian Houseal, Executive Director of the Adirondack Council, said, "We congratulate the Pataki Administration for completing this complex, but important, conservation agreement in the northeastern Adirondacks. The Governor has turned this challenge into an opportunity to keep these forests undeveloped and unbroken, providing jobs for Park residents and homes for resident wildlife and some additional snowmobile trails to help the winter economy. From Champion, to International Paper, to Whitney Industries, to Domtar, the Governor has created the finest forestland conservation legacy in the history of New York State."

The agreement provides full public recreation rights to more than 47,000 acres of lands and waters that are not under public lease agreement and have not previously been open to the public. Public recreational opportunities will include hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Partial public recreation rights, including opening more than 44 miles of recreational corridors for public motorized access, will be acquired on more than 56,000 acres of Lyme Timber's lands that are currently leased to private hunting clubs. The agreement also permanently secures public hiking trails on Lyon Mountain, Owls Head, and the Norton Range. The State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will prepare management plans to administer public uses of the property.

"Once again, Governor Pataki is tangibly demonstrating that, under his leadership, environmental protection and economic opportunity are compatible goals," DEC Commissioner Erin M. Crotty said. "This is another huge victory for the residents and visitors to the Adirondack Park through the preservation of our critically important forest products industry, creation of exciting new outdoor recreational opportunities, and the enhancement to the local tax base." Lyme Timber is retaining the right to maintain private recreational leases, and no hunting clubs on Lyme Timber's land will be eliminated. Public access to leased lands will be allowed on several long-distance roads and trails designated for public use by snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles.

Lyme Timber will hire between 30 and 50 foresters, loggers, and truckers to harvest and transport timber from its 84,040-acre working forest ownership, maintaining jobs for contractors previously employed by Domtar. The jobs, in turn, support a variety of forest products businesses in the Adirondack region, including log buyers, sawmills and equipment sales. Lyme Timber will continue active sustainable timber harvesting without any interruption.

Since 2000, Domtar's lands have been enrolled in the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) forest certification program, an independent entity that certifies adherence to a comprehensive set of sustainable forestry requirements. The easement the State will acquire requires Lyme Timber to maintain FSC certification or another independently audited certification system, assuring that timber harvesting on the land is conducted in a sustainable and environmentally-sound manner.
The agreement protects habitat for a wide array of mammals, such as moose, black bear, and pine marten, as well as forest nesting birds such as warblers and thrushes, and pristine streams that harbor native brook trout and other fish species. It also ensures the conservation of significant wetlands, high rocky summits, and extensive northern hardwood and spruce-fir ecosystems.

The Lyme Timber Company is a twenty-nine year old limited partnership which invests in timberland, commercial real estate and other rural real estate for its own account and in partnership with clients. The firm specializes in the acquisition of large forest tracts with identified conservation values and has an extensive track record of investments in New England, the Midwest and the Southeast. In 2002, the Company organized the Lyme Northern Forest Fund, LP. This conservation-oriented timberland investment Fund has purchased the Domtar property and owns other high conservation value forests in New Hampshire, Maine and Pennsylvania.

The world's largest private conservation organization, The Nature Conservancy manages 180 nature preserves across New York and more than 2,000 nature preserves in the United States. With the support of over 67,000 members, the Conservancy has protected more than 428,000 acres of threatened lands and waters in New York State alone since 1951. The Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy was established in 1971 and works in partnership with the Adirondack Land Trust to conserve lands important to the ecological diversity and quality of life of the Adirondack region, including working farms and forests.

Domtar, based in Montreal, Canada, is the third largest producer of uncoated freesheet paper in North America. It is also a leading manufacturer and distributor of business papers, commercial printing and publication papers, and technical and specialty papers. Domtar manages according to internationally recognized standards 22 million acres of forest land in Canada and the United States, and produces lumber and other wood products. Domtar has more than 10,000 employees across North America, including 3,000 working at five pulp and paper mills in the United States. The company also has a 50% investment interest in Norampac, Inc., a producer of containerboard.