Opening of New Trails on Land to be Added to Robert H. Treman State Park

Ithaca, NY—The Finger Lakes Land Trust (FLLT) and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation today announced the formal opening of a 140-acre property adjacent to Robert H. Treman State Park in the town of Enfield, Tompkins County. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Friday, October 18, to celebrate the opening of the property, known as Margaret's Woods, for public access.

The parcel was donated to the FLLT in 2022 by the late Margaret Bald, a Tompkins County resident whose family owned the property since 1950. The addition of these acres also supports the state's goal to conserve 30 percent of its lands and waters by 2030, in line with the global 30x30 initiative to protect the world's lands and waters.

To honor Margaret's wishes for her land to be conserved, the FLLT will donate the property to the New York State Office of Parks Recreation & Historic Preservation as an addition to Robert H. Treman State Park. This generous gift follows a tradition of philanthropy started by Mr. Treman who donated hundreds of acres to establish the park, originally known as Enfield Glen State Park. 2024 marks the centennial of the establishment of New York State Parks as a statewide system and the 100th anniversary of the opening of Robert H. Treman State Park.

Margaret's Woods features a mix of fields and forest which contain many high-quality sugar maples and hickories. Over the course of the summer, FLLT staff and volunteers installed a 1.4-mile trail system on the parcel which now connects to the Finger Lakes Trail within the state park.

State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said, "As we continue celebrating the Centennial of the state park system, we are thrilled to see this future expansion of Robert H. Treman State Park. In the philanthropic spirit of the Treman Family, we are grateful for the generosity of Margaret Bald and her family and to the Finger Lakes Land Trust for their continued partnership and conservation efforts so that future generations can continue to benefit from these natural resources and recreational opportunities."

"This is truly an incredible gift," said Finger Lakes Land Trust President Andrew Zepp. "Margaret's land is a wonderful addition to the Emerald Necklace—a growing network of conserved land that extends in an arc around Ithaca. We are honored to have a role in helping to continue her tradition of stewardship." 

For close to thirty years, local forester Mike DeMunn, who was a friend of Margaret's, was the caretaker and forest manager of her woodlands. "These woods are very special to me, and I put so much care into the health of the trees," Mike said. "Now I can rest easy that they will remain into old age. I'm so thankful that it will be protected."

"The Finger Lakes Land Trust continues to partner with other conservation groups to add to our rich local natural landscape," said Cayuga Trails Club President Polley McClure. "This addition of 140 acres with nearly 1.5 miles of trails to be part of Robert H. Treman State Park is wonderful! The trail connects to the Finger Lakes Trail and is accessible from the road. I am sure our hikers will be out exploring as soon as it is open."

Margaret's Woods can now be accessed from a trailhead on Stonehouse Road in Enfield and is open year-round from dawn to dusk for low-impact recreational activities such as walking, hiking, and nature observation.

By working cooperatively with landowners and local communities, the Finger Lakes Land Trust has protected over 33,000 acres of the region's undeveloped lakeshore, rugged gorges, rolling forest, and scenic farmland. The FLLT owns and manages a network of over 45 nature preserves that are open to the public and holds perpetual conservation easements on 200 properties that remain in private ownership.

The FLLT focuses on protecting critical habitat for fish and wildlife, conserving lands that are important for water quality, connecting existing conservation lands, and keeping prime farmland in agriculture. The organization also provides programs to educate local governments, landowners, and residents about conservation and the region's unique natural resources. 

Information on the region's premier destinations for outdoor recreation, including Robert H. Treman State Park, may be found at www.gofingerlakes.org, a resource created by the FLLT to encourage people to get outdoors. Additional information about the Finger Lakes Land Trust may be found at www.fllt.org.