In an exciting advancement for land preservation and outdoor recreation, Champlain Area Trails (CATS) is proud to share a remarkable success story. Celebrating National Trails Day, June 1st, CATS announced the donation of a permanent trail easement for the Art Farm Trail near Wadhams. This achievement marks a transition from a temporary, “revocable” access arrangement to a permanent one, setting a groundbreaking precedent for the organization, which primarily has trails on private lands through revocable agreements.

This landmark accomplishment was made possible through the generosity and foresight of landowner Ted Cornell, a distinguished artist and theatrical director. Before selling his property, he granted the permanent trail easement to CATS, ensuring that the trail and its distinctive art – whimsical sculptures crafted from old farm equipment – would continue to be enjoyed by future generations.

Chris Maron, Executive Director of CATS, expressed his deep appreciation: “Ted Cornell’s gift is invaluable. His willingness to share his creativity and land with the public has preserved a unique cultural treasure and signaled a pivotal shift in our approach to conserving natural, cultural, and recreational resources for public enjoyment.”

The Art Farm Trail, a gem within the CATS network of over fifty trails totaling close to 100 miles in New York’s Champlain Valley, illustrates the potential for converting more temporary arrangements into permanent agreements through collaborative efforts with landowners. This is particularly significant when considering the difference between conservation and trail easements. A conservation easement is a legally binding agreement that permanently limits uses of the land to protect its conservation values, typically without specifying public access. A trail easement is a perpetual legal agreement designed to ensure public access along a defined pathway, so people can enjoy walking on trails to beautiful places, between communities, and outside in nature.

Since its founding in 2009, CATS has been a trail development and land conservation champion, securing close to 1,000 acres and developing nearly 100 miles of trails. Its work has conserved scenic and environmental resources in the Champlain Valley and enhanced community well-being and economic vitality by promoting outdoor recreation.

For more details on Champlain Area Trails and upcoming initiatives or to support the mission, please visit www.champlainareatrails.com.