Residents and legislators in Rensselaer County this week have been discussing a new plan that will allow the use of federal U.S. Forest Service funds to purchase nearly 200,000 acres of land in eastern Rensselaer County. Known as Rensselaer Plateau, the site is almost entirely forestlands. 

The Rensselaer Plateau includes natural areas like the Black River Pond.The program, known as Forest Legacy, has been in operation since 1991. Other successful programs have been carried out across the state of New York and across the United States.

The proposal comes at a time when local residents are weary of additional taxes and restrictions on the use of land for recreational activities. However, Rensselaer County Executive Kathleen Jimino claims no such restrictions will be put into place and points to a similar project that has proved to be successful in the Taconic Ridge Forest.

Jimino told The Times Union that the federal program specifically protects activities such as "public access, hiking, camping, hunting, timber harvesting, trapping, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing."

The Forest Legacy coordinator for the state Department of Environmental Conservation, McCrea Burnham, stressed that the program will be completely voluntary. Private citizens will not be forced to sell land or development rights to the state. The program will access federal funds to compensate private citizens.

Locations for the program are selected based on where development is threatening wildlife habitat and natural areas. The Rensselaer Plateau, which crosses Rensselaer, Washington and Columbia counties, also provides drinking water for more than 100,000 people.