This property is
located on the north side of Upper
Shad Road and is the entrance to the Zofnass
Family Preserve and the Westchester Wilderness Walk .... Our finest trail
system, the Wilderness Walk is over 8 miles in length running through over 100
acres of land protected by WLT through easements and land donations. This
donation is an essential part of the Wilderness Walk as the trail runs directly
through the unprotected area and this donation will further protect the
property ...
The habitat consists of mature forested uplands and a large, forested wetland system. The upland forest is dominated by American beech, black oak, red oak, and white oak with rocky outcroppings and slopping hillsides. The forested wetland system is a permanent swamp dominated by red maple, sweet birch, with a shrubby understory of sweet pepperbush, spicebush and highbush blueberry. The swamp appears to be very good habitat for pool-breeding amphibians such as wood frogs, mole salamanders and four-toed salamanders and may be good habitat for spotted turtles. All of these species are declining and rely on the surrounding upland like this one which will be protected by this donation. The swamp is also very important to bird species in the area.
The donation of this property will protect important conservation values. This donation protects significant relatively natural habitat for many plant and animal species native to the area. Other properties contiguous to the property have been preserved by Westchester Land Trust. The protection of the property through this donation therefore creates an extensive corridor of protection for diverse wildlife species. These wetland and upland systems are important to regional bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian and insect species and this donation helps preserve the mosaic of habitats important to these species. The property is in the watershed for the Mianus River which flows into the Bargh Reservoir to the south and provides drinking water to the people of Greenwich, CT. This donation preserves open space ... for scenic enjoyment and will yield significant public benefit by preserving the views from Upper Shad Road, a busy rural roadway, and views from hikers using the Westchester Wilderness Walk.
Like many of WLT preserves, this property will continue to be maintained as a wildlife preserve with passive public recreation use in the form of hiking trails.