By Jack McShane

Our land which is an old farmstead including deep forest, is now pretty much surrounded by open woodland purchased by the City of New York to protect the purity of the water consumed by its inhabitants. We view this as a good thing for a number of reasons: It increases the value of our acreage, it keeps our viewshed pristine, and it is a buffer against trespass. Just recently I noticed some new signs that were added to their normal posted signs, allowing multiple recreational activities. These are mostly at corners where hikers might come to. The signs signal what lies beyond is private land and to please respect it. I thought this was a significant effort by the City to keep and maintain good relations with private landowners in the watershed. Thank you NYCDEP.~