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The Putnam County property, contained in Patterson, is located next to the already-protected Cranberry Mountain Wildlife Management Area and includes ecologically important habitat and rare plants, the Westchester Land Trust announced.
One of these habitats is the 6,000-acre "Great Swamp," which is one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the state and serves as an important water source for New York City's water supply, according to the Westchester Land Trust, which now owns the property.
The land also contains a rare floating bog that serves as a home for endangered species, a 16-acre glacial spring-fed kettle pond, and the 991-foot Browns Mountain, officials from the Westchester Land said.
"The ecological value of this land cannot be overstated. Protecting this land within the surrounding conservation corridor ensures that wildlife and plants have access to the critical and unfragmented habitat they need to migrate and adapt to changing climate patterns," land project manager Gentian Falstrom said.
The property is not currently open to the public, but a public access plan that may include trails is "being assessed," Land Trust officials said.
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