Black Ash Swamp Protected

The Thousand Islands Land Trust has accepted the donation of 39 acres along Black Ash Creek in the town of Alexandria. Located near the town of Omar, the property contains open fields, a successional shrub land, and a wetland/swamp area. The property was once part of a larger farm which was divided when Interstate 81 was built in the mid 1960’s, and the abandoned fields returned to their natural state.

Black Ash Creek runs from Black Ash Swamp, also known as Omar Swamp, and drains into the St. Lawrence River near Fisher’s Landing. Black Ash Swamp is over 1300 acres of Class II wetlands and is home to many different species such as the Bald Eagle, Kingfishers, ducks, and geese, as well as muskrats, mink, beaver, amphibians and turtles.

This property was donated by Matthew Garlock of Alexandria Bay, and becomes an important conservation property for the land trust. Besides containing the largest area of open water along Black Ash Swamp, the property contains and is adjacent to large acreages of wetland habitat for migratory waterfowl and open grasslands for nesting grassland birds.

This generous donation allows the land trust to continue its mission to conserve natural beauty, wildlife habitats and recreational opportunities of the Thousand Islands region. Whether the land trust helps property owners make decisions for the future of their properties, or works with partners like Ducks Unlimited and Save The River to preserve habitat, or offers adventures on the land for all, it is committed to the future of the region, and to the people who live and visit here.

Photo by Jake Tibbles, Director of Stewardship, Thousand Islands Land Trust