From the Mayor’s Office –
Robin Brae Nature Conservancy

From the Mayor’s Office
August 15, 2024
Environmental Conservatory
Robin Brae Nature Conservancy

I am pleased to announce the purchase of a 2-acre parcel adjacent to Lewis Woodlands on Robin Brae. The property is a gift to the Village from the property owners Marina Case and Jeffrey Alario and the Town of Warwick Community Protection Funds. We are grateful for this generous gift that ensures that this property will remain natural and protected.

The property is part of the former Fowler Estate and borders Witches’ Creek and Lewis Woodlands. Witches’ Creek is a tributary of the Wawayanda Stream that runs through the center of the Village. The Witches’ Creek stream corridor begins in springs near Ackerman Road and meanders through woodlands and wetlands; it is home to an incredible biodiversity of plants, animals and amphibians.  The 2-acre parcel is predominantly wetland which is mirrored by wetlands that are currently Village Park property.

If you are not familiar with Lewis Woodlands, it is a 14-acre (now 16-acre) park given to the Village as a gift in 2004 by the Orange and Dutchess Garden Club. It is a wooded park with trails and is the remnant of what was an expansive estate called Belair. For many who discover the Woodlands, they are shocked that it is so close to the center of the Village.

Land protection comes in many forms. We recognized this parcel as an important addition to the natural environment that is part of the Village experience. Again, thank you to Ms. Marina Case, Mr. Jeffrey Alario and the Town of Warwick for this wonderful gift.

The next Village Board meeting is Monday, August 19, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. at Village Hall, 77 Main Street, Warwick, NY 10990.