TOWN OF WARWICK, NY — September 1, 2026 — The Town of Warwick has taken two major steps forward for conservation this month, preserving nearly 400 acres of open space through a pair of landmark projects: the protection of a new 316-acre public park along the New York-New Jersey border in partnership with the Open Space Institute (OSI), and separately the permanent preservation of the historic 62 acre Burt Farm as protected farmland.
Together, the projects deliver wins for public recreation, clean water, wildlife habitat, and the preservation of Warwick’s agricultural heritage — reinforcing the Town’s decades-long commitment to open space.
“Land preservation and open space are fundamental to Warwick’s identity and to the quality of life we work so hard to protect,” said Warwick Town Supervisor Jesse Dwyer. “Preserving these lands is about more than protecting beautiful landscapes — it is about safeguarding our rural character, protecting natural resources, and ensuring residents have meaningful access to the outdoors. As our community continues to grow, these investments become even more important. This is the kind of lasting investment that will help ensure Warwick remains the special place we know and love.”
New 316-Acre Public Park on the NY-NJ Border
The Open Space Institute and Town of Warwick have announced the protection of nearly 320 acres along the New York-New Jersey border, delivering benefits for outdoor recreation, wildlife, and clean water in the heart of a federally designated conservation focus area.
Purchased by OSI for $3.4 million on August 7 from Warwick Conference Center, Inc., the 316-acre property will ultimately be conveyed to the Town of Warwick, which plans to create a new public park there. Existing trails will open to the public, with additional infrastructure planned to make the park welcoming for residents and visitors. During OSI’s ownership, the property will remain closed to the public until a parking area is established.
The site lies nearly adjacent to Wawayanda State Park in New Jersey and less than a mile from the Appalachian Trail, creating opportunities to link the property’s trails to Wawayanda and beyond.
“Orange County is a special place to everyone who is lucky enough to experience it,” said Matt Decker, OSI Land Project Manager. “OSI is grateful to the Town of Warwick and the Warwick Conference Center for this effort to bring people closer to nature and demonstrate what can be achieved when we work together.”
“The Board of the Warwick Conference Center was pleased to partner with the Town of Warwick and OSI to conserve this land,” said Roger Vander Plaat, member of the Warwick Conference Center board and chair of the committee which managed the sale. “We are very happy that this property will stay natural and scenic, and bring joy to so many people for years to come.”
Warwick Conference Center, Inc. retained its buildings and 140 acres of the property; proceeds from the sale will support its continued conference and summer camp operations. The buildings, including Mulder Chapel, will not be part of the future town park and will not be open to the public.
The property sits within the federally designated Highlands Conservation Area, a 3.4-million-acre region spanning New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut that serves as a key wildlife corridor and clean-water priority. Three streams on the property feed into Wawayanda Creek, the Wallkill River, and ultimately the Hudson River, helping filter runoff before it reaches downstream communities.
Historic Burt Farm Preserved as Protected Farmland
The Town of Warwick has also permanently preserved the historic Burt Farm, protecting 62 acres of farmland purchasing the land’s development rights through a permanent easement, funded in part by Warwick’s Community Preservation Fund and a $323,000 grant from the US Department of Agriculture, ensuring the land remains in agricultural use and undeveloped for future generations.
“The family has been on The Burt Farm since 1760. As the 7th generation steward, I felt it was important to preserve the land for future generations as well as maintaining a greenway to the Village of Warwick.” Said landowner Donald R. McFarland. “This conservation easement provides the foundation for sustaining the property for those future generations. I am proud to be able to take this step in preserving farmland in the Town of Warwick.”
The farm traces its roots to the family of James Burt (1761–1852), a Lieutenant in the Revolutionary War who later served as a New York State Assemblyman and Senator from 1797 to 1826. The Burt Farm was part of the agricultural landscape that developed in the Warwick Valley during the colonial period, when local farms operated as largely self-sufficient mixed-use operations — producing food for the household while also supplying nearby settlements and military forces.
Jesse Dwyer said “The Burt Farm, owned by the McFarland family, is more than a working farm—it is part of the gateway to the historic Village of Warwick and an important piece of the rural landscape that defines our community. By permanently securing the development rights to this property, we are ensuring that this land will remain open and productive rather than giving way to future development. With more than 5,000 acres of working farms and open space now preserved throughout Warwick, this acquisition represents another significant step in the Town Board’s long-term commitment to protect our agricultural heritage, preserve our rural character, and prevent suburban sprawl from changing the community we call home. Land preservation is not simply about protecting individual properties; it is about thoughtfully shaping Warwick’s future and ensuring that the character of our Town is protected for generations to come.”
