The state purchased the parkland from the Trust for Public Land,which negotiated the agreement along with the Open Space Institute.The $17-million purchase is being funded through the state'sEnvironmental Protection Fund. The new parkland comprises theAwosting Reserve property located here and in the towns ofWarwarsing and Shawangunk. The property is at the base ofShawangunk Mountain Ridge and occupies the southern slopes leadingup to Minnewaska State Park and Mohonk Preserves.

"The loss of this land to development would have been atragedy," Trust for Public Land senior vice president Rose Harveycomments. "It would have forever changed the face of the ridge."The Awosting Preserve land purchase follows several land additionsto Minnewaska State Park in the last few years totaling 1,793acres. The park a now includes 16,400 acres, an increase of 4,311acres since 2000.