History of Organization

A Preserve for Nature; A Park for People

The beginnings of the Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park date back to the 1980s.  At that time, The Nature Conservancy and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation were working in the towns of Wilton and Northumberland to identify and monitor populations of the endangered Karner blue butterfly.

Then, in 1996, a 1.1 acre parcel harboring the Karner blue butterfly was being auctioned off by Saratoga County.  The Nature Conservancy approached the Town of Wilton and asked if the Town would take ownership of the property and transfer it to The Nature Conservancy.

The town supervisor at the time, Roy McDonald, said yes.  In fact, he said, not only would the town take the step to protect that initial parcel, but that 1.1 acre would be the beginning of a 3,000 acre preserve for the butterfly and a park for people.

That was the beginning of a partnership between the Town of Wilton, The Nature Conservancy, and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and through that partnership, Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park was founded.  From the very beginning, the focus of the organization has been conservation, environmental education, and outdoor recreation.

The partners created an advisory board comprised of representatives and interested local citizens. The group became incorporated in New York State in 1998 and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in 2001. Saratoga County joined the partnership a few years later.

Today, there is an active Board of Directors made up of dedicated area citizens.  The mission statement guides the organization’s actions.

Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park’s mission is to provide opportunities for environmental education and outdoor recreation while supporting the conservation of ecological systems and natural settings. We do this in partnership with the landowners; the Town of Wilton, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Saratoga County, and The Nature Conservancy.