About
The Glenmere Conservation Coalition is a non-profit educational organization, incorporated in 2007, to protect the Glenmere Watershed from several destructive development projects. Nine years of research, advocacy, and public outreach by the all-volunteer GCC saved the watershed from certain ecological destruction, at a time when the GCC's founders were advised by various agencies, "It's too late to do anything, the development is a done deal." The GCC is dedicated to promoting & preserving the cultural and natural history of the Glenmere Reservoir Lands. The Glenmere lands, approximately 2 square miles of hardwood swamp, shale ridgelines, wide marsh, mossy bogs, vernal pools and open-water reservoir, comprise one of the Hudson Valley’s most biodiverse parcels.
Such biodiversity, presenting in New York’s fastest-growing county, underscores the critical nature of Glenmere’s unique habitat. The Glenmere Reservoir lands are home to Bald Eagles, 6 species of hawk and 6 of owl. Endangered plant and animal species inhabit the Glenmere lands- in fact, New York State’s largest and virtually last population of endangered Northern Cricket Frogs inhabits the entire parcel. This is notable in that five meta-populations of this, New York's only State-listed "endangered" frog species are known to survive in New York and Glenmere's is, by far, the largest and healthiest of these meta-populations.
Glenmere straddles Orange County’s two largest watershed basins: The Wallkill, on its Western side, and the Moodna, on its East. The Glenmere Reservoir Lands include a ‘watershed ambiguous zone’ where small brooks split off into either watershed.
The GCC archives the history of the historic Goelet Mansion and estate, and sponsors biological and historical studies of the reservoir and associated lands.
The GCC recognizes a recent recommendation by the consultant to the Orange County Water Authority, to dedicate the county-owned reservoir lands as Orange County’s first County-owned Nature Preserve.
The group's educators lead guided paddle tours on the unique marshes of the reservoir, as well.
Glenmere Lake, and it’s surrounding Orange County owned property, is one of the most biodiverse wild communities in the Lower Hudson Valley.
Glenmere hosts NY State’s largest population of the NYS DEC-Listed "ENDANGERED" Northern Cricket Frog.
Several other species listed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as "Endangered" and "Threatened" also frequent Glenmere.
As a reservoir, Glenmere has been free of the polluting effects of petroleum fuels and lubricants.
Glenmere's shallow, 'weedy' water remains naturally super-filtered as the aquatic vegetation absorbs nitrates and phosphates from the water.
Glenmere is home to Orange County’s largest true bog, an area of floating islands of vegetation, with mature trees and shrubs growing on these floating, moving islets of sphangnum and lily-tubers.
The variety of waterfowl at Glenmere is remarkable, a nesting pair of Bald Eagles and several juvenile birds can be observed there, year-round.
The Glenmere bog is home to several species of Orchid, three types of carnivorous plant (including Pitcher Plant and Sundew sp.) and countless species of water lily and other emergent plants.
Over 45 individual species of Dragonfly and damselfly can be observed in Glenmere’s Bog, along with nesting Pied-Billed Grebes.
