New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently announced the acquisition of 284 acres at the former Babcock-Hovey Scout Camp in the Town of Ovid in Seneca County.
Located between Willard Wildlife Management Area and Bonavista State Park, the acquisition will provide protection for 2,800 feet of Seneca Lake shoreline.
The parcel includes cabins, lodges, a mess hall, a shooting range, a swimming pool, a fully stocked pond, and a dock on Seneca Lake. DEC says this parcel will be “managed for expanded recreational access, protection of critical drinking water sources, and enhancement of ecosystem resilience.”
Seneca Lake contains approximately 4.2 trillion gallons of water, almost as much as all the other Finger Lakes combined.
The lake serves as the drinking water supply for nearly 100,000 people, including the towns of Geneva, Watkins Glen, Waterloo and Ovid.
It’s hoped the protection of Babcock-Hovey will protect the lake from nutrient and sediment run-off related to development.
The property will be temporarily closed to visitors while infrastructure improvements are made DEC, but is expected to be open for public uses in the future.
Supported by the New York State Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act of 2022, DEC acquired the property for more than $5.9 million from Scouting America, formally known as the Boy Scouts of America.
The acquisition complements DEC’s Northern Finger Lakes Unit Management Plan and the New York State Open Space Conservation Plan.
Read more about the Finger Lakes.
Photo of Winter birds-eye view of the former Babcock-Hovey Scout Camp provided by DEC.
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