Levy, Nowick to Announce Acquisition of Kings Park Wetlands Area

Suffolk Officials Say Acquisition of 6.5-Acre Tract is Part of Overall Plan to Preserve 100 Acres of Neighboring Oak Forest

Hauppauge, NY – Suffolk Executive Steve Levy and County Legislator Lynne Nowick will be joined by state and town officials, as well as community advocates and environmentalists, as they announce the acquisition tomorrow of 6.5 acres of environmentally sensitive wetlands located in the Nissequogue River watershed region.

 “This acquisition is a major step forward in our process of protecting the Nissequogue River, a vitally important Long Island Sound tributary,” said Levy. “Our efforts, combined with action taken by New York State officials, will ensure that more than 100 acres of mature, contiguous oak forest will ultimately be preserved forever.”

The county is acquiring a 6.5-acre site known as the Grausso property, which is located in the Kings Park Greenbelt area, south of Route 25A and east of Indian Head Road in the Town of Smithtown . New York State has purchased an adjacent 75-acre property that was formerly part of the Kings Park State Hospital facility. Suffolk previously had bought 10 acres of contiguous land and has its sites on additional vacant woodland property, which when purchased would bring the amount of total holdings to more than 100 acres.