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A nine-acre wooded property in Medford that had been considered for development over the years is now on track to be permanently preserved, thanks to a $1.4 million state grant awarded to the Town of Brookhaven.
The property, located on the north side of Granny Road just east of the Chelmsford Weald apartments, borders the town-owned Mill Pond Golf Course and sits within a larger stretch of protected open space extending from Medford to Yaphank.
The $1,403,185 grant, announced by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, will cover the entire acquisition cost, including surveys, title work and other closing expenses. No matching contribution from the town is required.
The privately owned property had been listed for sale, with its owners considering various development projects over the years before ultimately agreeing to sell the land for preservation.
The town and property owner have agreed on a purchase price, with the acquisition expected to close in early 2027 as the parties work through the state’s grant requirements.
Connecting hundreds of acres
The property sits within the Compatible Growth Area of the Central Pine Barrens and is part of a roughly 750-acre, 2.5-mile stretch of preserved land running from Middle Island Road in Medford to Yaphank-Middle Island Road in Yaphank.
Its acquisition is considered strategic because of its location along the planned Middle Island Trail Connector, a trailway intended to link several major preserved areas in Brookhaven.
The connector will link Glacier Ridge Preserve near Brookhaven Town Hall in Farmingville with Cathedral Pines County Park in Middle Island and the Dennis Puleston Warbler Woods Nature Preserve in Yaphank.
Once acquired, the nine-acre parcel will remain in its natural state permanently.
Plans also call for a publicly accessible trail from the existing sidewalk along Granny Road to the larger connector trail, which will run just north of Mill Pond Golf Course.
Part of $25 million, statewide
Brookhaven’s award was one of 14 announced statewide by the DEC as part of the first round of its Open Space Conservation Grant Program.
The state awarded $25.17 million in total, including nearly $8 million for three projects on Long Island.
Locally, in addition to Brookhaven’s $1.4 million award, the North Shore Land Alliance received $3.5 million and the Niamuck Land Trust was awarded $3,093,810. Brookhaven was the only Long Island municipality to qualify for grant money.
The program is intended to help municipalities, land trusts and other organizations permanently protect environmentally significant properties, preserve wildlife habitats, improve water quality and expand recreational opportunities.
“This first round of new funding allows our local partners to permanently protect high-value natural areas, while also providing new recreation opportunities and expanding public access to open spaces, particularly in disadvantaged communities,” DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton said in the state’s announcement.
The grants are funded through New York’s Environmental Protection Fund and the $4.2 billion Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act approved by voters in 2022.
A total of $100 million has been allocated to the Open Space Conservation Grant Program, with additional funding rounds expected.
Brookhaven’s grant remains subject to final approval by the state comptroller’s office.
Top: An aerial map shows the nine-acre wooded property along Granny Road in Medford slated for preservation, outlined in red. Surrounding parcels include town-owned open space (yellow), Suffolk County-owned open space (green) and Suffolk County Water Authority property (purple). (Credit: Town of Brookhaven)
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