New York state has acquired 284 acres at the former Babcock-Hovey Scout Camp in the Town of Ovid, Seneca County, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced June 17.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) acquired the property for more than $5.9 million from the Boy Scouts of America through the New York State Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Environmental Bond Act.
According to Hochul’s office, the parcel will nearly triple the available land dedicated to wildlife conservation and public use. The land will be managed for expanded recreational access, protection of critical drinking water sources, and enhancement of ecosystem resilience.
The property also adjoins DEC’s existing Willard Wildlife Management Area, adding to the recreational opportunities in the area.
“Babcock-Hovey is a gem along Seneca Lake, and this conservation achievement is a prime example of how the historic Bond Act is helping expand public access and protect drinking water in the Finger Lakes,” Hochul said.“By protecting this waterfront from development and connecting it to existing public lands, New York State will continue the camp’s legacy of affordable outdoor recreation for generations to come.”
Scout properties being repurposed for public use in Finger Lakes
The property is the latest addition to the more than 70,000 acres of land preserved under Hochul and boosts ongoing state efforts to conserve 30 percent of land and waters by 2030, the governor noted.
The acquisition comes on the heels of a similar transaction in the Finger Lakes. In 2025, the state acquired a Finger Lakes property from the Baden-Powell Council of the Boy Scouts of America, which had operated the facility as Camp Barton on Cayuga Lake. The land was repurposed as Three Falls State Park and debuted in March 2026.
Seneca Waterways Council, Scouting America Scout Executive and CEO Jonathan P. Widmark said Babcock-Hovey has long been a place where generations of Scouts learned to appreciate, respect, and care for the natural world.
“While this transition is emotional for many in our Scouting community, we are grateful that New York State and the DEC recognize the environmental significance of this property and are committed to protecting it for the future,” Widmark said. “We are also encouraged that Scouts will still be able to use the property in some capacity, while opening the land for broader public use and continued stewardship.”
Acquisition will increase recreation, protect drinking water
New York State Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Kathy Moser said Seneca Lake is one of New York’s most valuable natural resources and a premier destination for affordable outdoor recreation. The parcel includes cabins, lodges, a mess hall, a shooting range, a swimming pool, a fully stocked pond, and a dock to Seneca Lake.
“This newly conserved property on the lake’s eastern shore expands upon the nearly four miles of shoreline already protected by New York State Parks at nearby Sampson State Park and Bonavista State Golf Course,” Moser said.
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Amanda Lefton said the former Babcock-Hovey Scout camp protects habitat and drinking water while helping continue the community’s connections and access to Seneca Lake.
“DEC is grateful for the partnership that helped this Bond Act investment contribute to Governor Hochul’s affordable outdoor recreation initiatives by securing more than a mile of picturesque shoreline and complementing our adjacent wildlife management area,” Lefton said.
Seneca Lake contains approximately 4.2 trillion gallons of water, almost as much as all the other Finger Lakes combined, the state said. The lake serves as the drinking water supply for nearly 100,000 people, including the towns of Geneva, Watkins Glen, Waterloo and Ovid.
The protection of Babcock-Hovey protects the lake from nutrient and sediment inputs related to potentially detrimental land use practices, officials said, providing permanent protection for 2,800 feet of Seneca Lake shoreline.
This article originally appeared on Ithaca Journal: New York state acquires former Babcock-Hovey Scout Camp along Seneca Lake
Reporting by Jeff Smith, Corning Leader / Ithaca Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jeff Smith, Corning Leader | USA TODAY Network
